UP and coming motor racing driver Charles Hollings is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Formula One champion Michael Schumacher.

This Bank Holiday weekend, the 19-year-old from Norwood, Otley, will be pitting his skills against the top young drivers in the country at the Croft circuit, near Darlington.

Charles, who started his career in kart racing, is taking part in this year's Slick 50 Formula Ford Zetec championship - a proven testing ground for Formula One champions.

And he spent last year racing in the Avon Junior Formula Ford Zetec Championship - a series created to give drivers the chance to learn about car racing before entering the Slick 50 championship.

Charles, a former Prince Henry's Grammar School pupil, said: "It gave me valuable experience. I achieved second place in the last round and fifth place in the championship."

His team, Mackie Motorsport Young Guns, was placed second in last year's Slick 50 event, but so far this year has got off to a bad start.

"The season so far has not been what I or the team hoped for," he said.

In the first round at Silverstone a car spun off the track and back again to hit Charles's car and in the second round at Snetterton an over ambitious manoeuvre by another driver caused both Charles and the other driver to withdraw from the race.

And in the third round at Donington Park, a fire in Charles's engine meant he had to pull out just a lap from the finish.

"I had to retire from the first three races of the year and my only finish from the season's four rounds was a 16th place at Oulton Park. And there an engine problem meant that my car was slow all weekend," he said.

But last weekend at the Knockhill circuit for the Scottish Formula Ford Festival, the team scored well.

Team mates Steven Kane and Ryan Sharp qualified first and second with Charles qualifying fourth - but he finished the race in second place behind Ryan.

Now, the heat is on for the next round of the Slick 50 championship - due to be held at the Croft circuit near Darlington next weekend (May 27/May 28).

He said: "I'm really looking forward to racing at home in Yorkshire, especially after the result we got at Knockhill. Everyone's really motivated and we think we can do really well."