Newly-crowned Formula One champion Lando Norris discovered his passion and talent for driving at Clay Pigeon Raceway near Dorchester.
Incredibly, he is not even the first F1 World Champion to have cut his teeth at the Dorset track – Jenson Button, who was crowned in 2009, also started his career there.
Lando’s first karting coach has been talking to the West Dorset Magazine about his pride in what Lando has achieved on the world stage.
Rob Dodds, owner of Dorset-based BKC Racing, spoke to us on the eve of the annual Turkey Trot event at the West Dorset circuit, and talked of seeing something special in Lando when he was just eight years old.

Rob said: “Lando was really hungry. I worked with Lando and his older brother Oliver for four years when Lando was brand new to karting.
“Oliver was very good, but Lando had that extra drive and really wanted to win. I could see his hunger from his first lap. Usually the youngsters get faster as they get older but Lando really hit the ground running and that sibling rivalry really helped him to begin with. Being quicker than his brother was his first goal.
“He was clocking times as quick as cadets who had had three or four years’ experience and I knew that he had the potential to be a champion. Lando was a lovely kid, so was Oliver.
“We’re very lucky and tend to attract nice kids.
“The boys’ dad, Adam Norris, had approached me and I stopped my business to dedicate my time to work with Oliver and Lando.
“I coached Lando on Wednesday afternoons. He was at Millfield School but they would give him the time off from games once they realised how good he was.
“Then we would work together on Saturdays and Sundays, and Fridays too if they were competing. Lando left school in Year 10 when it became clear he could make a career out of racing.
“I spent a lot of time with him and it’s great to see what he has achieved. It feels a bit surreal really. I haven’t really shouted about it, that’s the way I am, but I do feel immensely proud. One of my four daughters works in marketing and tells me I should be talking about it more, but I’m like my 81-year-old mum, quite humble and modest really.
“I spoke to Lando briefly to congratulate him, and still keep in touch with all the family. Of the two boys, I tend to talk more to Oliver, he’s heavily involved in F1 simulators.

“I speak to Adam all the time. I was thrilled when he called me to invite me to a small party he’s hosting to celebrate Lando’s win. There are only around 20 people invited and it’s to get together all the people who’ve helped in Lando’s career. It’s an absolute honour to be invited. Adam asks for my opinion on a lot of things, which is quite funny really. He’s such a successful businessman yet still values my input.”
Clay Pigeon Raceway is off the A37 between Dorchester and Yeovil. Rob said: “It’s a good circuit and a lot of drivers have started their careers there. I’m heavily involved with Forest Edge near Andover, but Clay Pigeon is really handy for us as it’s our most local track.”
The 815-metre Clay Pigeon Raceway is a popular drivers’ circuit with technical corners and short, fast straights which truly test true driver ability. The raceway was founded in the late 1950s on a disused Second World War military hospital site. The original track was built by joining the hut concrete bases together with tarmac to make a 500-metre track. When a karting club was established in Blandford and a Royal Automobile Club permit had been obtained, the first official race took place on Sunday, May 5, 1963.
BKC Racing are no strangers to success. Rob said: “At BKC, we have had race teams all over the world. Drivers we have brought through have won loads but this is the first Formula One title we have had a hand in.
“Phil Hanson is another of our drivers and he went down the endurance route and was in the winning team for Ferrari at Le Mans 24 this year, along with Robert Kubica. Lando has taken part in endurance races with Phil and Fernando Alonso as teammates too. That’s not a bad team, is it?
“Callum Bradshaw is another of ours who’s won multiple world, European and British titles in karting. We’ve won loads. I feel very lucky, I’ve been all over the world and know most of the F1 drivers, such as Lewis (Sir Lewis Hamilton) because we see them come up through the karting when they’re nine or 10. There is mostly a great camaraderie between the drivers and they tend to support each other.”
Lando Norris and Phil Hanson had the benefit of committed parents who had enjoyed successful business careers and had money to help indulge their children’s passions, although Rob explains that financial clout is not essential to success.
Rob said: “It does help to have money, but karting can be as expensive as you want to make it. My advice would be to buy something from me – don’t buy something from eBay or somewhere like that. It’s very easy to go wrong buying a kart.
“We are here to help people and give youngsters encouragement.
“A lot of the drivers change tyres regularly and we make sure that the old tyres can benefit a team that maybe can’t afford to spend so much. It is possible to do it on the cheap with the right help and support. We’re like a family really, everybody is supportive, and we know that some people have a more limited budget.
“I was originally a boxer and still coach nowadays, but I’m so passionate about karting. I’m 62 now and I’ve been doing it for 40 years. We do everything to make sure that performance is optimised. Engineer the kart, coach the driver, and if we get those things right, we are giving them the best chance to win.
“It’s busy, a full-time job for me and I have three or four guys who work for me at weekends. We are flat out at the moment and Lando’s success will generate even more interest I’m sure.
“We are certainly seen as one of the top teams and people consider driving for BKC to be an honour and they are usually in very safe hands. We have been all over the world with our drivers and it’s a real privilege. I just want to help people.
“The Turkey Trot at Clay Pigeon Raceway is a normal event, but you can win a turkey instead of a prize. We’ve got 20 youngsters at BKC, six of them out racing this weekend.
You never know, there might be a future world champion in there somewhere.”
n For more information on BKC Racing, go to facebook.com/BKCracing please see or call/email 07889 793035 bkckartracing@hotmail.com
Clay Pigeon Raceway, visit claypigeonraceway.com