Joe Warhurst: Meet the Yorkshire teenager driving a £120,000 Porsche - but only on weekends

His insurers insist he has a “black box” fitted so they can monitor his driving and make sure he keeps to the speed limit.

But what they would make of his weekend activities one can only imagine for he races a £120,000 high-performance Porsche Cayman at up to 140mph around racing circuits.

“They are two very different cars, that’s for sure,” said Joe from Barnsley.

“I can’t imagine what my insurers would think if they saw me in the Porsche but it’s very different. I enjoy being on the road but it’s a world apart from motorsport.”

Joe, who races in the Porsche Sprint series against other Cayman drivers, was most recently involved in a race at Croft near Darlington where he triumphed in qualifying.

He was in pole position – meaning he had the advantage of starting first – and he apparently won the race, only to be disqualified for an infringement.

He was deemed to have been out of position at the start and was given a 10 second penalty which meant he was demoted to fourth place.

He started racing as a 12-year-old in karts, inspired by his father who also raced in competitions.

“It seems like a very young age to start,” said Joe.

“But actually some of the others had started at eight and it seemed like I was always playing catch-up.

“So I moved at 14 to cars – which was earlier than the other kart racers - and that meant I had a head start on the others. That really helped and I haven’t looked back since to be honest.”

He raced with a team from Ginetta, the Leeds-based sports car manufacturer, before moving to Porsche.

“I just love motorsport and I have been very fortunate to do what I do. I devote a lot of time to it, which is essential. You really have to spend a lot of time working and improving.

“We race and then we analyse the race in great detail. We have computers which give us read outs covering when we brake for example and that really helps to fine tune your driving.

“I have had a lot of support from family and friends and now from my team.

“My Polo is only a 95bhp and the Porsche is a 425bhp machine. It’s a very different way to drive.”

The Porsche Sprint Challenge is made up of identical Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport cars..

A Porsche spokesman said: “Porsche Sprint Challenge Great Britain has generated huge interest, from new and existing drivers and teams plus fans alike. Its status as a one-make championship will ensure action-packed racing from the start as driver skill is, once again, placed centre stage.”

There are three more meetings of the Porsche Sprint to go with races at Donington Park (August 26-27), Silverstone (September 23-24) and Brands Hatch (October 7-8) to come.