Sheffield’s own Rowan Campbell-Pilling has begun pre-season testing, showing impressive pace ahead of his Formula 4 debut later this month.
At just two years old, he rode electric trials bikes all across the UK, and has competed in kart racing across the UK, winning a multitude of trophies along the way, since he was five.
Now, after transitioning from karting, he has started pre-testing at Silverstone, Britain’s most famous motorsport track.
At Silverstone media day, ahead of the start of the British Championship, he finished second, just five hundredths of a second behind first place.
The driver, just 17, said: “I’m looking forward to competing against some familiar faces from karting, and indeed good friends, on some of the UK’s most iconic circuits.
“The national circuit at Silverstone is great to drive.
“It’s always a privilege coming to the UK’s most iconic racetrack, especially knowing that I’m driving on the same circuit as the world’s very best drivers.
He continued: “I can’t wait to get started now and show everyone what I can do.”
“We move towards the first race in really good shape and I’m really looking forward to flying the flag for Sheffield and Yorkshire this season.”
Michael Meadows, the Team Principal of his team, Argenti Motorsport, said: “It’s great to welcome Rowan to the team.
“In the short time working with him, we have already seen that he has a lot of natural talent, potential and a real ambition to succeed.”
Campbell-Pilling is Yorkshire’s only Formula 4 driver, and is seen as one of the next big names in British motorsport.
He said: “My dream end goal is definitely Formula One world champion.
“I’m a very competitive-natured person. I don’t just want to make up the numbers.
“I’m here to win, that’s my motivation.”
Formula 4 is part of the FIA Global Pathway from Karting to Formula One, which aims to help young drivers make it to the worldwide competition, which had 445 million viewers worldwide in 2021.
480,000 people attended the British Grand Prix race in 2023 at Silverstone.
Rowan’s debut in the Formula 4 British Championship will be at Donington Park on the 27th and 28th of April, which will be broadcast, alongside all British F4 races, live on ITV.
The Championship runs until the weekend of the 5th and 6th of October.