SEVEN-year-old petrol head Alfie Briggs feels nowhere more at home than sat in his Synergy 50cc kart dwarfed by his impressive collection of racing trophies.

The youngster, from Banbury, now hopes to win another accolade – Downforce Radio’s Under 13 Racer of the Year award.

Alfie is nominated in the national competition along with nine other children who share his need for speed.

He has just come third in the MSA British Bambino Championships.

Alfie, who goes to Middleton Cheney Primary School, first got into motorsports when he was just five, after watching a race at a kart track with his parents.

He asked if he could have a go and practised enthusiastically until he turned six – the minimum age for competitive karting.

Mum Emma Briggs and her husband Steve, who has a motorsport team in Oxford, said they were very proud of their son.

Mrs Briggs said: “In his first year he was winning championships up until the summer when he had an accident and his car flipped over.

“He’s done it twice since. It worries us when you see the team’s boss with his helmet in his hands and Alfie upside down, but it’s what he wants to do.”

Alfie took a short pit stop from competing after his accident, but not for long.

Mrs Briggs said: “He was asked to test drive a kart and he was given it to drive for the rest of the year. He’s not been off the podium since.

“We need people to vote for Alfie – it would be fab to get Banbury behind him.”

Alfie said: “I love the speed and I love overtaking. I like to make my family proud.”

* You can vote for him online until December 3 at downforce-radio.co.uk.