Ringwood teenager to be VIP at Silverstone Grand Prix (From Bournemouth Echo)

Ringwood teenager to be VIP at Silverstone Grand Prix

4:00pm Thursday 5th July 2012 in News By Caitlin Marsh

A RINGWOOD teen is ready to be a VIP at the Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend.

Samuel Cheetham, 13, is Bernie Ecclestone’s special VIP guest for the 2012 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix at Silverstone, which takes place on Saturday July 7.

He has been a patient at Great Ormond Street Hospital since the age of four, when he was diagnosed with a life-limiting lung disorder called Ideopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

It means that his heart struggles to pump blood through his lungs, which could mean heart failure.

Samuel said: “I’m really looking forward to seeing the cars, the drivers and the team.

He added: “To enter for this, you had to be a patient at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and you had to answer what your favourite thing about F1 is, your favourite track, your favourite driver and what your most memorable moment is.

“We get to have kit tours and go behind the scenes at the Formula 1 at Silverstone, like all the celebrities and driving teams. Just getting to be there is amazing.”

His proud mum, Karen, says Samuel is really excited about going to the race track.

She said: “He watches Formula 1 and reads about it and likes everything that has speed and is fast-moving.

“Samuel is up at Great Ormond Street Hospital frequently and we were sat in the waiting room there when my husband, Tim, noticed a little poster which said about meeting Bernie Ecclestone and going to the Formula 1.

“So we applied and then heard back about three weeks ago that Samuel would be going.

“He’s a stoic boy and we’re proud of Samuel.”

Samuel will be given a VIP Access All Areas pass, where he will get to witness the qualifying laps and see the inner workings of the British Grand Prix.