Boy, 12, obsessed with driving since age three now one of Scotland’s top young karters and dreams of F1 career

A 12-year-old boy “obsessed” with driving since age three is now one of Scotland’s top indoor young karters, dreaming of racing professionally, with his school even allowing time off to train.

Theo Bobb, from Falkirk in Scotland’s Central Lowlands, has been fascinated by anything on wheels since he was a toddler and earned his karting licence at the age of eight.

He now trains twice a week, works out at home, attends after school clubs and takes a half day off school each week to pursue his “passion”.

His mother, Jenn, 42, a customer service call centre operator, has become his mechanic and part of his pit crew – despite once not knowing how to change a lightbulb in her car – even turning their spare room into a garage.

She and Theo’s father Nik, 42, a project manager, think it is “refreshing” for someone his age to have such an “ambitious” goal.

Theo has competed in events including the Larkhall Winter Cup Series and the Cadet British Indoor Karting Championship, and when he turns 13 he hopes to race across the UK.

He also aims to secure more sponsorships as he chases his dream of becoming a professional driver – either in F1 or endurance racing – which he said “would mean everything” to him.

Jenn told PA Real Life: “It would be the most amazing thing in the world for him.

“I would know that I have done my job as a mum.

“I think you bring children into the world so that you can put everything into them – they’re like a seed and a plant you need to nurture to make sure that they can bloom.

“Some people think we are absolutely mad for putting all our money and effort and time into this, but to see his passion in his eyes knowing that we’re doing everything to help him is all we want to do.”

Since the age of three, Theo has been “wanting to drive”, despite no one in his family being involved in racing.

Jenn said: “He’s always loved Hot Wheels and watching videos on YouTube of monster trucks – anything with wheels he’d be watching, talking about, and learning about it all.

“He’s just always been obsessed!”

Jenn said go-karting, for a time, felt “really unattainable” without family members who knew the field.

However, they found a local karting track where Theo could gain his karting licence and learn the basics at the age of eight.

Jenn said: “On the day after his eighth birthday, we went there and he smashed it.

“He absolutely loved it.”

From there, they discovered a company called Team Sport, which hosted an academy every Sunday to teach people how to drive indoors.

Jenn said: “That’s where we would be every minute of the day that he could go, that’s all he wanted to do and that’s not changed since!”

Theo added: “I love the speed and the feeling of getting everything just right in a lap.

“When you hit every corner perfectly it feels amazing.

“I also love working on the kart with my mum – it makes it feel like our thing.”

Theo has also always loved Formula One.

“I just remember when Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton in 2021,” Jenn said, speaking of when the Dutch driver won his maiden World Drivers’ Championship title.

“Theo was just so emotional – I’ve never seen so much emotion from him before, and I didn’t realise how much he loved it until then.

“I think that was that moment when I realised it wasn’t just him watching the cars go around – he idolised them.”

Theo would also love to get into endurance racing, where teams of two to four drivers share a car to cover the maximum distance over extended periods, usually six to 24 hours.

He would specifically like to participate in The 24 Hours of Le Mans – an endurance sports car race held annually near the city of Le Mans, France.

Theo added: “I love how those drivers must stay focused for so long, deal with risk, and race on very long and complex tracks.

“That kind of challenge really excites me.”

Jenn said she feels “wonderful” and “very proud” of Theo for having such an “ambitious” goal.

She explained: “I just find it’s refreshing to have somebody of his age that’s got such a passion and just eats, sleeps, breathes, everything to do with any racing.”

Since Theo began karting, Jenn has taken on the role of mechanic.

She said: “I started off not knowing how to change a light bulb in my own car, and now we’ve got a full on garage in our spare room where we’ve got all our kit.

“We’re watching YouTube videos, and we’re learning!”

He has also successfully secured sponsorships, such as from a local restaurant and chiropractic care company.

He has since competed in the Larkhall Winter Cup Series Round 2, in 2026 finishing sixth overall.

In September 2025, he took part in the Cadet British Indoor Karting Championship, finishing in second place.

With Theo stepping up from Cadet to Junior racing in 2026, he has been racing in preparation for the Junior British Indoor Karting Championship in August 2026.

In his races in the junior class, in February 2026, he has come in at second, fifth and third place.

He is currently ranked as Scotland’s top young indoor cadet karter, due to setting leading times at various tracks and consistently being among the strongest Scottish performers at that level.

Theo has qualified for the British Indoor Karting Championship regional stage for three consecutive years, progressing through a highly-competitive Scottish pathway where only 15 Scottish drivers can qualify.

He has finished as one of the top five Scottish drivers at regional finals each year, including being the top Scottish driver.

He is now looking to transfer this form into outdoor karting.

But, in March 2025, he had a crash while driving at 40mph.

Jenn said: “He had the sense to take his hands off the steering wheel so he didn’t break anything.

“He knew that because of Daniel Ricciardo famously keeping hold of the steering wheel when he crashed.

“He actually met him last year and told him the story – he’s one of his idols!”

Since 2025, he has had permission from his school to have a half day every Wednesday.

Jenn said: “His school was really excited about it – he’s taken his helmet in and everyone has tried it on.

“They tell us what he’s going to miss and we plan around it.”

Theo uses MyEdSpace, an online tuition platform, to keep on top of his studies.

“He’s a high achiever – he’s got a reading age of 17 now and sometimes he isn’t challenged,” Jenn explained.

“We started giving him extra things to do in lockdown and he wanted to continue it because he just loved learning.

“He’s known all the world flags since he was four!

“He isn’t behind at all in school and he loves the online lessons.”

Every Wednesday he karts from 2pm to 8pm, racing around six times and analysing the data with the rest of the team.

Every Sunday he trains from 8am to 4pm – usually it is a test day where he practises for an upcoming race.

He also uses his treadmill at home, as well as weights, to build upper body strength.

He attends after school clubs three times a week, ranging from basketball to cricket to dodgeball.

Jenn added: “He’s still a kid – he reminds you of that all the time!”

Once he turns 13, he will be able to race in the junior section across the UK – at the moment he is limited to Scotland because of insurance purposes.

On how he would feel if he achieved his dream, Theo said: “It would mean everything to me because I’ve put so much time and effort into it, and so has my family.

“I just want to see how far I can go, keep improving, and make everyone proud while doing something I love.”

For more information, visit: myedspace.co.uk and theobracing.com.