A 10-year-old karting ace from north Norfolk has spent a day meeting some inspirational racing stars.
Cory Chapman from Mundesley - who has been stunning competitors on the track since the start of his karting career - visited the headquarters of Team BRIT at Dunsfold in Surrey.
Team BRIT aims to be the first ever all-disabled team to race in the Le Mans 24 hour and supports people with physical and psychological challenges in accessing motorsport.
Cory spent time with the team’s drivers and crew, and was able to try out a top-of-the-range racing simulator equipped with its world-leading hand control technology.
He was then taken for laps around the Top Gear test track in the team’s racing cars.
Cory said his outing was "the best day".
He said: "I got to meet all the drivers and was allowed to go on the awesome Vesaro simulator.
"I was driven around the Top Gear track by Luke Pound which was so cool and I was speechless when I got out – which doesn’t happen very often.
"Thank you to my dad Craig, my mum Anna and brother Freddie for all their support in my racing so far. And thank you to all at Team BRIT who organised the day, I will remember this day for a long time.”
Cory stopped breathing when he was six months old following a case of severe gastroenteritis. He was later diagnosed with ASD, global development delay, autism and severe ADHD.
Last year Cory joined Total Karting Zero engineered by Rob Smedley. In his first ever race at Mansell, he secured two fifth-place finishes and a sixth. This year he has raced in three rounds, winning two finals and coming second in one, currently sitting third in the overall championship.
Mr Pound said: “It was a real pleasure to meet Cory and we were all stunned by his ability on our simulator.
"Considering he could only just reach the pedals, his times were only one second off that of our new rookie, and he was racing whilst constantly talking to us and pointing out things on the track.
"This is another great example of how motorsport can focus the mind of someone with autism and ADHD.”
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