A teenage karting champion from Ipswich who was once told he couldn’t do sports because his health was so poor has been invited to join a professional team for a kart race next year after being crowned 2017 Anglia Indoor Kart Champion.
Colchester-born Jack Ferguson, 13, who now lives in Ipswich, has a plethora of conditions including OCD, ADHD, arthritis, Asperger’s Syndrome, and a leaking heart valve as a result of being born with a hole in the heart.
As a baby his conditions were so severe his parents had to revive him several times a week, and he was advised by doctors not to take part in sport.
But determined not to let his conditions hold him back, Jack has made waves in the go-karting world, being crowned Anglia Indoor Kart Champion this year.
His dad Pete, who was a club racer himself in Formula Ford categories, said: “With his conditions he can’t really do sports like football or rugby but he always wanted to do motor racing.
“Next thing I know he is Anglia Indoor Cart champion.
“When he does it he becomes so much more animated and sociable - and cheeky.”
Having heard Jack’s story, the all-disabled Team BRIT motorsport squad, which helps injured veterans and now disabled civilians through motorsport, has invited Jack to meet the team and join them for a kart race with injured veterans through the KartForce charity next year.
Team manager Dave Player said: “When we saw Jack’s story, we knew we had to invite him to come and meet the team and see what we’re going to achieve.
“Jack says that when he is driving in a kart, all his medical challenges vanish, and this is what we also hear from our drivers, who live with a number of psychological and physical disabilities.
“Motorsport allows everyone to compete equally, something we have enabled thanks to our technology and I hope Jack has been inspired to follow his dreams by hearing more about our story and our goal of Le Mans.”
The team aims to be the first all-disabled squad to take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours by 2020, and has Colchester veteran Ash Hall and Braintree veteran Warren McKinlay in its ranks.
Jack said: “It was great to meet so many people who love motor racing, and see disabled drivers proving they are as good as all the other drivers.”
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