13 Year old Karting Champion Lochlan Bearman competed in Round 9 of the Whilton Mill Championship this weekend. With 3 rounds left the Essex driver leads the Championship by a small advantage from his nearest competitor.

Bearman had been struggling with a power problem with his Rotax engine until it blew up and was trying other engines in practise. He said “we are on the pace but it’s because I’m quicker in the corners and later on the brakes than the others – I’m still down on straight line speed and that means I have to think tactically for the race”.

In Heat 1 he made a good start from the front row to lead into the first corner. From there he controlled the race and led to the finish but had to defend for the last 3 laps under pressure from his nearest rivals.

Bearman wanted changes to his kart and after the post race de-brief the changes were made. In the next Heat it became quickly apparent that the changes made had detracted from the performance and the youngster who completed the first lap in 4th place looked to be slipping back from the leaders. As his tyres got hotter the pace picked up and he slowly began to catch the 3 in front. With 4 laps to go he dived up the inside at ‘The Boot; catch 3rd place by surprise and held that position to the finish.

Foe Heat 3 he would start in 6th place. After making further changes to the engine and chassis set up the kart looked better and he completed Lap 1 in 4th. He began to reel in the leaders and took 3rd at the end of Lap 2 with a neat out braking move and was quickly onto the tail of 3rd place. On Lap 4 took the 3rd placed man as the braked down from 65 mph into the tight ‘Christmas Corner’.

With his kart working well he caught the leader and they battled hard for 3 laps before the Phoenix98FM driver out thought them and took the lead with an undercut manoeuvre. Although he had to defend on the faster parts of the circuit the canny Bearman took the victory which would mean he’d start the Final from Pole position.

At the start Bearman was passed by 2 karts and was 3rd as they run up to Christmas Corner. Again under braking he slipped into second and was on the tail of the leader at they started Lap 2. A the karts dropped back down the hill into the Hairpin Bearman slid his kart through into the lead. Although he did not have the fastest kart in a straight line he made the advantage count in Sectors2 and 4 which are tight and twisty. By Lap 10 the front 4 were nose to tail and Bearman was defending. Lap after Lap the position behind were changing but Bearman remained resolute and consistent with his lines and braking points. On Lap 14 with 2 laps to go Harry King got a good exit and was able to get alongside Bearman as they come up to the ‘Boot’. Bearman was then trying to close on King for the final lap and as they entered the Boot complex with 2 corners to go his nearest Championship rival Riley Phillips hit him from behind which allowed Phillips and the kart in 4th place through, with Bearman finishing 4th.

“I’m really angry and disappointed”, he said after the race. “There was a lot of contact whilst I was leading but I thought I was Ok for the win. Harry got past me with a good move but to be punted out at the final corner is annoying – it’s just not clean racing. But taking the positives I still came away with more points that Phillips for the Championship and there are only 2 rounds left. It’s going to be an interesting last two rounds!”