July 5, 2026
CREMONA, ITALY — American-Australian junior kart racer JohnJohn McLellan, of Redondo Beach, California, delivered one of the strongest performances of his European campaign at IAME Series Italy Round 4 at the Cremona Circuit, showcasing the speed, adaptability, and racecraft that continue to establish him among the sport’s emerging international talents.

Competing against one of Italy’s deepest S125J fields with Ward Racing, McLellan immediately demonstrated front-running pace by securing Pole Position in qualifying. The result marked another significant milestone in his continued adaptation to European competition.

McLellan converted that speed into results throughout the heat races, earning multiple heat race victories while consistently running at the front of the field. His ability to lead races and control the pace reflected the progress made through months of preparation.

The Final presented another opportunity to contend for victory. McLellan led the opening laps before a battle among teammates for the lead dramatically changed the race. While fighting for position, he was forced off the racing line by a teammate, dropping several positions. The incident later resulted in a post-race penalty for the other driver. Despite the setback, McLellan mounted an impressive recovery drive through the field to finish fourth, while continuing to demonstrate front-running pace throughout the race.

Perhaps the clearest measure of the weekend came from the timing sheets. McLellan recorded the fastest lap of the Final—and the fastest lap of the entire event—demonstrating exceptional speed even while fighting back through traffic. Since joining Ward Racing, McLellan has continued to show measurable progress in speed, racecraft, and adaptability while competing against some of the world’s most competitive junior kart racers.

Weekend Highlights
-Pole Position
-Multiple Heat Race Wins
-Fastest Lap of the Final and the Event
-Recovered to fourth after 2 race-incidents

With the IAME weekend complete, McLellan now turns his attention to WSK Euro Series Round 3, also at Cremona Circuit, where he will once again compete against one of the strongest OK-N Junior fields in international karting.