In 2002, he shifted to the very competitive Junior Rotax Class and set out to contest both the Champions of the Future Series and the Super 1 Championship. Despite some early season problems and a very limited budget, he had several pole positions and finished 3rd in Super 1. The following year, he continued in the same class in the Stars of Tomorrow Championship and after 2 wins and many podium places, he finished a close 2nd. Ready to take the title at the final meeting, Ross was denied the opportunity by its cancellation!

In September 2003, he was selected to drive in the six strong team for the England Junior Team in the Internations Race Meeting in Cumbria, helping them secure overall victory.

The move to cars...

In 2002, he passed his ARDS (Association of Racing Drivers Schools) test, enabling him to compete in motor racing when he was 16. He also attended a 4 day course at Silverstone Racing School where he impressed his instructors with his speed and smoothness - even though he was still too young to race!

This led in 2003 to test drives in Formula Fords at Snetterton and Castle Combe and two impressive test sessions in a Formula Honda at Mallory Park and Brands Hatch. In the Formula Honda, he lapped approximately 0.5 sec off the pole times achieved by the championship contenders earlier in the year.

2004 Season

Ross contested the much publicised Formula BMW UK Championship in 2004, achieving 11 class wins, one overall win and two 3^rd places, including a pole position. After a successful debut at the Formula BMW Racing Centre in Valencia, Spain in December last year, he was selected to return for further assessment. He competed again in January at Valencia and was awarded a BMW Scholarship. This provided him with £35,000 towards his costs and the right to race as a BMW Junior in BMW colours. A signing with the Panther Motorsport team saw him very well placed for the 2004 season in which he has achieved sensational results. He has dominated the Rookie Championship from the opening race and has been the only Rookie driver to take pole position and win a race outright.

2005 Season

2005 did not go as planned, since the team for which he had signed and done all his winter testing had to withdraw from the championship shortly before the first round. Although another team stepped in to help, they were new to the formula and Ross struggled with car problems throughout the season. Following an impressive win at Knockhill in atrocious conditions, he finished the 2005 championship in a creditable 5^th place.

December saw Ross competing in the World Finals in Bahrain where, after being nudged from behind and forced to pit in the pre-final whilst in 4^th place, he stormed from 29^th on the grid in the final to finish 7^th, and in so doing helped clinch the Nations Cup for the British team.

2006 Season

After invitations from teams to move into Formula 3 or Formula Renault, and an outstanding Formula Renault test at Silverstone, budget restrictions prevented Ross from moving on and he was forced to stay with Formula BMW for 2006. His drive was severely under-funded but in spite of this, he achieved 2 wins and 4 second places, finally being pipped into 3rd place in the championship at the last meeting.

Ross has achieved a great deal in his career – and, apart from the scholarship awards from BMW and the continued support of a loyal personal backer as well as some local businesses, he has had to rely on the limited resources of his family. His move into single seaters has been very successful and he has the potential to reach the top - as long as the funding requirement for competing at this level can be met.

CV