Heysham world champion, 16, scouted by Ferrari as he aims for Formula 1

A world champion racer from Heysham, 16, has been part of an elite scouting camp with Ferrari aiming to find the next generation of Formula 1 stars.

Ethan Jeff-Hall, 16, who was crowned OK Karting world champion in September, was one of four young drivers to be invited to the camp from all over the world, held at Ferrari's HQ.

Ethan, whose ambition is to race at the famous F1 circuit in Monaco, was a studio guest on the Saturday Sport Show on Beyond Radio, with Ross Chapman.

LISTEN to Ethan Jeff-Hall on Beyond Radio

Ethan first fell in love with motor racing when he was two years old and saw coin-operated go-karts while on a family holiday.

"Ever since then I've just loved anything that's on wheels," he said.

"When I was five years old my mum and dad took me to the local go-kart track in Manchester and my journey started from there."

He moved on to outdoor karting aged six, then had his first race just after his eighth birthday.

As well as becoming OK Karting World Champ in only his second race in the class, this year he also won the Ginetta Junior and Rookie Championships, during his first year in cars.

For winning the Ginetta championship, he earned a £50,000 scholarship towards the GB4 motorsport event in 2025.

He will also be presented with his world title trophy in December by the Formula 1 world champion.

Recently Ethan went to the Scuderia Ferrari world scouting camp in Maranello, Italy, where he test drove cars on the same track used by Formula 1 legends such as Sebastian Vettel.

He was joined by other young drivers from Australia, Belgium and Italy, at the final instalment of the scouting programme by the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, which was established back in 2009 with the aim of finding the most promising young drivers who could one day drive for Scuderia Ferrari in Formula 1.

They were assessed on physical and mental ability, suitability to life as a racing driver, as well as seeing how they coped with the all-important sidebars of dealing with sponsors and media.

"Being at Ferrari's factory was an amazing feeling," he said.

"Hopefully this will lead to one day being an F1 driver."

He said his favourite Formula 1 driver is Britain's seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton.