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Saving the best until last: British Champions of the Future Academy Round 4 Recap
Our F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE karters had one last chance to show what they’re made of as the 2026 British Champions of the Future Academy campaign reached its zenith.
It was an intense fourth and final round at Whilton Mill, as Sukhmani Khera put on a masterclass, claiming back-to-back pole positions and Final wins to secure the Junior title. There was silverware across the board, as Khloe McGill achieved a P3 finish in the Mini 60 category and Eva Morris and Lizzy Mentier scored a podium finishes in the Seniors.
KHLOE MCGILL (MINI 60)
Day 1 got off to a tricky start for both Mini 60 karters, with Khloe McGill qualifying just ahead of Arshi Gupta in P9. However, the Briton persevered and gained four places across both Heats, moving her up to seventh on the grid for the Final.
That fighting spirit continued as she made up two more places to take the chequered flag in fifth. However, she was promoted to her first podium in third after a post-race penalty and disqualification for the two drivers ahead.
The second day began in a similar fashion, with McGill qualifying in seventh. She managed to move up two places in Heat 1 but lost one in Heat 2. In the Final, she finished where she started in seventh and ended the campaign seventh in the Standings.
ARSHI GUPTA (MINI 60)
Arshi Gupta also had her work cut out for her after qualifying in 10th. Making up four places in the Heats helped her improve to ninth on the grid for the first Final, with the Indian racer finding more pace to end Day 1 in P7.
The final day saw a slightly stronger start for Gupta, who was ninth-fastest in Time Qualifying. Two solid Heats in P9 and P6 put her back on the fifth row for the Final. However, she was unable to make any further gains, classifying in 10th and putting her fifth overall in the Under 10s category.
SUKHMANI KHERA (OK-N JUNIOR)
Sukhmani Khera started as meant to go on around Whilton Mill. The Briton was rapid in Time Qualifying, setting the fastest time by 0.057s. She then swept her way to win both Heats, by eight tenths and three tenths respectively.
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Starting on pole for the Day 1 Final, Khera lost out after an early error, dropping to P4 on Lap 2. She recovered to take a comfortable second at the chequered flag but was promoted to her first win of the campaign after the karter ahead received a five-second time penalty for an incorrectly positioned front fairing.
With the Junior title on the line, Khera put together another superb performance in Time Qualifying, going quickest by 0.164s. The Alpine junior followed it up with a storming run in Heat 1, winning by almost five seconds.
Despite finishing Heat 2 in second, Khera’s consistency was rewarded with pole for the Final. Once she had hold of the lead, she refused to let it go. Winning by 0.593s, she was crowned the OK-N Junior Champion by 70 points and receives a Formula 4 test day with Argenti.
AVA LAWRENCE (OK-N JUNIOR)
Ava Lawrence put her overtaking skills to work on the first day after qualifying in P7. Climbing up three places in Heat 1 helped her move up into fifth on the grid for the Final. The Emirati karter capitalised on a strong start to finish in fourth.
Lawrence looked to be picking up where she left off after qualifying in sixth. However, she suffered a setback after being disqualified from Heat 1 due to mechanics pushing her kart beyond the safety line.
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Nevertheless, the Aston Martin junior shook it off, finishing fifth in Heat 2. Despite the disqualification demoting her to 11th on the grid for the Final, Lawrence refused to give up, fighting her way up to finish in fifth and securing a top-five spot in the OK-N Junior Standings.
ANDIE STEWART (OK-N JUNIOR)
It was a challenging start to the weekend for Andie Stewart, who was eighth-fastest in Time Qualifying. She was unable to make up any ground in the Heats, finishing in P10 and P12 after receiving a five-second penalty for causing a collision in Heat 2. Starting from 10th in the Final, Stewart slipped back to P12 once again after being handed a five-second penalty for an incorrectly positioned front fairing.
Day 2 didn’t get off to the best start for Stewart, who qualified in P10. However, the Briton remained as determined as ever as she battled her way up to P4 and P7 in the Heats. Her fortitude was rewarded with a second row spot for the Final.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t keep hold of it, taking the chequered flag in ninth before being demoted to P12 due to a five-second penalty for an incorrectly positioned front fairing. As a result, Stewart ended the season sixth in the Standings.
EVA MORRIS (OK-N SENIOR)
Eva Morris was the quickest of the Senior trio on Day 1, qualifying in third, 0.121s off pole. However, her first Heat would end before it began after the Briton was unable to make the formation lap.
Brushing it off, Morris went on to take third in Heat 2, putting her fifth on the grid for the Final. Showing her full pace around Whilton Mill, Morris fought back to finish in P2, holding on to the podium despite a five-second penalty for cutting the track.
Morris didn’t let up on Day 2, qualifying in P3, although she was unable to contend for pole. Two P5 finishes in the Heats placed her on the third row for the Final. Putting together another superb run, she finished on the podium once again in third. Ending the season fourth in the OK-N Senior Standings, Morris also won the Wild Card prize, giving her a F4 test drive with Argenti.
LIZZY MENTIER (OK-N SENIOR)
Lizzy Mentier pulled off another quick and consistent weekend, kicking things off with the fourth-fastest time in Qualifying. Third and fourth-place finishes in the Heats moved her up to third position for the Final. The Briton kept a firm grip on third, driving home to her fourth podium of the campaign.
The second day of running saw Mentier qualify in fourth once again, matching the result across both Heats. Lining up on the second row for the Final, she wasn’t able to move forward on to the podium and had to settle for P4. Finishing second in the Standings, Mentier was the highest-placed karter out of the F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE Senior trio.
EMMA ROSE DOWLING (OK-N SENIOR)
Emma Rose Dowling started the final round a little further behind Morris and Mentier after qualifying in sixth but soon caught up. Finishing fourth and fifth in the Heats, the South African racer converted her second row start into another top-four finish on Day 1.
The final day saw Dowling qualify one place higher in fifth. However, she was unable to make a big jump forward in the Heats, finishing sixth in both. She concluded her campaign by taking P5 in the Final, moving her up to third in the Standings.
That’s a wrap on the 2026 British COTFA season, but the action continues in the International Series, which heads to the Aspar Circuit in Valencia for Round 4 on September 4-6. To see the full list of results from Round 4 and to view the results from previous rounds, visit the COTFA website here.