Need for speed

At an age when kids are still figuring out how to balance schoolwork and weekend playdates, seven-year-old Torch Philippe Florentino is already learning how to throttle pressure at 100 kilometers per hour — a speed that would rattle even the bravest full-grown man.

His days swing between a Grade 2 classroom at Marikina Catholic School and the sharp, punishing corners of the Carmona Race Track in Cavite. Two worlds, one child, and a dream big enough to make his small hands grip the steering wheel like it’s the only thing capable of carrying him forward.

He is shy, soft-spoken, and polite. But once the helmet locks in, he turns into a completely different kid — steady, disciplined, and unafraid of speed.

“My favorite driver is Lewis Hamilton because he’s fast,” Florentino said in an episode of “Off the Court,” the weekly sports show of DAILY TRIBUNE, last Thursday.

“I don’t know (why I like it). Just the adrenaline.”

He may be young, but he already understands what every racer eventually learns: winning early can shape your confidence, losing early can sharpen your character, and both are essential fuel. Whether he takes the flag or finishes behind it, he keeps the same mindset — keep driving forward.

Fiery start

At just four years old, Florentino was already placed inside a go-kart that looked far too powerful for a child his size.

“After a while, I’ll just get used to the kart and then I won’t get scared. Coach Renz Pazcoguin teaches me how to go fast, how to focus, and how to navigate the racing lines,” said Florentino, emphasizing that once he conquered his fear, everything eventually came naturally.

His routine is demanding for someone barely tall enough to see over the wheel without assistance.

If he has no classes, he starts his day early at the Carmona race track under the guidance of Pazcoguin. There, he hones the details that make a difference — brake pressure, steering angle, throttle timing, and listening to his engine like it’s a second heartbeat.

“I wake up at 6 a.m., leave at 6:30, arrive at the track at 7 a.m., gear up, and start driving,” he said. “I bring my books to the track and study during breaks. I focus on myself and my engine.”

“I listen to my engine, throttle control, and correct steering angle.”

Crashes come with the sport, and he has had his share but for a child his age, Florentino carries a surprising calmness when things go wrong. It’s the kind of composure that comes from understanding that fear is part of racing — but so is getting back on the track.

“I just need to stay more attentive, focus, and be cautious of track hazards,” he said.

His work paid off. Florentino recently captured the overall T4 Series Philippines championship, sweeping three titles in the five-round tournament and proving that his age may make him the youngest in the paddock, but his results make him one of the most respected.

Family support

Outside the track, Florentino is supported by two teams — the entire Topspec Racing Team and his family.

His parents aren’t just spectators; they are his foundation and his father, Gian, knows exactly why they’re letting their son chase speed so young.

“In Torch’s life, I consider this as preparation for the future, overall because what we have observed when he really got into karting is his discipline, his patience. These are rare opportunities wherein we are able to pull him out of his devices,” Gian said.

“He knows how to analyze things, not just racing because it can be applied even outside. He knows how to analyze, how to anticipate so we saw in him that he really developed personally and he continues to do so.”

His mother, Chinkee, sees the same thing. She watches her son come home tired from a day of racing, only to sit down and finish schoolwork without being told.

“I see him happy in what he does, so I fully support him for what he wants,” she said. “Outside of the racetrack, he’s a diligent kid so, even if he’s racing, even if he’s tired, we make time for school activities.”

Even with the pressure, the traveling, and the competition, Florentino carries himself with the simplicity of a child who still enjoys the small things — like drinking Royal before races, playing with classmates, or telling stories about his karting adventures.

Chasing the F1 dream

But when asked what his goals are in the future, his eyes lit up in a way only someone with a clear roadmap can.

“I want to be an F1 (Formula 1) driver,” Florentino said, smiling wide over what the future holds. “But for now, I just want to be good. Focus on the races. Continue developing.”

But what if things didn’t go according to plans?

“I want to be a pilot because it pays well,” Florentino added.

True enough, Florentino may be young but he already knows that the road ahead is long and winding. He knows that champions are not made overnight; they are the products of long years of grinding through cadet categories, junior series, and regional championships before even stepping into the gas pedal of the prestigious F1.

But big mountains no longer scares him. He has already driven faster than boys his age are expected to and already learned lessons usually reserved for teenagers and adults — discipline, composure, responsibility, and courage.

“Start with slow or indoor karts, move to outdoor gas karts, and train at Petron Academy in Carmona,” he said when sought for his advice to young boys who feel the urge to satisfy their need for speed.

In a sport where everything happens in fractions of a second, Florentino has already found something that lasts longer — purpose. A purpose that burns quietly but steadily, like the flame behind his name.

As he speeds through tracks here and abroad, carving out the opening laps of what could become a historic Filipino racing journey, one thing becomes clear: The country isn’t just watching a child race.

It is watching the ignition of a future no one can put a speed limit on.