Thirteen-year-old Nixon Cripps targets Formula Ford titles at Timaru

Nixon Cripps will attempt to claim victory in his first South Island Formula Ford Championship race this weekend at the Levels circuit in Timaru. The 13-year-old from Edendale enters the opening round of the series as a newcomer, having previously dominated the national karting scene. His goal is to finish at the front of the pack in a car that requires a distinct change in driving technique from the karts he has piloted for the last few years.

Cripps, a year 8 student at Menzies College, captured all three major New Zealand karting titles in 2025. He won the Vortex Mini Rok National Title, the Kart Stars Series, and the Rok Cup Series. He also secured multiple South Island championships during that period. His international record includes a fourth-place finish in the Rotax Grand Final in Italy when he was 11. The following year, he recorded a win and a third-place finish in the heats of the Rok Cup Super Final before failing to finish the main event.

The transition to single-seater cars began in the middle of last year when his family purchased a Spectrum 015. Advice was given to hold off on driving the car until after his trip to Italy, as the driving style differs significantly from karting. His first races in the Spectrum occurred at the Classic SpeedFest at Teretonga Park in Invercargill this year. He described that experience as a period of intense learning. Since then, he has competed at Euromarque Motorsport Park in Christchurch, where he finished third, and at the Winter Series in Feilding, where he placed second and third with limited track time.

Jordan Michels, the 2018/2019 New Zealand Formula Ford Champion, joined the team to guide Cripps through the transition. Michels noted that Cripps possesses a work ethic and talent that exceed his age. Cripps stated his motivation is simple: he wants to do his best and make everyone proud. He added that he is not afraid of hard work and will do whatever it takes to succeed.

Cripps plans to compete in both the South Island and New Zealand Formula Ford Series this season. He has only had one day of testing at Timaru. He described the circuit as challenging but a cool place to race. The season continues with the remainder of the South Island rounds, followed by the national championship events.

The young driver’s entry into motorsport was not born from a family tradition. His father watched Formula 1 television broadcasts, which sparked Cripps’ interest in speed. His parents then took him to the Invercargill kart track for a trial day. They purchased a second-hand kart after watching the owner race it. The car arrived home just before a national lockdown. Cripps balances his racing schedule with netball, touch, basketball, golf, and fishing.