Associate Driver - William Tregurtha
William Tregurtha has shot to prominence this year in cadet kart racing after a string of consistent and fast performances in just his second full season in the sport.
William, 11, has racked up an impressive haul of trophies in the Honda Cadet class competing at the same Rye House circuit where Lewis Hamilton began his career and at Kimbolton in Cambridgeshire.
He finished second in the 2011 championship at Kimbolton against 18 other drivers and fourth at Rye House where 37 youngsters battled for glory – and William still had a chance of winning both titles going into the very last race of the final meeting at both tracks.
But his best performance was probably in the prestigious one-off Anglian Trophy meeting at Kimbolton in the summer when William finished third against some of the country’s top racers in near monsoon conditions.
William, with barely any experience, had first shown his talent in late 2009 scooping two top novice trophies at Rye House while driving a £600 five-year old kart and engine bought from eBay. He continued his development on better equipment throughout most of 2010 until a huge crash at Kimbolton forced him off the track for two months.
The Milton Keynes youngster broke his collarbone in that incident when his kart flipped at high speed and he was thrown out onto the track. But he demanded to race the moment his physio gave him a clean bill of health and since then his improvement has been rapid.
Known for a smooth driving style and a calm demeanour, William finished in 2011 with nine top 5 finishes in finals, numerous heat wins and a fastest lap trophy as the silverware came thick and fast.
William could still have another two years racing as a cadet but in 2012 he will step up to the super-fast MiniMax class where the adult-sized karts can reach speeds up to 65mph - and he will be facing rivals up to 15 years old. That will be a test of his character but William’s composure and maturity should stand him in good stead.
As for the future, William is in no doubt that he wants to be a Formula One world champion and has already spoken to Lewis Hamilton’s father Anthony at length over how to achieve his aims. William is also interested in science and engineering and thoroughly enjoys getting involved in mechanic and setup changes on his kart and is therefore absolutely delighted to link up with Cranfield University.
Career Highlights
2009: Wins two Novice Cups in his first five meetings as a cadet at Rye House on an old chassis and underpowered engine. Makes rapid improvement and signs for the Cutting Edge race team based at Rye - for whom he still competes.
2010: Moves off his novice plates and rapidly moves up the grid at Rye House on more competitive equipment as top 10 finishes become the norm. However a horrific high-speed crash at Kimbolton in the summer leaves him with a snapped collarbone and costs him nearly three months away from the track. Morale is lifted when he visits the McLaren motorhome at the British Grand Prix and meets Anthony Hamilton who spends 45 minutes giving William some great advice for the future – to this day William still keeps Anthony in touch with his achievements. William finishes the season seventh in the Honda Cadet championship at Rye House despite his enforced absence.
2011: William really makes a breakthrough as a string of race wins and podiums push him into contention for the Honda Cadet championships at Rye House and Kimbolton. Both championships go right down to the wire and William just misses out on top spot but that does not disguise an extraordinary season. Nine top 5 finishes are just reward for his effort, consistency and sheer pace. All of those attributes were on display when he took on and beat some of the country’s top young drivers in appalling weather at the Anglian Trophy meeting in the summer to finish on the podium yet again.
Follow William on:
www.williamtregurtha.co.uk
Photography by Andrew Webb
