A budding Grand Prix star from Dereham has secured a substantial sponsorship deal to help him realise his racing dream.

Dereham Times: Trophy team shot with Burland team and Josh on July 19. Credit: Jungle PR LtdTrophy team shot with Burland team and Josh on July 19. Credit: Jungle PR Ltd (Image: Archant)

Joshua Vallance, 14, has been winning on the kart racing circuits since he began at the age of nine.

He has won numerous championships and was listed in the national press as one of the top 20 young talented kart racers in the UK. He was also Honda Cadet Race Driver of the Year.

He is now racing in the Junior Rotax league, before moving into MSA racing across the UK, with his future progressing towards Formula 4.

Sponsor Richard Vass of Burland Technology Solutions Ltd in Suffolk said: 'We are delighted to support Josh at this early stage in his racing career.

'His results so far, despite limited budget and resource speak for themselves.

'We hope that with our support he can fast-track his career and emulate the success seen by Dame Ellen MacArthur who we also sponsored at the outset of her career in the '90s.'

Josh's mother Tina Vallance said: 'This partnership will not only enable Joshua to take the next step in his motorsport journey and augment his skills as a promising racer but will also provide the vital experience and knowledge of competing with international kart racers.'

He is being backed in his career by Jay Marshall, Director of V1 Logic Ltd, a professional racing driver evaluation and development company, based near Silverstone.

He said: 'I met Josh when he was 11. Even then his motivation and mental agility were apparent and had direction. His exceptional commitment and focus provide the on-track building blocks for a natural speed and consistency very few racers can master at his age. We psychometrically benchmarked Josh against our database of professional racing drivers at an unusually young age, confirming for us he already has the vast majority of skills required to race at the very top end of the sport.'

In the 1990s Mr Vass sponsored Dame Ellen MacArthur at the outset of her career enabling her to reach the start line of the Mini Transat which launched here outstanding career.