Two years after a 13-year-old Xbox player made waves on Reddit, the Racing Kid is back with a new steering wheel and is being celebrated by the community for his performance.
What is it about? The 15-year-old Reddit user SARMADJ56 is making headlines on Reddit. Since his 14th birthday, the South African has been on a record chase with a new steering wheel and lightning speed.
In his Reddit post, the now 15-year-old talented gamer also reports on his previous successes and shows a video of an impressive world record lap he drove on Xbox.
His talent was recognizable even at 13
This was two years ago: Two years ago, he asked in a post (u/SARMADJ57 via Reddit) for tips on how he could improve and accompanied the post with a video of his gameplay.
At that time, many users were already convinced of his talent and provided him with helpful suggestions for improvement. Now he is back in the sim racing community.
Sim racers or racing simulations are racing games designed for realistic driving behavior. They are considered challenging and place a high value on physical accuracy.
We embed the Reddit post with the world record video from u/SARMADJ56 here:
“Let’s get the boy a proper car now.”
At just 15 years old, u/SARMADJ56 can already boast several successes. According to him, he is part of the FIA Rally Star, the youth program of the FIA.
The video of his world record lap received over two thousand upvotes in the r/simracing community on March 16, 2022. But the remarkable clip is not the only thing.
If you check the subreddits of various racing simulations such as DiRT or F1, you will find more world records and top placements from the 15-year-old:
- Reddit thread s/dirtgame: Top 3 placement without setup
- Reddit thread r/simracing: Rally world record in the Peugeot 205 gti
- Reddit thread: r/dirtgame: World record in the USA in DiRT Rally 2.0
Among the most prestigious events of the FIA are the Formula One World Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC / endurance racing) and the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).
The FIA Rally Star is the official youth program of the FIA to discover and support talented drivers on their way to becoming WRC champions.
This is how the community reacts: The atmosphere within the thread is extremely positive. Many users express their praise for the 15-year-old and even offer support.
- u/XThund3rTrap congratulates: “Congratulations, man, the journey begins here.”
- u/MyNameIs-Anthony says: “I would like to support the boy through crowdfunding so he can get proper training.”
- Even u/achaiatak means: “Alright, let’s get the boy a proper car now.”
Racing simulations are a class of their own. To drive at a high level, not only skill is required. Players engage in digital motorsport and must master the respective track and vehicle.
However, alongside the gaming demands, there is also a financial hurdle: Without specialized equipment, achieving great success is nearly impossible.
Expenses for steering wheels, shifter systems, cockpit setups, and pedals significantly complicate entry into the genre.
The Racing Kid will surely appreciate the kind support. However, there are currently no signs that the boy has received a real drivable vehicle.
If you are now interested in racing simulations, you can find a suitable article here: My new steering wheel for 250 € was my most important gaming purchase in 2021
