Race With Me in 2027

Not a professional racer. That’s rather the point.

I’m not a professional racing driver. I live on the Isle of Islay, work normal jobs, run small businesses and try to fit motorsport around everything else. I started in sim racing, then gradually found ways into real-world motorsport. First through endurance racing, then the Scottish C1 Cup and most recently the Classic Mini Racing Championship. None of it has been the straightforward route into racing, and that’s really what Tom O’F Cars is about.

The aim isn’t to pretend I’m already at the top of the sport. It’s to document what it actually takes to try and get there from somewhere as remote as Islay. The costs, the travel, the ferry times, the last-minute opportunities, the mistakes and the occasional weekends where everything somehow comes together. People following Tom O’F Cars aren’t just following results; they’re following the process of trying to make racing possible in the first place.

That idea also sits behind Remote Racing Co. It represents the slightly ridiculous reality of trying to build a motorsport life from an island off the west coast of Scotland. Racing doesn’t have to start with a big budget, a famous surname or a workshop beside a circuit. Sometimes it starts with a simulator, a ferry ticket, a van full of kit and a willingness to keep finding the next opportunity.

The Reality of Racing From Islay

Racing from Islay adds another challenge before I even reach the circuit.
Every weekend starts with a ferry and several hours in the van, usually followed by a long drive through Scotland and then on into England.
For Brands Hatch in 2026, the journey south took around 17 hours door to door, with traffic delays along the way, and I arrived with only a few hours’ sleep before getting in the car for qualifying.
Then, once the racing was finished, there was still the long drive north and another ferry home.
It is a very different reality to living an hour or two from most UK circuits, and it means every race weekend involves more time, more fuel, more planning and more cost before the car has even turned a wheel.

What Will It Cost?

The biggest cost is getting onto the grid in the first place.
A suitable Classic Mini is likely to cost around £15,000–£18,000 to buy, before allowing for any preparation, spares or changes needed before the season starts.
From there, each championship round is expected to cost roughly £500 in entry fees alone.

That is only part of the picture.
Every weekend also means ferry travel from Islay, fuel for the van, accommodation where needed, servicing between events, tyres and other consumables, plus the unavoidable risk of damage.
Motorsport costs rarely stop at the entry fee, which is why the real challenge is not simply buying the car, it is finding a sustainable way to keep it racing throughout the season.

Follow the Journey

The whole 2027 Classic Mini project will be documented as it happens, from finding and buying the car, through preparation, testing, travel, race weekends and everything that goes wrong along the way. Longer updates, cost breakdowns and behind-the-scenes articles will be published here on Tom O’F Cars, with race videos, onboards and more in-depth content on YouTube.

There will also be regular updates across social media, covering the smaller moments that do not necessarily justify a full article or video. The aim is to show the full reality of trying to build and fund a racing season from Islay, rather than only posting the polished highlights once the car reaches the circuit.

Have a Business?

Remote Racing Co. offers content, race car appearances, event activations, hospitality and branding.