After winning the Formula Kart Stars (FKS) Championship, Ilkley’s Josh White has made some friends in high places.

The national FKS series is personally endorsed by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and McLaren superstar Lewis Hamilton, and it was whilst collecting his award for winning the Mini Max category title that Josh met some of grand prix racing’s biggest names.

Josh mingled with the likes of TV commentator Martin Brundle and Red Bull team boss Christian Horner at the Autosport Awards night in London.

Along with three other category winners from the championship, Josh walked on to the impressive stage to receive his gem-encrusted, steering wheel-shaped trophy and was joined by double World Champion Sebastian Vettel, and fellow Formula One stars Jenson Button and Paul Di Resta.

The 15-year-old Ilkley Grammar School student was given some valuable tips about his future career.

He said: “Martin Whitmarsh (the McLaren team principal) told me not to go from karts to cars too soon because you learn so much racecraft in karting and because it is so competitive.

“A lot of karters are being tempted out of the sport before they’re 15 or 16-years-old now, so I’m going to follow his advice and hopefully it will work out well for me.”

Josh was back in the limelight for the Autosport International at the NEC in Birmingham.

Here, he was officially presented with his championship prizes including a TAG Heuer watch.

A plethora of celebrities gave interviews on the FKS stage, with Josh being one of the drivers chosen to talk about his career.

“It was great to have the opportunity to talk about my championship-winning season, plans for this year and my future ambitions after that,” he said Josh has moved up to the faster Junior Rotax and in pre-season testing he has been one of the pace-setters.

He said: “I was quick in both wet and dry conditions. The difference in power wasn’t too hard to get used to, so hopefully I’ll be there or thereabouts when it really matters.”