The Motor Sports Association (MSA) has selected reigning CIK-FIA European KF3 Champion George Russell to represent the UK in the 2012 CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy.

The CIK invited the MSA to nominate a single driver to contest the Trophy, a world championship for 13- to 15-year-olds, over three events: Braga, Portugal (8 July); Angerville, France (26 August); and Bahrain (10 November).

Russell, aged 14 from Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, began karting in 2006. He won the MSA British Cadet Kart Championship in 2009 and took the 2010 Super One and Formula Kart Stars Rotax Mini Max titles, before being crowned the 2011 European Champion at Zuera in Spain. He is the first driver to win the Kartmasters Grand Prix in three different classes in consecutive years, and also won the TaG Junior crown at the SKUSA SuperNationals XV in Las Vegas last year.

Russell said: “It’s a massive privilege to have been chosen by the MSA because the Karting Academy Trophy is a very prestigious championship. My aim is to add another title to my CV and Britain’s karting record, and hopefully the international karting experience I’ve had recently will help me to achieve that goal.”

MSA Performance Director Robert Reid, who headed the Performance Panel that made the selection, said: “We received several strong applications from some very promising young karters, which made choosing just one very difficult indeed. However, George’s national and international record speaks for itself, and consultation among some of the leading figures in UK karting confirmed that he is best placed right now to make the most of this great opportunity. We will do some preparation work with him before the events to make sure he has the best possible chance of success.”