Championship leader Lochlan Bearman returned to action with victory in round nine of the Hunts Kart Racing Club Championship at Kimbolton on Sunday.

The 13-year-old Theydon Bois-based karting champion has struggled with engine power issues for the last three months and his problems showed no signs of abating as his Rotax race engine blew up in practice on Saturday, leaving him with no option but to use his spare.

“We’ve been struggling with straight line speed for some time and this is probably why,” admitted Bearman.

The weekend began with a qualifying round which determine driver’s positions for heats one and two. The combined results of all three races would then count towards where they would start on the grid for the final.

Bearman was disappointed to qualify for heat one in sixth place and afterwards commented: “We’ve just missed something in the set-up – probably too low on tyre pressures.”

The teenager made a strong start to the heat, though, and quickly emerged in third place as the karts entered turn two. By lap two Bearman was out in front and never looked back to take a comfortable first heat victory.

Sixth on the grid again for heat two, this was a very different race for Bearman.

Again trying to run around the outside he was fully committed when another driver was forced across his path and into the tyre wall, leaving Bearman with nowhere to go.

He had to wait until the other kart was cleared by which time the leaders had all passed. Although he managed to catch and pass another kart, Bearman could only scrape sixth.

Those results left him fourth for the final. Having once again made a good start Bearman came out of the first corner in fourth and was all over the back of the kart in front as they started lap two. He passed them on the run down to ‘Bus Stop’ and quickly closed the gap to second place.

As the karts entered the final corner at the end of lap two Bearman made a late braking move down the inside and crossed the line in second place.

Three laps later Bearman made his move for the lead and having pushed the leader to brake late, he was able to cut back and drive through on the inside.

By now the leading six karts were all close as they entered the last corner of the lap. The kart behind lost control in trying to take Bearman and in backing off, he slipped to fifth.

Undeterred, Bearman pulled off a double overtake and emerged from ‘Willows’ in second place by the following lap.

As lap ten started he made up ground on the leader and using the slipstream he passed going through ‘Bus Stop’.

Whilst the first five were nose to tail, Bearman controlled the race from the front for the remaining five laps to win by three tenths of a second.

“It’s great to be back on the top step,” said a delighted Bearman afterwards. “It’s been so frustrating knowing I was quicker but being unable to do anything about it. At least we’ve sorted the issue with low revs and I know that the spare engine is working well.

“I’ve scored more points that my championship rivals as well today so it’s been a great result for us.”