Josh Steed is a name to look out for on the motorsport circuit in the future.

Josh Steed is a name to look out for on the motorsport circuit in the future.

The Parmiters School student is currently on the same path trodden by Forumla One’s Lewis Hamilton at Rye House and he has the trophies to prove he belongs in the same breath as the Mercedes driver.

Josh starting racing at Buckmoor Park aged six and when he was seven his parents, Tracy and Kevin, bought him his first kart. At eight he passed his ARKS test and received his licence.

His raw talent attracted the attention of BAB Motor Sport in 2012 and since then everything has “clicked” and his race times are testament to it.

“I started to understand the track better and the lines you need to take going in and out of corners,” explained Josh.

“I also got used to kart, how much you have to turn and what to do in different conditions; if it starts raining you have to react instantly and know what to do.”

This season the 11-year-old is second in the Hoddesdon Kart Club Championship after four races and is consistently putting in fastest lap times and he took his first win in the latest round.

He is hoping for more of the same throughout the rest of the season.

“I want to be number one, do well to help my team so I can get some sponsors and have enough money when I go up to real cars,” he told the Herts Ad.

Josh’s ambition to follow Hamilton’s journey stops after karting; instead, he plans to go into the Ford Fiesta Juniors and from there to the Renault Clio Cup.

Whatever he does, he has the support of his parents. Dad Kevin admitted the family has made sacrifices to allow Josh to race, but it was a lesser evil compared to letting his son’s talent go untapped.

“What I’m proud of is that he’s beating kids with much better engines and putting fastest laps in. That’s how I know he’s got something,” he said.

“What he does is amazing, toeing people at 55mph and overtaking them. I believe he’s got the talent.”

n Josh is looking for sponsors to help further his racing career. If you would like to sponsor him, contact the Herts Ad sports desk on sport@hertsad.co.uk