Glasgow Children's Hospital kids surprised with race car visit from Aston Martin F1 team

Young patients at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow were over the moon on Monday when a Formula 1 driver stopped by for a visit.

Jak Crawford, 19, who is on the Aston Martin development team and races on the F2 circuit, stopped by the hospital on Monday as part of the Make A Mark tour of the UK.

The program features a range of events that aim to inspire and educate future generations about STEM careers in motorsport and related industries.

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To cheer up young patients, Jak handed out exciting merchandise to the children and took them on a tour of the team's current F1 car, the AMR24, which can reach speeds of more than 220mph.

As part of the visit, the American driver spent time on the wards, meeting the families. He also received colourful F1 helmet designs, created by youngsters Phoebe, Cooper and Jack.

The children's hospital, which provides equipment, play activities, and support services for children and their families - shared pictures of Jak's pit stop at the hospital on social media. They gave a "huge thanks" to their "wheely exciting" visitors, reports the Daily Record.

One picture shows Jak and Noah, 4, with a big smile as he races his Mario Kart toys against the pro racing driver.

Aston Martine also shared the snaps on their Facebook page and shared a link, encouraging people to donate to the charity.

Commenting on the post, the charity said: "We are so grateful that Jak and the team came to visit our young patients today, and thank you so much for bringing your incredible replica car to the children’s hospital".

Jak Crawford, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team Young Development Driver, added: "It was a privilege to visit Glasgow Children's Hospital yesterday, as part of Aston Martin's Make a Mark initiative.

"Meeting young patients and their families, showing them out AMR24 show car and helping put smiles on their faces felt really special and I hope we has as much of a lasting impact on the children as they did for us - their positive attitudes will last with me for a long time."

Despite being part of Aston Martin's development programme, Jak is currently in the UK as the Reserve and Development Driver for the Andretti Formula E team. Jak will also work at the Andretti Formula E headquarters in Banbury to develop the team's GEN3 Evo. He will also attend select race events and contribute to simulator development and setup testing.

Kirsten Watson, CEO of Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity said: "On behalf of Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Aston Martin and Jak Crawford for bringing such joy to our young patients during their special visit.

"Meeting Jak, seeing the incredible AMR24 up close, and designing their own helmets has been an unforgettable experience and a welcome distraction from their time in hospital.

"We are deeply grateful for Aston Martin's kindness and for the amazing gifts that mean so much to our young patients and their families. Thank you for making a difference!"

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