Young Gun Tommy Rizk On Track For F4 debut
Even as a child, Tommy Rizk loved to speed. The son of Egyptian master coach and former sprinter, Emil Rizk, Tommy loved bikes, cars and karts from a very early age.
When he was just 14 months, he rode a cycle; at two years, he drove an electric car; at six years, Emil bought him a second hand kart for $200, which sparked his love for motor sports.
At 10 years, the Rouse Hill Anglican College student trialled at the Indy 800 kart track in Wilberforce. Tommy set the track alight with skilful driving, finishing third in his first competitive race, just three months after his start. He was later undefeated at the Indy facility for two years, with track records under his belt.
“I love go karting because I really like the speed and adrenaline and how all the competitors are really close with each other,” the Pitt Town teenager said. “It gets me away from school and calms me down and I can really live life the way I like it.
Emil said go karting came naturally to him, because he had a keen understanding of the sport. Tommy won against older rivals, before getting a new go-kart the next year. He went onto win a staggering 27 races that year, smashing a track record in a 50-lap race, after starting in 15th place.
Since then, Tommy, 14, has raced in different tracks and tougher competitions like the Dubbo Gold Cup, Todd Road championships and Port Macquarie, across NSW and Victoria, showing his undoubted class with eye-catching performances.
Tommy is now ready to race in Formula 4, the starting block for Formula One, his ultimate goal. He is confident, dedicated and focused on his goals.
He is coming off a phenomenal 2024 season where he won 37 races, two club championships, smashed two track records, while taking out his third Dubbo Gold Cup.
“The biggest challenge when going to F4 would be learn everything and driving the car for the first time. Also, there are challenges like getting the money, training every day and just doing everything for the first time,” he said.
“I feel I’m capable for the challenge because I’ve been waiting a long time to drive the car and I’ve been training and working hard to prepare.”
Tommy is more than ready. He has been training for months on the Formula One stimulator installed at his home. Formula 4 races involves a lot of travelling here and overseas which means Team Tommy needs sponsors and financial backing to make his dreams come true.
“We’re doing our best to fund Tommy’s career,” Emil said. “But we need as many sponsors as possible to cover the prohibitive costs involved in motorsports.”
