Leon Henderson will run as the number three junior rotax driver in the UK after his recent success in the British Kart Championship.
The 15-year-old proved to be one of the most consistent drivers throughout the championship, which consisted of six rounds of racing between May and October.
Leon’s third-place overall finish was the culmination of a karting season which included him securing the top rookie title, 13 top five finishes, 4 heat wins, three podiums and winning driver of the day in the fifth round.
The Aberdeen driver went into the final round of the championship composed and quietly confident, knowing he could finish in a more than respectable position in the British rankings.
He said: “Going into the last round, there was quite a lot of pressure on my shoulders, especially because its the biggest competition in the country.
“I had to be very level headed and composed going into the final. Racing is quite different than other sports, because it is so much more of a mental test. It can be quite hard on your mental state.
“Last weekend (the final round), I had a really bad first race, which knocked me a bit, but I just knew I needed to get my head down and do my best for the rest of the races, which I think I did.”
High stakes decisions
The nature of racing means Leon is forced to make high-stakes split-second decisions, in a test of both his mental strength and driving skills.
He believes each race has to be approached differently as there can be many different mitigating factors which might affect the race.
Leon explained: “Every race is different and you have to approach it differently every time.
“Everything we do in racing is all split-second decisions, so you can never plan for a race, because anything can happen in any moment.
“You could be leading three or four seconds, which is huge gap in karting, but then your wheel might fall off or your engine could cut out.
“You obviously can’t prepare if that will happen or not, so it’s about keeping focused and trying to be in and about the front and reacting to what’s happening around you.”
Support makes success
Leon is supported by his family and racing team, who travel with him all around the country for karting races.
He said: “To have come third in my first British Championship at this level has been incredible. I think I have exceeded everyone’s expectations, even my own.
“I’m happy to have been able to do it with Strawberry Racing. It’s a big achievement because they are often running at the front of British, European and World Championships.
“They help to put me in the right frame of mind for going and winning certain races. It’s really helpful and they’re so supportive.
“It’s great for my family as well, because they’ve spent a lot of money and put so much time and effort into my racing, so for me to go and get a good result for them – we’re all really happy.”
“I’d like to thank my sponsors Rollstud Limited, Katoni Engineering and Moates offshore for their support this year, too.”
