Motorsport:Youngster has the right genes

Tom Blomqvist powers to his maiden victory in the British Formula championship. Photo / Supplied

Not everyone agrees parents' genes help offspring do well in their chosen sport, but young Tom Blomqvist has his dad's gift for driving fast.

During the 1980s Stig Blomqvist was synonymous with world rallying, winning 11 rounds of the World Rally Championship, finishing on the podium 33 times and clinching the title in 1984.

His son Tom, who has lived in New Zealand since he was six and travels on a Kiwi passport, is putting his motor racing heritage to good use and winning open-wheel races in Britain.

Not only does he have the pedigree, Tom has also had mentoring from none other than Rikki Coulthard, who is the father of Australian V8 Supercar driver Fabian Coulthard. Coulthard sen knows a thing or two about spotting talent and thinks Blomqvist jun is the real deal.

"Even back when he [Tom] was 11 you could see he was so focused. He'd get out of the kart and could tell you what was happening with the chassis," said Coulthard who used to engineer Blomqvist's karts.

"He's so single-minded on his training and improving his driving he could go all the way. If he wins the Renault championship at his first go it'll be bloody marvellous."

Blomqvist's maiden victory in the 2010 Formula Renault UK Championship, driving for the Fortec team, came at Silverstone a fortnight ago when he put the car on pole and won both races.

At 16, he is the youngest driver in the field and despite being in his rookie year, he is fourth in the championship just 20 points behind series leader Tama's Pa'l Kiss. As a result of the clean sweep, Blomqvist was awarded the Rising Star accolade from the British Racing Drivers Club.

"It was an awesome feeling to get the win and it was a long time coming this season and it was good to get the monkey of the back," said Blomqvist. "I think our chances of winning the championship are pretty high. I've had some good qualifying results and am now converting them into good results. Hopefully I can get some more wins and win the championship."

As is the norm these days, Blomqvist began in karting, winning the National School Karting championships, the Auckland Schools Karting championships and the North Island Karting championships at Hamilton in 2007.

In 2008 he turned his attention to single-seaters, avoiding Formula Ford to head overseas and contest Formula Renault.

His father organised a drive in Sweden in the Swedish Formula Renault championship where he finished third overall.

Blomqvist wanted to race in the British winter series but had to miss the first round as he still only 15.

A week before his 16th birthday his team convinced the officials to let him compete and he won both races.

Moving to the summer series, Blomqvist has been on the podium seven times this year and became the youngest winner of a British Formula Renault race, breaking the lap record along the way.

This championship has seen the likes of Kimi Raikonen, Antonio Pizzonia, Lewis Hamilton and Heiki Kovalinen all move on to race in Formula One.

There are three rounds to go in the championship with races 15 and 16 this weekend at the Knockhill circuit in Scotland. The event will be the first time Formula Renault has visited the Fife-based venue in four years.