11-year-old from Ottawa heading to Middle East for karting championship
Posted Nov 21, 2025 12:31:47 PM.
Last Updated Nov 23, 2025 09:20:46 AM.
For years, Oliver Aupry has been working toward this moment in his young life.
The 11-year-old from Ottawa is part of Team Canada, representing the country at the 2025 Rotax Grand Finals in Bahrain, a prestigious championship for the best up-and-coming and seasoned karting racers in the world. This sport is seen as a beginning for those who adore Formula One and an intro to the atmosphere before they can get their driver’s licence.
“I started karting by watching my first Formula One race when I was five,” Oliver told CityNews in an interview. This moment was cemented in his mind because he saw his favourite driver, Charles Leclerc, win.
“When I found out more about him, I wanted to become like him, so I started karting,” he said.
However, being so young, Ottawa’s Premier Academy would not let Oliver kart until he was eight. As soon as he could, he joined the academy and was a part of the races, helping out and learning from the older riders before he was of age. The passion stayed throughout the “long wait,” his mother Lorraine told CityNews.
“You want to nurture it as much as you can because it’s not often that you have an 11-year-old so passionate about one thing,” she said.
The sport comes with risks, like all activities, she said.
“What I look at is the bigger picture, the rewards; he goes through challenges and faces ups and downs and how he manages his emotions,” she explained.
First racer from Premier Karting Academy
The young racer is the first from Premier Karting Academy to represent the team at the Grand Finals. They are taking place from Nov. 29 to Dec. 6 in the Middle East. Oliver will be racing in the finals for his age group.
He has never come first, but the scrappy karter always finished near the top. Since 2023, he has won six trophies across North America and Europe, and has had podium finishes at multiple series and was in the top-five at the Canadian Open.
Similar to Formula One, the racers have communication with their coaches. Oliver said coach Vincent Desautels helps him go faster.
“When I was practicing on my simulator on (the) Bahrain (track), there is a part where I was going too hard in the corner,” he said. “So, he told me to go smoother and bring a bit less speed and break earlier to not overshoot the corner too much.”
Oliver said his favourite part of the sport is the speed and competition. Although he has teammates out on the track, it is just him and his coach. Lorraine said that including a coach to help Oliver has made him hungry for more.
“It hasn’t deterred him from wanting that first win,” she said. “He’s still more determined than ever, actually. It’s nice to see how dedicated he is to the sport and how much he loves it.”
Karting has also given Oliver the opportunity to learn mechanics from his father, Pascal, although Lorraine said he is more interested in driving. At the tracks, Oliver helps tighten the bolts, while his 7-year-old brother Arthur changes the tires.
The finals will be airing on YouTube, and Lorraine hopes people will support all the riders from Canada who are competing.
Oliver is excited for the competition and says he is not nervous since it is his first time.
One things for sure, he has his sights set on the future.
“When I’m older, I want to become a Formula One driver.”
