10-year-old karting prodigy Lucas Palacio is the latest to join the fold at UK-based academy.
Filipino motorsports fans will have another driver to watch out for in the international scene as 10-year-old karter Lucas Palacio was selected for a spot in the Williams Driver Academy.
In an announcement made during the weekend, Palacio’s inclusion detailed his decorated, albeit still young karting career which started back in 2020, when the Fil-Am karter was only six years old.
Palacio has been outperforming his peers as he entered the Mini Swift category back in 2022 with an age waiver, where he also continued to win and achieve multiple podiums across championships despite being considerably younger than the rest of the grid.
He also won all three Mini Swift National Championships (USPKS, SKUSA Pro Tour, and the Stars Championship) a year later.
This year, he also graduated to international karting when he competed at the WSK Super Masters Series where he nabbed a second overall result, he also finished fourth among 69 drivers in an ACI Italian Championship 60 Mini Class.
During his stint with the Academy, which has produced Formula 1 drivers like Lance Stroll, Nicholas Latifi, and Logan Sargeant, the Fil-Am driver will receive training and guidance to nurture his skills and support his progression in the junior categories of motorsport.
“This is a dream come true to be part of the Williams Racing family,” Lucas said on the announcement release.
“I’ve always loved racing since the first time I drove a kart so it’s amazing to be part of this team.”
He joins a roster of drivers in the academy including Franco Colapinto who is driving for Williams in the current 2024 Formula 1 season, W Series champion Jamie Chadwick, and F1 Academy driver Lia Block.
Williams Sporting Director Sven Smeets spoke highly about Palacio’s skills.
“He’s an exciting young talent that has shown promise in his first few years in karting and has progressed quickly for his age,” said Smeets.
“We’re looking forward to supporting Lucas as he continues to develop throughout his karting career.”