Rising Gloucestershire motorsport star Zak O’Sullivan says he is “ready to do business” when the delayed British F4 season finally gets under way, after returning to the track in earnest.

UK motorsport’s governing body has relaxed the restrictions in place since the coronavirus lockdown came into force, meaning the 15-year-old can finally get back behind the wheel on five test days. Zak and his respected Carlin team are taking part in two days apiece at Snetterton in Norfolk and Kent’s iconic Brands Hatch circuit, as well as a single day at Oulton Park in Cheshire.

The season will start over the weekend of August 1 and 2 at Donington Park, the first of four race meetings in five weekends. Zak said he was conscious he won’t have as much preparation for the season as he’d like but that it would be the same for his rivals. He said: “I am very excited to be back on track but, at the same time, very focused and very aware that I don’t have as much track time as I really need. Everyone will want to be testing everywhere but it’s impossible in the time-frame we have. I’m here to do business and very much looking forward to the first race.”

Zak has been keeping race-sharp during lockdown by competing in the first British F4 eSports championship, in which he finished third. “I was in contention for the title until some unfortunate incidents took me out of the running at key moments. But it is all good practice and makes me even hungrier to get back on track for the real thing,” added Zak.

O’Sullivan was the youngest winner of the Ginetta Junior Championship Rookie Cup in 2019 which, like British F4, is one of the key support events on the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) package.