Ryan Anderton proudly sported the prestigious number ‘3’ plate on his Fusion Racing kart at the end of the final outing of the 2011 Formula Kart Stars (FKS) Championship at Ellough Park Raceway – and he confessed that it was an ‘awesome’ feeling.

FKS carries the official endorsement of both influential F1 ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone and 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton – and was the McLaren-Mercedes star’s springboard to success a decade-and-a-half ago. In 2011, no fewer than 53 fiercely-competitive young drivers duelled it out in the MSA British Cadet class in an effort to follow in his wheeltracks – and Ryan was one of the leading contenders right from the word ‘go’.

Having placed 15th in his first full national campaign in 2010, the talented Somerset speed demon entered this year targeting the top five – but he would do rather better than that. Following a disappointing start in the curtain-raising meeting at Rowrah in Cumbria, he proceeded to embark upon a stunning run of six podium finishes in swift succession at Three Sisters near Wigan – scene of his breakthrough British victory – Glan Y Gors in North Wales and Genk in Belgium, results that vaulted him into the championship lead.

“Three Sisters was definitely the biggest highlight,” reflected the highly-rated Glastonbury-based hotshot, still comparatively young and inexperienced in relation to many of his adversaries. “It was my first major national win – and the biggest result of my career to-date. We were really ‘on it’ that weekend, and it was such a good feeling when I was the first driver to receive the chequered flag – just outrageous!

“After the way things had gone at Rowrah, we had thought we were going to struggle to even maintain our position from last year – but then at Wigan, suddenly it all just clicked, and that was the moment when we began to realise we could really achieve something pretty special this year.

“My confidence grew a lot after that, which made such a difference – my driving really benefitted, I feel. There are a lot of drivers out there with the potential to be good, but they just don’t have the confidence they need to fulfil their potential. When you gain that confidence in yourself, you can take it to the next level.

“My results really boosted my confidence, especially with FKS being the leading championship in Britain for Cadets. There are so many drivers – the vast majority of them extremely quick – and people said 2011 was probably the toughest year yet. I had to really work hard to finish inside the top three, even in the heat races, because it was just that competitive!”

The improvement in Ryan’s racecraft from 2010 to 2011 was noticeable, and his 50 per cent podium strike rate impressive in the extreme. There were nine trophies in all over the course of the campaign – a tally bettered only by the eventual champion – in addition to six further triumphs and 13 top three finishes in the heat races. It was, by any measure, a superb season.

“My biggest disappointment was probably the penultimate meeting at Whilton Mill,” he reflected. “That was where I lost the chance to win the championship, in hindsight, due to a combination of factors.”

Indeed, having all been flowing so well, Whilton abruptly brought Ryan’s escalating momentum and title ambitions to a cruel and shuddering halt. Although it was by then too late, the season finale at Ellough heralded a welcome return to form, with a brace of top three qualifying performances, consistently strong heats and a trophy on the Saturday – even if the 12-year-old found himself needlessly and unceremoniously removed from the action by an errant rival on only the opening lap the following day.

Nonetheless, as he concluded proceedings where he had been for the majority of the year – right up at the sharp end – the West Country ace made a point of thanking St. Dunstan’s Community School for all of its support and the time off it has granted him, as well as his team, Fusion Motorsport.

“Fusion has been the best Cadet outfit in Britain for the last few years,” he mused, “and they made another step forward again this year. Eclipse Motorsport came on in leaps-and-bounds, and that rivalry raised the bar and prompted Fusion to step it all up another notch still. The team have done so much to help me, and I really want to thank them for everything.”

So how, finally, does it feel now to be ranked third in Britain at the end of only his second full campaign of national competition..?

“It’s a good feeling, isn’t it?” Ryan grins. “It’s a real buzz – just awesome!”