"I always want to go for a ride": the fast-paced life of Louka Ferrus, the young karting prodigy from Antibes

He's been into it since he was little... and even before he was born! Louka Ferrus comes from a family passionate about motorsport. His mother, his father, his grandfather, in short, they're all into mechanics and speed. So it was only natural that little Louka fell in love at the age of 5 for his first Formula 1 Grand Prix. "We took him to the Monaco GP, it was a real revelation for him ," says his mother, Laurie . "The passion started that day, and it's never left him since. At the age of 6, we were in Italy and he was able to drive with us. People told us he had something, they were impressed."

Fan of Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris

Since then, Louka has progressed at great speed and has successfully raced on numerous karting circuits. In 2024, he became the French Iron SWS champion, a first achievement in a career that continues to gain momentum. He also won the Kart Mag Festival trophy in two stages on the legendary Arena 45 circuit in Valencia (Spain), where he finished 1st Rookie in October 2024.

Not bad for this fan of F1 drivers Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris who eats, sleeps, and breathes karting… without forgetting his studies, of course. "I think about it every day. After a race, I wait for the others, " the young man says enthusiastically. "I always want to drive. I like the adrenaline, overtaking. When you overtake the best, you want to go for the best times."

Today, a 6th grade student at Fersen secondary school, Louka juggles his absences, homework, and catch-up classes. With the help of his mother and the secondary school in particular: "It's a lot of sacrifices because he has to juggle schoolwork, training, and competition," confirms his mother . "Fersen is very accommodating and helps us a lot. Louka manages to do everything and has an average of 14."

In 2025, he participated in the FFSA regional karting championship of the Paca League, happily climbing to 3rd place out of twenty-seven drivers during this last round at Le Luc in the highly contested Mini 60 category. Thanks to his good results, Louka qualified for the French championship (July 5 and 6) on the Saint-Amand circuit (Cher) and the French Cup on October 25 and 26 on the Val d'Argenton circuit (Deux-Sèvres).

Never satisfied, Louka Ferrus will participate in the IAME Series France in Varennes-sur-Allier (starting today) with ambition: "I'm aiming for the podium and I would like to win the French championship!" A decisive race with a view to qualifying for the European championship which will take place in Le Mans (Sarthe) in mid-October.

Adrenaline and speed

Well-supported in his everyday life, the young athlete (cycling, skiing, running) is also well-supported on and off the track with his Team Valet Racing based in Cagnes-sur-Mer, led by Sylvain Valet (French KZ Champion). "Louka loves speed, pushing himself... and overtaking his competitors! With only one year of competitive experience, he's up against drivers who have already been racing for three or four years." You have to have a strong heart to drive at nearly 100 km/h just two centimeters from the asphalt. This is the case for Louka, who dreams of one day becoming an F1 driver like his idols. The road is long for the teenager. But with unwavering determination, he could be found among the elite of the circuits in a few years.

To follow Louka's performances: @Louka_amg06, her account on Instagram.