Filipino karting prodigy Axel Nocom eyes breakthrough in 'Champions of the Future' final
MANILA, Philippines — With less fanfare and greater resolve, 14-year-old Filipino karter Mariano “Axel” Nocom is making a lot of heads turn in the international circuit.
Nocom, who is based in the Philippines but has taken his act across Asia, Europe and the Middle East, is facing the biggest race of his young and promising career — the Champions of the Future final round in Italy.
The race is scheduled November 13-15 at the demanding Franciacorta Karting Track. Nocom is running second overall among 35 karters, mostly Europeans, and a victory and the overall title will cement his place in history.
“I want to make our nation proud. May pressure but I’m carrying the hopes of our nation. If I win this I can make a name for myself,” said Axel in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Philippine Sports Commission media room.
The forthcoming race is the fifth and final round of the prestigious Champions of the Future where the best young karters compete, including those whom Nocom described as future F1 drivers.
“This is the highest level of karting,” said Axel, who was accompanied to the weekly forum by his father, Michael Nocom, who plays basketball but never tried racing.
“I represent the Philippines all around the world and I’m very proud of that. I want to be number one in the world,” said Axel, who placed second in the first leg in Spain, crashed out in Greece in the second leg after taking pole position on the second day, finished third in the third leg in Italy, just behind a Mercedes program karter, and then won the fourth leg in Spain, beating 34 karters.
He became the first Filipino karter to achieve the feat, and is confident that if he can do it in Spain, he can do it in Italy.
“I really want to win this race,” he said during the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, and ArenaPlus, the country’s 24/7 sports app.
The father, who bears the brunt of the expenses in his son’s campaign, said discipline and determination brought Axel to where he is right now.
“Because we cannot spend half a million pesos just to go to Europe and practice unlike the others, Axel does most of his training, six days a week via the simulator. Then he studies online, goes to the gym, runs around the village” he said.
“At the Carmona circuit, he gets to practice while teaching other young karters as young as five years old. The simulator helps a lot. It trains you not to just drive fast but how to react in certain situations like when a karter spins in front of you,” said Michael.
Axel, therefore, doesn’t enjoy the benefit of practice rounds as much as his competitors have.
“Sabak agad. We are at a disadvantage kaya ang ibang kalaban, hindi matanggap. Upset sila and are asking themselves, ‘How could that be possible? How can we lose to him (Axel)? That’s improbable to them,” said the father, who first gave his son a shot at motocross, car racing or practical shooting.
“He moved away from those. So we focused on karting. I hope he inspires other Filipino karters,” he said. (Pool story)
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