A 12-year-old has his sights on becoming Formula 1 world champion one day - and the early impression he’s made on the karting scene shows it could be more than a pipe dream.

Folkestone’s Elijah Hazelwood first got behind a wheel just before the Covid pandemic but it’s really in the last year he has raced and made big strides. He has huge ambitions, too.

“I would like to make it into F1,” he revealed. “I would like to be a champion in whatever racing category I compete in.

“That is my main goal - to be a champion. But my ultimate goal would be to be involved in F1.”

Hazelwood already has been vice-champion and junior driver-of-the-year in Buckmore Park’s professional series, as well as 2023 Club 100 rookie-of-the-year.

He said: “I’ve been trying to catch up with everyone else with where some people have been racing from a lot younger.

“I haven’t been racing long but I’ve tried to race in everything I have been offered and I’m moving into the higher categories each time.”

Racing at speeds of up to 70mph, Hazelwood often comes up against competitors much more experienced but has won in every category he has taken part in.

On what he likes about competing, he explained: “Just the speed you are going, and how close you are battling.

“It’s hard because you make friends with people. But when you are on the track, you’re sort of all enemies!”

Buckmore Park in Chatham will always be a special place for Hazelwood, who said: “It’s a lot of fun there.

“That’s where I started and it’s just a really fun track for me.”

Hazelwood, whose latest campaign is set to get under way in March, moved into the Club 100 Racing events in 2023.

The Year 8 pupil added: “That means going around the country.

“So, I’ve made a lot of good friends. The first race, I’m always a bit nervous.

“Obviously, there’s other drivers that are a lot more experienced, but I’m really good at building pace over the weekend.

“That helps a lot and then it’s just a bit of a shock, really, with how I have been able to improve.”

This year, he will be racing in several championships and has been asked to compete in the WERA Tools British Kart Championships – the highest level championship in the country.

He also named his favourite track as one in Lincolnshire, having set a lap record for Club 100 Cadet Karts at the venue.

“My favourite race track is probably PFI,” he said. “It’s an international kart track.”

Even now - in the close season - there’s plenty for Hazelwood to do to keep himself ticking over.

He said: “I do a bit of running and I’ll work out four times a week - I just recently got my gym membership.

“I’m starting that up with my dad.”

His journey is documented by father Nathan on Instagram, and he already has more than 800 followers.

On Elijah’s racing journey, his dad said: “It’s a bit funny.

“Elijah isn’t necessarily quiet at school but it (racing) has definitely helped to bring him out of his shell.

“He has watched it from three or four-years-old. He used to sit in front of the TV, watching F1 testing.

“My partner is massively into F1. So we would all watch it together, even testing and practice.

“We wanted to get Elijah into it earlier but, to be honest, it wasn’t feasible.

“We took him - and then Covid hit. It will have been two years since his first race in March.”

The rapid rise of Hazelwood, also raising awareness for mental health and wellbeing in young children alongside the Run4YourMind foundation, has won praise while earning him opportunities to test and race with Tonbridge-based GMS Motorsport.

He was the youngest pupil accepted to a sim motorsport race school, aged 11, and was awarded a 2023 merit by the school and selected for - and passed - an assessment day to be part of Rodin Carlin’s Young Driver Programme.

Nathan explained why support from sponsors is so important.

“We have been fortunate to have some sponsors and we’re putting some money in ourselves,” he said.

“Basically the more money you have, the more you can be on track and testing.

“It’s just about supporting his talent as much as possible with the budget that we have.”

Search for Elijahracing on Instagram. You can also email the family at elijah.hazelwood@outlook.com to find how you can benefit from supporting Hazelwood’s journey.