YOUNG racer Michael Zywina is all revved up and ready to go after winning a place in the McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future national kart series.

The 14-year-old Royal Grammar School pupil will take part in the seven-round series staged at different locations throughout the UK.

And he is in good company with past winners of the championship including British Formula One racer Jenson Button.

Zywina, who was introduced to the sport by his dad Tom, will be whizzing round the track at speeds of up to 80 miles an hour in his kart, and he can't wait.

He said: "I don't know how well I will do, but for now I'm just pleased to be entering such a great championship."

Zywina already has a good track record going into the championships.

In his debut race in April 1999, at Rye House, he took third, and then went on to score a top three finish in several more events that year.

In the same year he also took part in the Le Mans 24 hour kart race with his dad, making him the youngest ever rider to compete there.

Last year he led the Rye House championship before engine failure, in the final round, ended his hopes of a win.

He had gone into the last race with a championship lead but the engine trouble saw him having to settle for second.

But the hobby isn't cheap with dad Tom estimating that it can cost up to £20,000 a season to compete.