Ben Cooper claimed the Winning Series Karting title with one round to spare after finishing fourth in Spain Picture: Chris Walker

Gravesend's Ben Cooper sealed the prestigious Winning Series Karting title with a fourth place at Zuera in Spain.

The 19-year-old achieved his success with one round remaining after delivering another solid performance in the hotly-contested KF2 class.

The former Gad’s Hill School pupil had been studying motorsport technology at Oxford Brookes University, but has now decided to concentrate on pursuing his ambition of becoming a professional karter.

Cooper said: "I just love kart racing and whilst many drivers now leave the sport to go car racing, I want to stay in it and build a career as one of the few people who get paid to race karts."