Cheese gets on board with car starlet Max

Max Coates, 16, will be competing in the Ginetta Junior Championship at the home of British motorsport in front of a crowd likely to number around 40,000 as well as a live TV audience.

He competes as a privateer without the backing of a major team but is delighted to have secured support from a new sponsor, Swaledale Cheese.

Although the Scorton-based youngster has never raced at Silverstone, he's no novice to motor sport as he has been racing since he was eight, starting in karts and working his way up to compete as part of the prestigious Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship package.

A work experience stint at the Williams F1 factory at Didcot and selection for the Government-funded Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence Programme have also helped stand the budding star in good stead.

The latter confirms his standing as "potentially elite" in the eyes of the British Motor Sport Association – motor sport's governing body in the UK – and includes six two-day residential workshops over the next two years, running along side his A level studies.

Swaledale Cheese joins family firm Coates Garage, as well as Harron Homes, Dimensions Clothing, Millers Oils and Pyeroy Ltd helping to ensure the youngster has the basics to be able to compete. "It's been a season of ups and downs so far but having Swaledale Cheese come on board is a great boost for us," said Max.

"We can't guarantee winsbut having local companies believe in you makes a big difference and I'll be doing everything I can on the track to repay everyone's investment in me."