13 year old karting champion Lochlan Bearman secured the 2015 Minimax Championship at the Kimbolton circuit on Sunday.
Bearman, who now has 2 cadet-level Championships to his name, won the Minimax category for 11-16 year olds at his first attempt last year. The Minimax karts are powered by 125cc Rotax engines and are capable of 70mph.
Bearman has had several wins this year and went into the penultimate round needing to score better than his rivals to take the title. Practise had gone well on Saturday and Bearman had developed a good set up for wet conditions.
Race day was wet and in the first heat Bearman starting in mid pack worked his way through the field in the early laps and took the lead. Bearman had already set fastest lap and was looking strong and likely to win. As he led the field towards the ‘bus stop’ disaster struck as his rear right wheel came off following earlier contact. This left Bearman classified last.
In Heat 2 Bearman started 3rd on the grid. At the end of lap 2 he was in second and as the leader reached turn 1 the next time round Bearman was in front. Such was his pace that he won the race by 4 seconds and was lapping back marker, again setting the fastest race lap.
The DNF from Heat 1 meant he would start mid pack again but with high confidence that he was the fastest man in the field. Making a good start he was running in 3rd in the early laps and battling with team mate James Hillery for 2nd. Their battling was allowing the leader Patrick Kibble to get away and Bearman sensing that he had to make a move quickly finally passed Hillery by getting the exit from the last corner perfect and selling a dummy as they went into the first corner. Bearman quickly pulled a gap to Hillery and was closing fast on Kibble.
Twice the Phoenix FM driver came down the finish straight side by side with Kibble but could not get the cut back to take the lead. Kibble defended well for 5 laps as Bearman probed for a way past again setting the fastest lap of the race whilst managing the wet tyres as the circuit began to dry out, eventually time ran out and he crossed the line alongside Kibble in second place.
“It’s been a bit of a roller coaster season”, said Bearman who suffered power problems through the mid season, “but it feels good to show that when the equipment is working I was fastest in every race and despite a DNF I nearly won today. I think I could have benefited from slightly different gearing but I’m happy to win another Championship.
“I’m really grateful to my dad who funds my racing and is my mechanic, to Phoenix FM, to Gary Cooper who runs CooperMotorsport for his driver coaching and his technical input which has been so good all season and for everyone that supports me.”
Bearman is now looking to next season and will be announcing his plans in a Phoenix FM exclusive on Saturday 14th November on Steve Robertson’s show.
