Felixstowe karting racer Euan Stephenson is racing to the top

Euan Stephenson, 14, hits speeds of 75mph in a vehicle that has no seatbelt or roll cage for protection

A teenage karting racer has left his dad unable to watch him due to the daring speeds he hits as he aims to become a top racing driver.

Euan Stephenson, from Felixstowe in Suffolk, is on the right track after achieving his race licence.

A packed racing programme in 2024 will see the 14-year-old competing in the UK Kart Championship's Junior Max class.

Of his son reaching speeds of 75mph, his dad and pitman Alex said: "Sometimes it's best I don't watch."

"It's very scary but you have to trust Euan - he's developed a lot over the years," he told BBC Radio Suffolk.

Euan Stephenson (with dad Alex) said he aimed to move up to racing cars and to take part in the FIA World Endurance Championship

The father and son duo have since gone on to form quite the dream team, with Alex, who was previously unfamiliar with the karting world, taking on the role of mechanic, manager and social media boss.

Alex learnt on the job how to repair a kart, which does not benefit from the protection of seatbelts or roll cages, while watching a YouTube tutorial track-side.

"We're doing really well, it's been great for us both and we've created some fantastic memories that we'll never forget," he said.

'Buzz like nothing else'

Euan said he first got behind the wheel of a kart at a birthday party when he was aged eight and quickly caught the racing bug.

"From here we just kept going, kept getting momentum and then from there me and dad said 'let's go bigger; go big or go home'," said the youngster.

The duo have since towed their family caravan up and down the country for race meetings, with Euan permitted by his school to do his homework while on the road.

Euan said his ambition, once he trades in karts for racing cars, was to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship which, for him, was the pinnacle of racing.

"It's filled with unprecedented talent; it's a step up from Formula One as I see it because that's where the real talent lies," he said.

"It's the thrill of winning and the sheer speed - it gives you a buzz like nothing else."