Home > News > Latest News > Six-year-old Ruby ready to start up in go-kart racing community – From the Knox Leader

24th March 2014

Six-year-old Ruby ready to start up in go-kart racing community - From the Knox Leader

(http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/east/sixyearold-ruby-ready-to-start-up-in-gokart-racing-community/story-fngnvlxu-1226861023365)

Ruby, 6, and Jack, 10, in their go-karts, serviced by their dad, Former F1 mechanic Carl Gibson. Picture: Susan Windmiller Source: News Limited

AT SIX years old, Ruby can feel the need for speed.

But when your dad is a former Formula 1 mechanic, who has worked for greats like Michael Schumacher, racing is in your DNA.

Behind the wheel of her go-kart, the Grade 1 student from Wantirna South hits speeds of 90 km/h during practice laps.

Ruby will launch her racing career at Geelong on March 30 — four days after she turns seven and qualifies for her go-kart licence.

“At first the go-kart felt really slow because it only had 10 per cent throttle, but now I go full-throttle,” Ruby said.

“It feels like you’re flying through the air, but you have to keep control of it and sometimes your arms get tired.

“Dad is teaching me to brake later, because you can get a faster lap time.

“I haven’t crashed, but I have spun off the track into the rocks,” Ruby said.

Ruby’s brother Jack, 9 — who has cerebral palsy and impaired vision — inspired her racing dreams.

The siblings’ dad, Carl Gibson, maintains Jack’s bespoke mean machine, Lightning McQueen, which has remote-controlled brakes, an engine kill switch and pit-to-helmet communication.

Father and daughter walk their chosen track before each practice lap, discussing the best lines to take, while an on-board data logger records speed, lap times, break and throttle timing for post-race analysis.

Mr Gibson said: “Every time we go to the track she’s faster and she’s having fun. She’s got all the right technique to go on and become a good racer.”

Powered by a two-stroke engine, Ruby races close to 1km in 43.91 seconds.

Ruby’s mum Diana said the sport was terrifying, but her daughter was fearless and had racing in her blood.

Mr Gibson started racing go-karts at age 12, was Australia’s youngest sports car race driver at 16 and moved to the UK four years later to join the Benetton F1 team in 1989.

Michael Schumacher signed up soon after.

“I was his mechanic when he won the first world championship in Adelaide in 1994,” Mr Gibson said.

“He’s written up as the tall poppy and probably not the nicest person on the track, but working closely with him, he was one of the best to work with and appreciated everybody’s efforts.

“He would shake your hand at morning and at night.”