A champion in the making
At just eight years old, Swaffham’s Arlo Gamble is already a European karting star with his sights set firmly on the world stage
British drivers have long dominated the exhilarating world of motor racing, from Formula 1 to rallying. Norfolk has produced its share of greats too, from Martin Brundle in the 1980s to George Russell in the 2020s. Now, a new local talent is emerging, and his journey has begun earlier than most.
Arlo Gamble is only eight, the same age Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris were when they first climbed into a kart. Yet Arlo has already claimed his first European Championship title, and his story is only just beginning.
Arlo’s rise has been astonishingly swift. After dominating the Fulbeck Sprint Series in his first season at just five years old, he progressed through the national bambino championships before stepping up to the more powerful cadet class. There, he took every podium spot during his debut race weekend and secured the East of England title. Within nine weeks of receiving his race licence, he had qualified for a national licence, allowing him to compete in Belgium’s BNL series and the British Kart Championships. Most remarkably of all, at only seven, Arlo entered his first European race in the Minimax category (designed for drivers aged 10-13), finishing 13th out of 33 on debut and ultimately taking the championship crown.
Arlo’s love of speed began long before he reached a racetrack. Growing up just outside Swaffham, he was steering a small electric John Deere at barely walking age, towing trailers around the family paddock. On his third birthday, he and his twin sister were given dirt buggies - and Arlo flew. “He used to race through the trees and the gates,” recalls his father, Adrian. “I sat on the back when he was about four and realised he was hitting 30mph with me on it - probably more on his own.” By five, the family took him to Fulbeck for his first taste of a real circuit. He was invited back the very next day to race.
His instinct has only sharpened. Today Arlo reaches speeds of 75mph, relying entirely on skill, nerve and an unusually mature sense of racecraft. “He goes very quiet just before the race starts and gets incredibly composed,” Adrian says.
“He loves a good tussle and is very good at spotting gaps. He brakes harder than any other kid into a corner, which means he carries more speed for longer. Speed simply doesn’t scare him.”
A typical race weekend begins on a Friday with a full day of testing, each session followed by detailed debriefs and video analysis. Saturday brings official practice and qualifying, setting the grid for Sunday’s heats, with the final a flat-out sprint through the pack. The schedule is so demanding that, for longer trips abroad, the family now build in a rest day to ensure Arlo reaches Sunday with something left
in reserve.
Arlo is far from alone in this journey. Alongside his family - who travel to race meetings across Europe in their caravan - he is supported by Sam Pollitt Racing, a team competing at UK, European and World level. Each weekend, a dedicated mechanic works solely with Arlo, while a driver coach analyses his performance alongside the team’s data specialists. “They’re looking at hundredths of a second,” Adrian explains. “They’ll tell him to brake half a metre later into a corner, or to carry more speed through an apex. It’s incredibly precise.”
Completing his support team is a personal trainer and a mindfulness coach. Racing against children up to five years older, Arlo’s kart carries as much as 19kg of additional lead to meet class requirements, making physical strength in his neck and shoulders essential. The mental demands are just as intense, and the mindfulness work has become central to helping him find that calm, focused state when the visor drops.
Away from the track, Arlo attends his local school near Swaffham, living the ordinary life of any eight-year-old between extraordinary weekends. For now, one goal above all others is driving him forward: earning a ticket to the RMC World Grand Final, the pinnacle of karting at his level, where the best young drivers on the planet compete for a world title.
Norfolk has a proud history of producing world class racing talent - and in Arlo Gamble, that tradition looks to be in very safe hands.
To keep up with Arlo’s astounding journey, find him on Instagram @arlogamble_racing.
