A 13-YEAR-OLD karter has made the jump to national races after success in lower classes and near-death battle with diabetes. 

Moving from rental karting to owning his own Lando Norris kart, Ethan Barrow, 13, began his karting career in 2022.

According to his mum, Sara Barrow, 40, he immediately showed natural talent. 

She said: "Literally straight away, the people that worked at the track had said to us, 'has he done this before? He's a real natural'.

"Considering he had never done it before, he was really smooth and consistent and of course, he fell in love with it."

Ethan won the South Coast Autumn Cup Championship and King of the Coast race in 2022 and has since moved from the cadet class to junior. 

Now part of Club 100, a race series which visits circuits all around the country, Sara is incredibly proud of how far he has come, especially due to his near-death experience when first diagnosed with type one diabetes. 

She said: "It was completely unexpected, he was really quite poorly and was admitted to the critical care unit in Poole Hospital and we nearly lost him. He was in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis and he was in a really bad way."

"It was heart-breaking as a mother to watch your son have to go through all these challenges. I know it sounds cheesy, but it has always been quite inspiring because of the type of character Ethan is."

Diagnosed when he was seven, Ethan has learnt how to deal with being diabetic and, more so, how to be an athlete despite it. 

While Ethan's parents are also committed to furthering his career, Sara has stated they are in the market to find sponsorship as costs increase.

She said: "We went into with our eyes wide open and we knew it was going to be tough.  

"If we could secure some sponsorship it would be such a big help and give him more opportunities to keep up with the fast boys."

Anyone interested in sponsorship could contact Sara at Sara.raheem@sky.com.