Teenager with dyspraxia taking youth racing scene by storm with success in Leeds and at national level

Initially, he had little in the way of luck. While playing rugby, he even scored a try at the wrong end of the pitch on two occasions. 14-year-old Elliott has dyspraxia, also know as developmental co-ordination disorder. It is a condition that affects physical co-ordination and performance in sport is usually behind what is expected for the age of the person.

Elliott’s mum Sonya Davey said: “With his dyspraxia, he struggles with any kind of ball sport. Unless he's stood still, like in golf, it's just a big fat no. He's tried every other sport you could possibly imagine. Everyone had a laugh about his try at the wrong end but because of the way his dyspraxia affects him, it's like a circuit and it's quite hard to break it once he gets this circuit in his head. After everybody laughed at him, he did it again. It comes out in quite funny ways."

However, he discovered a flair for karting and then found himself to be a skilled driver. Soon enough, the search for a sport was over. At the age of 11, he competed in the national final of Young Driver in 2019 despite many of his opponents being 16 and 17. Even though many had several years on him, he secured a place in the top five. Elliott once again defied his years by winning the regional final of the British Indoor Karting Championship in Leeds in 2020, despite some of his opponents being 16 years old.

Almost immediately after turning 14 in May, he took his test to become a racing driver and recently took on his first car race in the Junior Saloon Car Championship. His mum Sonya said: “It benefits him with the cars because if he does a perfect lap, he can replicate it and replicate it. It can work against him though, if a coach is telling him he needs to do something, it takes a while to change what he's doing.”

Elliott added: "When I was young, I was pestering my mum and dad to let me do car racing but I was too young. My mum and dad tried me with karting and I clicked with it. I tried other sports and just wasn't very good at them and it is because my coordination is not very good. Since I started karting, I just knew I was good at it compared to other sports.”

Although Elliott has found success, his journey has been far from easy. His mum Sonya has said people have been “very frank” about their thoughts on Elliott’s abilities and admitted he has had his confidence severely impacted.

She explained: “Life is hard for him, I'll be honest. He's been told he's rubbish, people have been very frank with him. His confidence over the years has taken such a nosedive and to actually see him be able to flourish and be good at something, me and his dad are bursting with pride.”

He will be back in racing action in November, competing on the iconic Brands Hatch circuit in the Junior Saloon Car Championship. Having been faced with negativity and naysayers on his own journey, Elliott has a simple message for other dyspraxic young people struggling to find a sport. He said: “I'd just say don't give up. Keep on going and don't listen to people who say negative things.”

Elliott’s progress in racing is being documented on his Instagram feed, which can be followed by searching for @elliott_fewster_racing.