An exciting young Ely karter met Lewis Hamilton and got to go on the grid with Bernie Ecclestone at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday.

Ely College pupil Bryony King, 15, will join Formula Kart Stars (FKS), a British based Karting Championship supported by Ecclestone’s Formula One Management Ltd, next year to compete in the Super Junior class.

She will be following in the footsteps of Hamilton, who learnt this trade in Formula Kart Stars.

The championship is made up of 12 rounds run over six weekends at six circuits in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with a vast range of prizes for its drivers including an invite for the class champions to the Autosport Awards Night in London.

King is leading the Kimbolton Mini Max Championship and lying fourth in the Trent Valley Kart Club Championship.

She said: “It’s been an amazing weekend at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone with Formula Kart Stars, launching the new championship.

“It was unbelievable to be able to walk around the Formula 1 paddock, meet the teams and drivers, as I’ve never done anything like that before.

“We met Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo, Felipe Massa and even got to go on the Formula 1 grid with Mr Ecclestone just minutes before the start of the race.

“I also got to talk with Susie Wolff in the Williams pit as we watched the start of the Grand Prix. She’s a great inspiration to me so it meant a lot when she gave me her email address to keep in touch.

“At the moment, I’m just finishing off this year in Mini Max but I’m really looking forward to next year and moving up to Super Junior with FKS.”