Can Blake, 7, emulate his hero Lewis Hamilton?

Blake Ticehurst has been enjoying racing success this year. He has placed second and top rookie twice in the MSA British Championship - at Fulbeck in Lincolnshire in March and again this weekend at Llandow in Wales and is currently sixth in the championship in only his first year of National karting. He has won races at our ‘local’ circuits at Bayford Meadows and Buckmore Park and has been on the podium in seven of his nine races so far this year. And Blake comes from good pedigree - his dad Mark won many club championships at Buckmore Park in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Blake first drove a kart at the Daytona kart school when he was five-years-old. He started MSA (Motor Sports Association – The UK governing body) sanctioned events in January this year aged seven. Dad Mark said: “I am extremely proud and delighted at his success, but even more so about his enthusiasm for the sport which has been a part of my life for more than 30 years. Blake has made many friends within the paddock and always loves his race weekends and testing.” Blake has also become the official Bambino test driver for Buckmore Park Kart circuit after impressing them with his speed, feedback and attitude. In this role he is working with Bill Sisley and Steve Hollman who are both very influential figures in motorsport. Bill was instrumental in the early careers of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton and with many other young karters who with his guidance have made it to the very top. Steve has been involved in top teams all the way to Formula 3 and also with the Red Bull academy. Blake was recenty asked to test for the top cadet team, Project One Racing, to assist them in setting up the Bambino kart they run for Shakey Byrne’s (BSB fame) son Zack. Blake stays ‘grounded’ with his football activities which he also loves with great passion. His footballing hero is Lionel Messi. He plays for the Hassocks Robins Team when he is not racing. Mark said: “I see this as a very important element of his growth as a person as the racing is very insular whilst the football is very much a team event which he plays with his local mates.” His next race is a club race at Bayford Meadows (Sittingbourne) in two weeks’ time and then the following weekend he is racing at the fifth round of the British Championships in North Wales. Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live. Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on. 1 Make this website your homepage 2 Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Sport-Sussex 3 Follow us on Twitter @SportSussex 4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here. And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!