Young Australian karting sensation William Calleja is racing toward a Formula 1 future after signing a significant deal with an international team that has produced stars like Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Zhou Guanyu and Jack Doohan.
Calleja, 12, has joined Ricky Flynn Motorsport, a prestigious British-based team that has been the launchpad for world-class drivers aiming for Formula 1 for over a decade.
Growing up in Melbourne before relocating to Italy, William is embracing both the challenge and the pressure of his new opportunity, as he sets his sights on reaching the pinnacle of motorsport.
Fellow Australian, Oscar Piastri also developed his skills with Ricky Flynn Motorsport before going on to win the Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships, which paved his way to McLaren in Formula 1. Another rising star, Jack Doohan, set to debut in F1 next year with Alpine, also raced for the team, alongside a host of other F1 drivers.
“Ever since I arrived in Europe in 2021, I admired the team’s success with drivers like Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri,” William told news.com.au.
“When they invited me to race with them, I was thrilled—it was a team I’d always looked up to.
“I don’t feel pressure at all,” he said. “It excites me and motivates me even more because I see how well others have done. With this team, I feel more confident that this is the right step.”
William’s path to one of the world’s top karting teams has required immense sacrifice. He competed in Karting Australia’s Cadet 9 and Cadet 12 championships, until COVID-19 lockdowns in 2021 prompted his family to make the bold decision to move overseas to continue racing.
Since then, William and his mother have been living in Europe while his father and sister remain in Melbourne. The move yielded quick results: William finished second in Italy’s Mini GR3 series in 2023 and became the first Australian to win a WSK title, claiming the WSK Super Masters Series in the mini category.
These achievements have drawn attention from notable figures in motorsport, including national champion David Sera and kart supplier Parolin, culminating in William’s signing with Ricky Flynn Motorsport.
William made his debut with the team last weekend in the OKJ class, competing in the WSK European series—one of the final stages in karting before drivers transition to cars on the road to Formula 1.
William has mapped out his journey. “I want to follow in the footsteps of Oscar Piastri and Jack Doohan—moving from Formula 4 to Formula 3, then Formula 2, and ultimately Formula 1.”
Original article published on news.com.au
