TEENAGER Ben Cooper has qualified for the Rotax Max World Karting final after finishing third overall in the European series.

With the top three from Europe due to qualify for the final showpiece in Malaysia on November 26, 15-year-old Cooper, from Gravesend, was in pole position heading into the final leg of the series in Belgium.

Despite missing the first stage in France, Cooper had won all four races in the UK and Austria stages and was favourite to win the event for the Sunderland-based HRS Motorsports team.

But a mechanical problem saw him fail to finish the first of two races in Belgium and he was left needing to finish third in the last race to take the title.

He had to start from the back of the grid and had to battle his way through to 10th to secure third place overall and a place in the final.