He was the only Kiwi on the track but that didn’t shake his cool.
The result? First place at the 40th City of Melbourne Titles go-karting event this month.
Tauranga teen Patrick McDonald has “liked racing forever” – and his passion and dedication for go-karting has earned him a win at his first overseas competition.
Held at the Go Kart Club of Victoria, Australia, the 40th City of Melbourne Titles ran July 31 to August 2, with the annual event attracting 380 entries.
Among them was McDonald, who’d never competed outside of New Zealand.
Making it through the qualifying race, the 14-year-old raced in the KA3 Junior Heavy class against 35 other Tier One racers. After charging his way through three heats he placed first in the final race.
“I got it done. It was cool,” a humble McDonald said.
On the spot
On the fast track to success, McDonald began go-karting five years ago after Covid-19 lockdowns.
“One of dad’s friends had a little go kart and they let me have a go on it. I’ve just been racing since.”
McDonald loves the sport because it “changes heaps”.
Tauranga 14-year-old Patrick McDonald won the KA3 Junior Heavy class at the 40th City of Melbourne Titles go-karting event this month. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
“It’s different every week and I like the fast pace. You have to think on the spot. Everything that makes sport good is kind of in this sport.”
At race time, McDonald said he focuses on keeping his head in the game.
“I just try to stay as calm as I can and just try to take deep breaths and to stay composed.” His pre-race ritual is simple: “a fist bump from dad”.
He also receives mentorship from New Zealand kart champion Ryan Urban.
“He’s my mechanic, coach and team boss of New Zealand, and he’s helped me out a lot. He came over with us and gave some advice on what to do.”
More grip
While he’s raced on “pretty much every track in New Zealand” including his local haunt in Te Puke where he trains, McDonald had never raced on an international competition track before this month.
Comparing tracks in Australia to New Zealand, he said “they’re a lot more high grip” over the ditch.
“Over here you have to warm your tyres and work the heat into them, whereas over there it’s so hot that the tracks are sticky enough and you can just go straight away.”
McDonald said the goal is to adjust to each unique track.
“You’ve got to learn the race line, braking points, turning markers, where you will apex and it’s just heaps of little things you think about while you’re out there.”
His favourite part of the race boils down to where he’s placed in the starting grid.
Tauranga 14-year-old Patrick McDonald won the KA3 Junior Heavy class at the 40th City of Melbourne Titles go-karting event this month. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
“If I’m starting from the rear field, the best part is when you get to make good passes and work your way up. If I’m at the front and I’m leading with pressure on me, the favourite part is at the end of the race.”
The pressure was certainly on in Melbourne.
“I was the only Kiwi in my class, and the guy I was battling with the most is from Melbourne and hadn’t lost a race at the track in 18 months.”
Back to Oz
Looking ahead McDonald wants to have a career in motorsports.
“Whether it’s racing – it costs a lot of money to make it through racing – of course that’s the end goal, but even if I’m an engineer or mechanic or something, that’d be cool.”
Meanwhile, it’s back to competition. McDonald returns to Australia for round 4 of 2026’s Penrite Australian Kart Championship in September in Seymour, Victoria.
“We did one test day at that track before we knew we were actually going there … so I know the track and I’ve been doing it in my racing simulator. I feel ready to go over there again.”