A RACING driver from Worcestershire is gearing up for his debut in a new category this weekend.

Charles Clark, from Hartlebury in Worcestershire, is a homegrown talent making a name for himself on the motorsport scene.

After pursuing his passion for racing after finishing school, Clark is now preparing his biggest challenge yet - racing in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Championship this year.

The series is a mixture of endurance and sprint events, spanning 49 hours over the year, and is one of the most competitive categories in sportscars.

 Clark, aged 23, will race for Comtoyou Racing in the Silver Cup division, and sister, Nikita, said his passion for racing was fuelled by the family's racing pedigree.

"He started racing in 2020 in the Porsche Club Championship," she said.

"He did a bit of karting when he was younger but he was more in to rugby, but then he got more in to karts when he finished school.

"It runs in the family. My dad raced cars, my grandad was a car salesman - so that's where he got the bug from I guess."

Since making his racing debut in 2020, Clark has been on an upward trajectory.

Notable achievements include race wins in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Series (2021 & 2022) and clinching the prestigious title of British GT4 Silver Champion in 2023.

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Last year, Clark collected awards from Autosport and Sunoco Oils at the SRO Annual Awards in London for the fastest GT4 driver.

He was also named by the prestigious British Racing Drivers' Club [BRDC] as one of rising stars in 2022, something Miss Clark said was "a really proud achievement."

Clark's path to racing came through working for a car company and racing team called In2Racing, whom he got a job with after leaving school.

The first round of the GT World Challenge season takes place this weekend at the Circuit Paul Ricard in the South of France - and is a three-hour endurance race.

"He is really excited," said Miss Clark.

"It's a new challenge and a step up but he is ready for it.

"He was testing last week so he is excited and prepared for it."

Miss Clark said her brother has his ambitions set on one day racing in the renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans, the pinnacle of endurance racing.

"Le Mans seems to be the dream. He has a racing coach, Ben Barker, who has raced in the event.

"He goes every year to watch it so that's the dream."