Cranleigh pupil becomes youngest driver on the Championship circuit

Cranleigh School Year 11 pupil Jack Ruddell has become the youngest driver on the Championship circuit. He took part in his first set of Civic Cup races over Easter, competing against adult drivers in his newly built Honda Civic Type R cup car.

He raced at 120mph in the event at Snetterton race circuit, placing mid-table - an amazing result for his trial run out at just 16 years old.

"I love the competition and the feeling of speed, but also the whole team atmosphere. My Dad is massively supportive and I’ve learned a lot about mechanics and engineering. There’s a lot I can do to fix the car, which is ours, although I race as part of a team based in Derbyshire," Jack said.

Jack started racing in Year 9 and last year he competed in the Junior Saloon Car Championship (JSCC) with a Citroen Saxo, as cars in the 14-17 years junior circuit are limited to 100 horsepower. He enjoyed multiple top 5 finishes and starts over the season and is keen to replicate his form this summer. With a specially built simulator at home, he can practise racing all the major circuits, although he’s still not old enough to drive on the road.

"I’m also keen to progress to the TCR UK, which involves touring cars like AudiRS3s. It would be a big change from the manual gearbox," he added.

Jack’s now looking forward to the next races over the summer, once the GCSE exams are finished. He’ll be taking engineering and maths at A Level, as he’s keen to make his career in the field beyond competing. He’s also actively looking for sponsorship to help him progress.