Have you ever dreamed of racing super-fast cars around the world?
Well, Bwana Gessese, an 11-year-old boy from Lamu, Kenya, is doing just that!
Bwana grew up on Lamu Island, a beautiful place where people walk or ride donkeys because there are almost no cars. But even in a town without cars, Bwana fell in love with racing.
Today, he’s training at Baby Race Academy in Italy, one of the best schools for young race car drivers in Europe. He drives in the Mini GR3 group, where he learns how to race with speed, care, and confidence…..just like real Formula One drivers!
Bwana was born on December 23, 2013. He is raised by his mum, Umra Omar, who is a well-known helper of people and was the first woman to try and become Lamu’s governor. She always supports Bwana’s big dream.
“I want to be the first African in Formula One,” Bwana says. “So that kids like me know they can do big things too.”
Bwana’s racing journey started when he visited a racetrack called Whistling Moran near Nairobi. At first, it was hard, he crashed, got dusty and made lots of mistakes. But he never gave up.
Later, Bwana moved to Portugal to train even more. It was a big change, which meant new language, new food and new people. But he kept going because he loves racing.
Now, Bwana is 139 cm tall and weighs 39 kg. Every time he races, he proudly wears the Kenyan flag. His favorite saying is “Built Different,” because he believes he was made to do something special.
He looks up to racing heroes like Ayrton Senna and Oscar Piastri, and wants to be like them one day.
When he’s not racing, Bwana works hard in school. He also loves eating sushi! And his biggest wish?
“To stand in a real Formula One pit and hear the engines roar.”
From the quiet sandy paths of Lamu to the super-fast racetracks of Europe, Bwana Gessese is showing the world that no dream is too big and no place is too small to start.
So next time you see a race, listen for the name Bwana because he just might be the next big star!