MOTORSPORT Bath karter Jacques Jensen enjoyed a busy and successful 2009.

The Lower Weston resident competed in 25 races and won three important championships.

Competing in the Rotax Max class, he lifted the Southern Championship at Hampshire's Forest Edge circuit and the club championships at Mansell Raceway in Devon and Banbury's Shenington circuit.

Jensen also triumphed in the prestigious Shenington Super Prix, regarded by kart racers nationally as one of the races to win during your career.

He won 15 of his 25 races, took six podium finishes and earned 12 pole positions. Of his wins, 12 of them were consecutive, which is thought to be a record for this class of kart racing.

Significantly, Jensen achieved these results while racing at five different circuits – from his 'home' circuit at Mansell Raceway to tracks in Oxfordshire, Gloucester, Hampshire and Dorset.

And his ability to work out new circuits quickly paid dividends at Gloucestershire's Rissington circuit when he won the Pelican trophy, which is probably the largest in karting.

At the end of the season Jensen decided to race at Dorset's Clay Pigeon circuit in an event is known as the Turkey Trot. The winner receives a Christmas turkey and competition was fierce.

Clay Pigeon had not been a happy hunting ground for Jensen previously but he qualified on pole and took the win by a massive margin.

At the same event Jensen won a free scholarship entry for the 2010 Ginetta G20 car racing championship. There will be a huge entry – estimated at over 500 – for this scholarship but the winner will receive a fully-funded drive in the Ginetta Challenge, a series which supports the high-profile British Formula 3 and GT championships.

Qualifying rounds will take place during February and March at Middlesbrough's Teeside Autodrome, where contestants will be assessed for driving ability as well as fitness and media skills.

Meanwhile, Jensen who is studying for a motor sports engineering degree at the University of Bath, is still formulating his karting plans for 2010 and will continue to race for Mansell Raceway.

The Mansell team, fronted by former Formula 1 world champion Nigel and his sons, Leo and Greg, also import the Italian-made Redspeed kart which Jensen used with so much success in 2009.

Although an established kart in Europe, further testing and set-up work was conducted during early 2009 at Mansell Raceway and it is hoped its development will continue in the new year.

Tuning is not allowed in Rotax engine classes, so the dedicated build quality of John Crookes from Yate- based Revolution Racing Engines has contributed enormously to Jensen's success.