Meet the teen with his sights set on racing in Formula 1

Formula 1 is the dream for most teenage racing drivers but only a few ever reach that pinnacle of their sport.

This season, eight drivers on the F1 grid are under the age of 25, showing the journey is achievable for young drivers.

Yet breaking into the sport remains difficult for many, with experts saying the cost of entry-level racing continues to rise.

One of those hoping to climb the ladder is Jamie Leverton, 17, from Stoke-on-Trent.

After several successful seasons in karting at local and national level, he is preparing to make his debut in car racing, having secured a seat in the GB4 Championship with Idola Motorsport.

"It was my dad who took me indoor karting a few years ago for the very first time," he told me.

"I actually went through the cadet academy where I was beating some of the other kids. I then went to outdoor karting with the Total Karting Championship where I actually won it in my first season.'

His success so far has led Leverton to secure a race seat in GB4.

The 17-year-old is following in the footsteps of the likes of George Russell and Lando Norris who both raced at this level and he said that only added to his motivation.

"This is a huge step up for me, I've been testing with Idola for some time and they are a new team in this championship, I want to finish in the top 10 at every race," he said.

"With GB4 cars, people equate it to the first step towards Formula 1; the cars are a downsized version of an F1 car and can reach speeds of around 140-150mph."

The teenager's mother, Erin Leverton, can often be found in the paddock supporting her son.

"It's incredible, he's only a teenager, he's not even had a driving lesson and yet races around these tracks at such high speeds," she said.

"I'm on the pit wall watching him coming past and then I see him take the corners and I think 'wow that's my son'."

The GB4 Championship was launched in 2022 by Motor Sport Vision in partnership with the British Racing Drivers' Club to try and make the jump from go-karts to cars more affordable.

The scheme is designed to be a breeding ground for talent, with drivers who win the championship being awarded £50,000 towards their further journey in motor-sport.

The industry is notoriously expensive and even in entry-level competition, the financial burden can prove to be too much for most drivers.

A season in GB4 costs about £18,000 for a team to enter and there are also other bills to cover such as staffing and car maintenance.

Because of these, drivers need financial backing, whether from family or a sponsorship. Drivers can also seek to secure a place in an F1 team's academy.

Jamie Leverton acknowledged the challenges and he credited his sponsors with helping him through his karting years.

"I definitely think I can make it into F1, but you've got to keep all your options open," he said.

"Sponsorship is vital to my success because without it I wouldn't be able to race."

He started the switch from go-karts to cars through the support of coach Steve Hutchinson, who has worked with McLaren F1 driver Oscar Piastri.

"The relationship between me and Jamie starts before we even get to the track in the simulator," Hutchinson said.

"We're pretty confident that Jamie is going to be safe and quick after some positive data in the sim and that's largely driven by his determination to succeed

"He's driven. Jamie is constantly wanting to strive for more.

"We're hoping to follow a similar path to Oscar, in that you don't have to win everything in your first year, you just have to be on an upward trajectory."

The teenager has been testing with Idola through March and April and, once the season starts, he'll compete at five of the UK's biggest circuits over seven race weekends.

"I want to finish in the top 10 every race and hopefully get a few podiums, and a few wins under my belt," he said.

"There's lots of second year drivers who all want to win it this year and with me being a first year driver it will be tough, but I think I can do it."

His first race of the season will be at Silverstone from the 23-26 April.

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