A PRIMARY school student is following in the footsteps of Lewis Hamilton just six months into karting.

Ethan Coupland, aged seven, got into karting in July 2021 and has since entered two cups, raced at famous tracks like Shenington and Whilton Mill and is set to compete in the Super One Championship, a competition which previously featured Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

Since starting, Ethan has travelled 12,000 miles, getting up at 4am and not coming home until 8.30pm on practice days.

Despite this, he still attends full-time education at Longfleet CofE Primary School, and often dons a t-shirt reading “born to race, but forced to go to school”.

His dad, Graham, who also used to race, said Ethan’s confidence has grown and grown since taking up the sport.

He said: “He is just brilliant. It is something I did as a kid, I wanted to see what he thought about it.

“It’s such a great thing, it’s more of an experience than anything. I entered him in the Rye House London Cup where all the top kids go.

“We went up for a few days to learn the track and it rained the whole time and the race was televised. The British Championships is the plan next year.”

Ethan passed is Association of Racing Kart School (ARKS) at the age of six and even had the pleasure of meeting Formula 1 star George Russell who gave him some words of encouragement.

The youngster continues his journey in February racing a IAME bambino kart, where he has his first race for the IKR series.

His dad, who doubles up as his coach, continued: “Most the other racers are professionally trained, we are doing it on a real shoestring budget.

“He is taking it all in his stride, he doesn’t brag and it’s given him so much more confidence.

“Also he is networking with kids, different nationalities, from all over the country, making friends with these kids. Then they put all their pads on and turn into little racing drivers, it’s almost like a switch flicks in their head.”

The boy racer has the number 43 on his kart, a nod to his dad’s karting days who also used 43.

Ethan and his parents are actively looking for sponsors to help him progress through his coaching, testing and competitions.

He one day would like to be like George Russell and since meeting him is inspired by his journey through karting and now F1.