A-grade on the asphalt: World champion racer, 12, drives circles around rivals

Image source, Elaine MillarImage caption, There were 36 drivers in Jack Millar's category at the Tillotson T4 Nations Cup 2026 in Valencia

Going back to school after a few days off can be a drag – but 12-year-old Jack Millar says becoming a world champion racing driver during the break is a good way to take the edge off the post-holiday blues.

"It was pretty good," said Millar, describing how it felt to return to the classroom after winning the 2026 T4 Nations Cup in Valencia last weekend.

Millar had been racing karts and watching tapes of Eddie Irvine and Ayrton Senna for years, fantasising of one day following in his heroes' footsteps.

Standing on the podium in Spain, with zero-percent bubbly fizzing everywhere, Millar said he felt one step closer to achieving his dream of becoming a professional driver.

"I want carting to lead me to the GT3," said Millar, referring to a motorsport discipline where drivers race road legal sports cars as opposed to the purpose-built, single-seater cars used in Formula One (F1).

"I want to become a GT3 world champion while I'm still young," said the Year 9 Wallace High School pupil.

"I want to leave my mark on motorsport and be someone that everyone will remember."

Before last weekend, somebody looking at those words would probably have said the Lisburn boy certainly seemed to have the time and ambition to make his aspirations a reality.

In Spain, though, he proved he also had the talent.

Image source, Elaine MillarImage caption, It was nip-and-tuck in the final but the Lisburn driver was ultimately able to edge out his rivals

At the championships, in Valencia, which saw 248 drivers enter from more than 30 countries, Millar represented Team Ireland for a second year running.

As is usual with karting, competitors were grouped by age and engine size.

Millar, who last year didn't make the top 15, again campaigned in the two-stroke (engine size) category with drivers of a similar age.

Track-side through it all were his parents, Elaine and Brian.

"It's not like the Formula One, they don't just whizz by every few minutes, you can see the whole track the entire time," said Elaine.

"Our hearts were in our mouths," said Elaine. "My hands were shaking."

Millar recorded some fast qualifying laps, which meant he started near the front in his three heats.

The competition was stiff, said Elaine, with "three of them neck-and-neck in the heats".

When it came to the final, though, it was her son that prevailed.

"Jack worked his way to the front and pulled away, kept his head down, managed not to make any mistakes and got across the line first."

Image source, Elaine MillarImage caption, After crossing the line first, Millar secured his place at the centre of the podium

Crossing the line in first place, fireworks exploded – literally – then Millar was declared the victor, which came with all the trappings of a racing world championship win.

"The podium, the trophy, the non-alcoholic Champagne, the whole works," said Elaine.

"He was flying high. He was smiling ear-to-ear."

It was a weekend the family would never forget, and one that might well have seemed like a dream had it not been for the fact Millar was not allowed to take his "massive trophy" onto the flight home as hand luggage.

"I had to take everything out of all the suitcases and managed to get it into the biggest case and just wrap it in all the clothes," laughed Elaine.

"And then we were way over the weight, so we had to pay extra."

Image source, Elaine MillarImage caption, Elaine said she and her husband Brian were very proud of their son's achievement

For Jack Millar to have had international success at such an early age, you might think he came from a motorsporting dynasty – like the Dunlops or Schumachers.

But neither Elaine or Brian were from racing stock.

In fact, Elaine said her other family members found it funny when they heard her using "technical" racing language.

"My sister-in-law heard me one day and said: 'You're just talking gobbledegook'."

It turned out it was Millar's older brother Euan who planted the seed, Elaine explained.

"He had been at it for about a year when Jack said he wanted to go."

The two boys were trained at Raceview Academy in Ballymena and now race for Odhran Henry Racing, based in the Republic of Ireland.

Both boys "love racing", said Elaine, before she joked that there was now one big difference between them.

"Euan doesn't have any world championships under his belt, so Jack's just raised the bar."