Theydon Bois racer Lochlan Bearman was left ruing his exclusion from an earlier race after finishing fourth overall in the Mini Max Championship at Kimbolton on Sunday.

The 12-year-old was disqualified from the race on September 9 following a collision with fellow competitor Bryony King – a decision which cost him a proper shot at the championship after finishing 81 points behind eventual winner Saul Robinson.

Bearman’s father, John, commented: “It is a good way to end the season and I am delighted with Lochlan’s success in his first season of Mini Max.

“We had a very poor decision against us in September which resulted in an exclusion from the meeting and that has meant the loss of about 120 points which would have probably won Lochlan the championship here at Kimbolton as well as Whilton Mill.”

Bearman finished as runner up to overall winner Robinson at Kimbolton and said: “Apart from the start in heat one it’s been a good weekend. We’ve been fast all weekend and in the end the tyre pressure decision went against us as they started to overheat and I was losing grip. Saul drove a great mistake free race so well done to him.”

Owing to the reduced number of daylight hours the format was shortened to two heats and a final, with Bearman beginning the first heat in last place.

Having been clipped on the first corner trying to overtake, Bearman quickly found himself well off the pace but fought hard to fight back up the grid and finish in seventh place.

On pole for heat two, Bearman drove well to establish a ten-kart lead. The youngster then ticked off the laps to win without putting anything at risk, crossing the line narrowly ahead of the second place finisher.

Those results put him third on the grid for the final. With the temperature dropping the team made a decision to go for higher tyre pressures.

At the start the inside line worked to Bearman’s advantage as he sat behind and pushed Robinson over the opening laps and the pair quickly drove away from the field gaining a huge advantage.

As Bearman and Robinson entered the last lap the Essex racer found himself too far back to mount a challenge or pressure Robinson into a mistake and he duly followed him home to claim the runner-up spot.

Ahead of the new season Bearman is assessing his options: “I really want to compete in the British national Championship, Super 1, which is televised but we need a sponsor if we are going to be able to compete.

“Otherwise we will stay in Mini Max and probably try to retain the Whilton Mill Championship and try to win at Kimbolton, or we may try moving up to the Junior category and compete in a European Championship,” explained Bearman.

The Mini Max Championship at Kimbolton restarts in the New Year.