In Dad's Tyretracks
Boy racer Jacob Borg tells how he got his racing stripes
When I was 10 years old, I came across an advert for the opening of a commercial karting track. I went up to have a look with my dad and, both being keen Formula 1 fans and suffering from a dire need for speed, we decided to give it a go. I went on to thrash my dad and from then on, I continued practising while he retired to lick his wounds.
Six months later, I entered my first race and took the chequered flag. This gave me a massive confidence boost, so I entered a junior championship for battery-powered karts, in which I also placed first. Then I went on to win two national championships on petrol karts that can reach a top speed of 40 miles per hour.
In 2002, when I was 14, I went up to the UK to race on two-stroke junior TKM karts, which have a top speed of 75 miles per hour. During one week, I managed to test on four different tracks and obtain my international racing licence. The situation there is cutthroat and professional, which is very different from what I was used to locally. In the UK, you are considered to be a novice until you have competed in six two-stroke races. Also, novices have the disadvantage of having to start from the back of the grid in every race, which are scheduled on a three-heat and A or B final basis.
Starting from the last position, I managed to avoid the pile-ups which always happen in the first corner on the first lap, and finish in a good enough position to enter the A final, where I placed sixteenth out of 24 drivers. The race director also awarded me the best novice trophy for my efforts, which was great as I was not expecting to return to Malta with a trophy.
Two years ago I travelled to Sicily to race on the Pista Santa Venera, an amazingly fast circuit on which Formula 1 drivers the likes of Jenson Button and Giancarlo Fisichella have competed. The Italian race format is different from the English one, in that you get to qualify for your grid position instead of having to automatically start from the back. My qualifying was disastrous, as I suffered engine trouble and consequently had to start from the all too familiar last place on the grid. However, I carved my way up the field and finished second place in my class, even managing to beat Fisichella's best lap time.
Racing abroad gives you a perspective of how things are done in Malta. Currently, the Island Karting Club is looking to build a new track, since the old one is too small and dangerous for two-stroke karts. Also, we need money and support from the authorities to race.
Two years ago, I finally managed to get my own kart thanks to my sponsors. Until then, I was doing all my testing and racing on rented and borrowed karts, which is always a disadvantage. My new kart is amazing - it is a 125cc water-cooled Parilla Leopard engine with Mike Wilson 8 chassis. It is fast, with a top speed of 85 miles per hour and 17,000 rpm. But it is unforgiving - the kart does not have a clutch, so it is a challenge keeping the engine in the optimum rev range in corners. Also, in case of a spin, the engine stalls and it is pretty much game over.
The 125cc is a top class in karting. There are other different categories targeted for every budget and age. The two-stroke 60cc class, for instance, is for youngsters while the unrestricted classes are for 16 and over. The ultimate is the 250cc gearbox class, where drivers aged 21 years and over race at 140 miles per hour on full-length circuits.
It is not just the speed that makes karting an extreme sport. During a race, drivers are putting their body on the line. It is good to be aware of the dangers involved, but during a race, you cannot think about driving carefully. Usually, the difference between winning and losing is minimal, and gaining that extra bit involves taking extra risks, getting into a corner faster than your rivals and using every inch of the track to the maximum.
I would love to race single seaters abroad, but as usual the problem is lack of funds and support from the authorities.
Six months later, I entered my first race and took the chequered flag. This gave me a massive confidence boost, so I entered a junior championship for battery-powered karts, in which I also placed first. Then I went on to win two national championships on petrol karts that can reach a top speed of 40 miles per hour.
In 2002, when I was 14, I went up to the UK to race on two-stroke junior TKM karts, which have a top speed of 75 miles per hour. During one week, I managed to test on four different tracks and obtain my international racing licence. The situation there is cutthroat and professional, which is very different from what I was used to locally. In the UK, you are considered to be a novice until you have competed in six two-stroke races. Also, novices have the disadvantage of having to start from the back of the grid in every race, which are scheduled on a three-heat and A or B final basis.
Starting from the last position, I managed to avoid the pile-ups which always happen in the first corner on the first lap, and finish in a good enough position to enter the A final, where I placed sixteenth out of 24 drivers. The race director also awarded me the best novice trophy for my efforts, which was great as I was not expecting to return to Malta with a trophy.
Two years ago I travelled to Sicily to race on the Pista Santa Venera, an amazingly fast circuit on which Formula 1 drivers the likes of Jenson Button and Giancarlo Fisichella have competed. The Italian race format is different from the English one, in that you get to qualify for your grid position instead of having to automatically start from the back. My qualifying was disastrous, as I suffered engine trouble and consequently had to start from the all too familiar last place on the grid. However, I carved my way up the field and finished second place in my class, even managing to beat Fisichella's best lap time.
Racing abroad gives you a perspective of how things are done in Malta. Currently, the Island Karting Club is looking to build a new track, since the old one is too small and dangerous for two-stroke karts. Also, we need money and support from the authorities to race.
Two years ago, I finally managed to get my own kart thanks to my sponsors. Until then, I was doing all my testing and racing on rented and borrowed karts, which is always a disadvantage. My new kart is amazing - it is a 125cc water-cooled Parilla Leopard engine with Mike Wilson 8 chassis. It is fast, with a top speed of 85 miles per hour and 17,000 rpm. But it is unforgiving - the kart does not have a clutch, so it is a challenge keeping the engine in the optimum rev range in corners. Also, in case of a spin, the engine stalls and it is pretty much game over.
The 125cc is a top class in karting. There are other different categories targeted for every budget and age. The two-stroke 60cc class, for instance, is for youngsters while the unrestricted classes are for 16 and over. The ultimate is the 250cc gearbox class, where drivers aged 21 years and over race at 140 miles per hour on full-length circuits.
It is not just the speed that makes karting an extreme sport. During a race, drivers are putting their body on the line. It is good to be aware of the dangers involved, but during a race, you cannot think about driving carefully. Usually, the difference between winning and losing is minimal, and gaining that extra bit involves taking extra risks, getting into a corner faster than your rivals and using every inch of the track to the maximum.
I would love to race single seaters abroad, but as usual the problem is lack of funds and support from the authorities.