MOTORCYCLING: Haslam Jnr following in his father's tyre tread

While Michael Doohan was winning his fourth consecutive 500cc title at Donington yesterday, at the other end of the scale Leon Haslam was making a winning start to his racing career proper, writes Catherine Riley.

The 14-year-old Haslam, son of former grand prix rider Ron, made his debut in the Honda CB500 Cup having been given a special licence by the Auto Cycle Union to take part, becoming the youngest rider ever in a senior event.

Haslam, who is leading the Gilera Scooter Championship, made an immediate impact in Saturday's qualifying session, putting his Honda in second place on the front row of the grid. That was the last time Haslam was bettered. By the end of the first lap yesterday he had opened up a one-second lead, a position he was never to relinquish.

At just 4ft 10in Haslam barely seemed capable of riding the Honda yet he handled it superbly, his distinctive riding style, head down elbows out, suiting the big bike.

Each time his closest challenger, Chris Sherring, closed the gap Haslam simply pulled away, going on to set the fastest lap of the race in 1min 53.76 sec, an average speed of about 80mph. He finished six seconds clear of the field. Another chapter in the Haslam history book has begun.