Watch the siblings "Ferrari-McLaren" racing go-karts—the son and daughter of renowned singer Benz Prikthai, continuing the legacy of a famous racing family.
On 4 Aug 2026 GMT+7, another promising athlete emerged at the youth go-kart competition “TrueVisions-Toyota Junior Kart Championship 2026” Round 1, held at Pira International Circuit, Pattaya, concluding in late July. Eight-year-old McLaren Phemyaphat Lerttaweewit made his debut appearance.
"McLaren," son of the beautiful and talented singer Benz Prikthai Drinrat Minawanit and famous racer Tanupat Lerttaweewit, competed in the CADET B category for ages 8-9. In qualifying, he ran alone, which made him nervous as it was his first race, finishing in 10th place.
Reports say in Heat 1, starting 10th, he overtook competitors to finish 1st in the 8-year-old category and 2nd overall. In Heat 2, again starting 10th, he repeated the performance: 1st among 8-year-olds and 2nd overall. However, in the crucial Final Heat, McLaren started from pole position but, nervous when the signal light went off, his kart failed to launch promptly.
This dropped him to 8th place. Regaining composure, he tried to overtake in a three-kart group approaching the middle, when the kart on the left suddenly veered in, causing their wheels to climb over each other. McLaren’s kart was forced off the track and could not continue. From leading points, he fell to last place due to this accident in the final round.
McLaren’s father admitted feeling very disappointed with the final result but praised his son’s best efforts. His performances surprised him, and he believes McLaren gained valuable experience, having watched his sister Pichamyanju compete regularly.
Reflecting, he said, “I believe this is an important step for my son’s growth. He will learn caution, attention to detail, emotional control, and mental toughness. Though his first race ended without a trophy, McLaren showed he has the heart of a racer.”
Additionally, Tanupat spoke about his elder daughter, Ferrari Pichamyanju Lerttaweewit, who also competed in the same youth go-kart event. Known for her composure and strategic racing, after winning the Cadet B 10-11 age group championship last season, this year she challenged over 30 pro drivers, finishing 3rd in the SKT category and 9th overall.
“The highlight is that Ferrari was the only female racer to reach the podium in this event. I’m very proud of both my son and daughter. They are growing together, supported fully by our family, Ya Motorsport, and the TNP team,” he said.
Given their dedication and achievements, the family plans to continue entering siblings Ferrari and McLaren in future competitions. The outcome remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: they are not ordinary talents!