Aaron Steele is in the hunt for an F1 test drive and a £50,000 top prize after being selected as one of six entrants to this year’s McLaren Autosport BRDC award.

Steele was handed the chance to shine alongside five other top young drivers after winning the Formula Palmer Audi shoot-out at Snetterton last weekend.

The Rochester racer had discovered only days before that he had been unsuccessful as he attempted to win a scholarship place in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB.

That disappointment turned to joy, especially for his father Kevin, after making the decision to finance the weekend from a fund set up by Aaron’s mother, who died when his son was 13.

"I just ran when I found out he won and had tears and everything. Moments like that don’t happen very often and he deserves it more than anybody," said Kevin.

"We’ve had to dip into the fund a couple of times. It was the only option we had to get the money. It was a gamble and a tough decision but if you don’t buy a lottery ticket you won’t win."

Steele came third and second in the opening two races but a mechanical problem left him 14th in race three, despite starting from pole. He ended the shootout tied with fellow competitor Matt Hamilton but Steele clinched it after completing the quickest lap of the day.

Steele will now enter a competition whose past winners include David Coulthard and Jenson Button.