Theydon Bois karting champion Lochlan Bearman says he is moving in the right direction despite being denied victory to finish second in round eight of the Hunts Kart Racing Championship at Kimbolton on Sunday.

He went into the weekend leading the Championship. The 13-year-old has been getting good results - including a win last month - but has been struggling with performance issues relating to power and handling.

"Overall I should be pleased but having won the three heats," said Bearman. "I was sure I would win the final and it is very disappointing not to have got a clean sweep of heats and the final - it is a bit like a hat-trick in football.

"We have still got a power problem but it’s not so bad now and the new chassis is better so we are moving in the right direction."

In heat one Bearman started on the last row of the grid but made an audacious move round the outside of the pack to emerge in fourth as the field exited Willows corner. Into second by lap two, Bearman hunted down the leader to seal first place.

Starting the second heat on pole, Bearman put in a controlled and measured race to hold onto first and maintained his position at the head of the pack.

The weather intervened ahead of heat three meaning a frantic change to the kart’s set-up. From fifth, Bearman wasted little time in advancing through the field to pick up a third consecutive qualifying win.

The three wins put him on pole for the final. Again making a clean start the teenager led the field away and was joined by his team mate who was about one second behind.

Bearman looked in control and when his teammate used the slipstream to pull up onto his, he still looked in charge.

But as they started the penultimate lap, Bearman was hit from behind under-breaking on the first corner, which was enough for the second-placed man to nip into the lead.

Bearman did not have enough straight line speed to compete and could not close the gap enough to try and re-claim the lead, eventually finishing as runner-up.