Lochlan Bearman just missed out on victory in the fourth round of the Hunts Kart Racing Club Championship at Kimbolton on Sunday but extended his championship lead nonetheless.

The 13-year-old narrowly missed out to Danny Harrison after just leaving it too late to attempt to overtake his teammate. And speaking afterwards the Theydon Bois youngster said: “I hate not to win but Danny and I had a really hard but clean battle. I just didn’t have enough straight line speed to get a clean pass.”

With only 12 karts comprising the grid, Bearman began heat one in tenth place but soon fought his way through the field to claim third place.

Starting on pole in the second heat Bearman came out of a competitive duel with teammate Harrison Huggan to claim pole position.

Fifth on the grid for the final heat, Bearman started fast once more and secured a second heat victory and sealed pole position for the final.

A far from ideal start saw Bearman forced towards a tyre wall but holding the slide, the teenager recovered well and moved into second place behind Harrison.

Bearman snuck into the lead by the end of the second lap but relinquished pole to Harrison by lap nine and was unable to regain first place before the final lap, narrowly missing out on another win.

Despite finishing second, Bearman remains 50 points ahead of second-placed Thomas Byrne and 69 clear of James Hillery in third.

He competes in the European Championship in Belgium for the first time this weekend.