Talented Taranaki teenager, Jacob Bellamy, is fast becoming a rising force in New Zealand motorsport. He has his first championship under his belt, in a car he wasn’t too fussed on when he first saw it!
Despite growing up and living in one of the few regions in New Zealand without a paved racetrack, seventeen-year-old Jacob Bellamy has his sights fixed on a motor racing career.
Jacob followed the traditional path to motor racing, by starting out on his local go-kart track where he did very well; a little too well in fact, as it was soon decided that his talent exceeded the local club level and that he should venture a bit further afield.
“Our first karting experience outside Taranaki was down in Wellington and that was incredibly nerve-wracking,” explains dad Brendon, “it was all so much bigger and really, we didn’t have a clue. We’d left ourselves with no time to practice and we were running an old kart.”
“I still finished in the top ten though,” chips in Jacob.
From there, Jacob has progressed through the ranks, eventually making the move to racing BMWs as a scholarship driver for Team Kiwi Racing.
“It’s all a series of stepping stones really and after the go karts, we got Jacob into a BMW,” explains Brendon. Jacob and Dad did all of the prep work on the BMW — out in the shed pulling out seats and sound insulation. “We don’t have the same funding as some other drivers, which means we have to do a lot of the work ourselves, but we’ve had some amazing support from a lot of great local sponsors here in Taranaki,” says Brendon.
After the BMW, Jacob got a Porsche Boxster to race in the 2.5 litre class of the Pirelli Porsche Racing Series, although surprisingly, Jacob wasn’t that keen on Porsche’s smallest sports car.
“I’d seen them around, but I just didn’t like the look of them. I’d seen Dad eyeing them up, but I was like, ‘Please, no Dad, don’t make me drive one of those, they just look weird.’ But since getting into them, I really like them now.”
Jacob’s car was bought already race-prepared and is also left-hand drive, with an eye to future driving ambitions.
“The next step for Jacob will be the Porsche GT3 cup cars, probably in Europe and as they’re all left hand drive,” Brendon explains. “He’ll already be used to that set-up having driven his left-hand drive Boxster.”
Life as a racing driver is not lived solely behind the wheel, there is also time in front of the camera to consider and Jacob has had media training from sports commentator Stephen McIvor. Jacob and Brendon are also keen to point out that they have met some great people in the racing world, right from the early days of karting.
“We’ve met some amazing people and made some great friends over the years, but ultimately, everyone wants the spot on the top of the hill. It’s all very competitive.”
One of those friends who has now become Jacob’s mentor is Max Schlegel.
“Max has played a huge role in this season. He’s managed V8 Supercar teams in Australia and New Zealand and also has a lot of experience in mentoring young drivers and Jacob has learnt so much from him, both on and off the track.”
“He’s not afraid to tell me when I’ve stuffed up,” says Jacob, “but he’s always encouraging me to try new ideas. He keeps me thinking, plus he always remains calm when things are getting a bit stressful.”
Motor racing is not a cheap pursuit, but Jacob’s talent and commitment help him attract sponsors as he and his father look to the next step in his career. At the Porsche Club of New Zealand Annual General Meeting in March, Jacob was awarded Rookie of the Year, as well as overall national champion in the 2.5 litre class of the Pirelli Porsche Racing Championship.
“One thing that’s quite consistent with everyone who meets Jacob is that they can’t believe how young he is and how fast he is,” says Brendon. “All we need to do now is carry on that drive through to the GT3 Cup Cars and then onwards from there.”