At just 10 years old, Lennox Head schoolboy Kai Kanyaro is about to take on the best young drivers in the world — becoming the youngest-ever Australian to compete at the prestigious T4 Nations Cup World Karting Championship in Spain.

As he packed his bags to head off this week, the Year 5 student from St Francis Xavier told Ballina News Daily he’s “very excited” to be representing his country in Valencia.

He’ll be  competing against 250 drivers from across the globe who will battle it out on equal machines.

“All the karts are the same, so it’s all about the driver,” Kai explained.  “I’ll be the only Australian, so I really want to do my best.”

Kai started racing karts three years ago, but already has multiple NSW and QLD state titles, endurance race wins (often against much older competitors), and lap records to his name. 

His father, Chris Kanyaro, says what sets Kai apart is his single-minded commitment.

“When we go to races, he’s one of the few kids who’ll drive from when the track opens to when it closes,” Chris said. 

“He just doesn’t stop. That passion is what’s driving him forward.”

Although he’s travelled overseas before with his family — including trips to the Monaco Grand Prix — this will be Kai’s first time competing internationally.

His parents, Chris and Sarah, big sister, and even the family dog Arlo are all backing him every step of the way.

Kai dreams of one day following in the footsteps of his F1 heroes.

“My dream is Formula One, but Le Mans would be pretty cool too,” he said, speaking with a confidence and maturity beyond his 10 years.

“For now, I just want to learn and have fun.”

His dad says the family never planned for motorsport to take over their weekends, but they’re proud to support his ambitions.

“I wanted him to play tennis — my bank account would probably look a lot healthier,” chris said.

“But this is what he’s passionate about, and we call it ‘Formula Fun’. We’re enjoying the journey.”

For now, Kai is still a primary school kid balancing his homework with karting — though he admits most of his classmates are more into footy than racing.  But while others are scrolling on their iPads, Kai is out on the track chasing tenths of a second.  And in a few days tine, he’ll be chasing the world’s best.

Main Photo: Kai’s bedroom in Lennox is already stacked with trophies – hopefully a few more after his trip to the championships in Valencia