Karts to McLaren: Geelong driver chasing racing dream

GEELONG’S next racing star had to be patient to get into a driver’s seat.

Now 20, Jack Johnson still remembers being told he couldn’t race at nine.

Despite growing up around football as the son of former Western Bulldogs captain Brad Johnson, regular trips to the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne sparked his interest in motorsport. But his cautious parents said he was too young.

“At nine, I told dad that I wanted to [race] and he said come back to me when you’re 13, so I came back to him when I was 13,” Johnson said.

“We rocked up to footy training and I said ‘I don’t want to do this anymore, I want to kart’, and that’s how the conversation started.

“They didn’t know what they were doing, but they were happy that I made the call to stop footy for what I love.”

 

After a modest start in karting, Johnson has climbed the ranks to secure a seat with Team Soutar Motorsport in the 2026 GT4 Australia season. It is a significant step up for the young driver who has hopes of pursuing a career in endurance racing

He made the move from karts to cars in 2024, stepping into the Victorian Hyundai Excel Series, before a strong 2025 campaign in the National Formula Ford Series.

As his profile has grown, so too has the challenge, with Johnson moving between different cars each season and learning their nuances.

This year he is behind the wheel of a McLaren Artura GT4.

With the first race of the season, at Phillip Island, completed, Johnson said he is still working through the new car.

 

“We had a good first round. I’m slowly learning the mechanical side of things, but it’s obviously hard when you change cars nearly every year,” he said.

“I love learning all that stuff, it’s just different. It’s complicated, but simple at the same time.”

A penalty in the opening round took some shine off the result, but Johnson said it is part of the ups and downs of sport.

Backed by a strong team, he acknowledged the many people who help get him to the track each race.

Johnson also hopes to see the sport continue to grow, encouraging parents to support children who show an interest.

“It’s an unbelievable experience,” he said.

“Even if you don’t do it for long, you still get the chance to race and experience travel.”

 

With the season building, Johnson and his team will head to South Australia in May for rounds three and four of the 2026 GTA Australia series.

He is focused on continuing to improve and taking the next steps in his career.

For now, though, he is living the dream.

“It’s an unbelievable opportunity. I never thought I’d be driving, let alone a McLaren or a GT4 car, at 20 years old,” he said.

“It was a pinch me moment when I first drove it.”