Grimes all set to join elite in international racing

MANILA, Philippines - Ben Grimes hopes to build up on his impressive start in the Asian Formula 3 circuit as he seeks to join the elite ranks of international Filipino racing champions in the near future.

The Fil-Brit racer dished out a remarkable single-seater debut in the third round of the Formula Masters Asian Series in China recently, finishing 10th. He also vied in the first round where he wound up in the top half of the 15-car field in every race, including a Top 5 finish in his first race.

“I’m very committed. I want to get as high up the racing ladder as I can,” said the emerging 18-year-old racing star, the first-ever Filipino driver to compete in the FMAS, considered Asia’s premier Formula Car competition.

He said he’s been training 4-5 times a week to toughen himself up and has been watching F1 and F3 races.

“I’m also in constant communication with my racing coaches,” said Grimes, who dreams of approximating or matching the feats of top local racers such as Marlon Stockinger, Michele Bumgarner and Gaby dela Merced.

Born to a British dad and Filipina mom, Grimes started out as a karter, making his karting debut in the Thailand National Karting Championship in the KF3 class where he posted a couple of podium finishes as a 13-year-old competitor.

He also competed in the Asian Rotax Max Challenge and after topping the Thailand Rotax Junior Championship, he represented the country in the 2013 Rotax Grand Finals, the world’s largest karting event, in New Orleans.

He moved up to the Senior Class in 2014 and turned in a couple of strong finishes in the Asian Max Challenge and Thailand Rotax Senior Championship.

Then he made the transition from karts to saloon carts last year and vied in the Toyota Vios Cup with AUTS Racing and saw action in the other races, bucking the odds while scoring two podium finishes in eight races.

This year, Grimes switched back to the more traditional route for karting graduates, moving into single-seater formula cars and linking it up with Motorsports team.

Meanwhile, Grimes also joined the ALV Talent Circuit, which handles the careers of some of the country’s top singers and sports celebrities, including boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, MMA fighter Mark Striegl, lady pro golfer Jayvie Agojo, swimmer Alfonso Bautista and fencing champion Maxine Esteban.