Back in March last year, on International Women’s Day, we proudly announced our partnership with Dronfield karting sensation Lily Charlton. Since then, Lily has been balancing two major challenges – completing her GCSEs and stepping up into the highly competitive world of owner karting.
The first half of 2025 saw Lily dedicate a lot of her time to revision and GCSE exams. This meant fewer race weekends in the early months, but it also demonstrated her ability to juggle priorities and commit fully to both her education and her racing career. Once exams were over, she was able to turn her focus back to racing, determined to make up for lost track time.
This year marked Lily’s big move into Senior Rotax owner karting, joining AJ Racing. It’s a significant step forward, giving her greater control over her equipment and racing programme, while allowing her to test herself against more experienced drivers.
Our sponsorship helped Lily secure her kart and made this transition possible – a milestone that is setting her up for long-term success.
Race Highlights So Far:
- Club racing: Lily has competed in events across Club100, FKC and SKRC and RHKC, gaining vital experience at new circuits and in more competitive grids.
- Buckmore 24 Hours and Daytona 24 Hours: In April and May, she joined Phoenix Racing Team for two 24 hour races , both demanding endurance events that pushed both her skills and stamina.
- Strong Senior Rotax debut: On her first weekend in the Senior Rotax class, Lily finished 3rd overall and top novice, showing her potential right from the start.
- Training and tuition: Lily has also invested in 1-to-1 coaching sessions, where she impressed by setting lap times good enough to feature in the top 10 rankings.
Of course, there have been some challenges, from the occasional mechanical issue to a few weekends where she was unable to start in the final. But Lily’s resilience and positivity shine through, and each event adds to her experience.
Lily has been actively sharing her journey on social media, including practice footage, behind-the-scenes updates, and reflections on her racing weekends. This growing online presence not only highlights her dedication, but also puts her sponsors front and centre.
With her exams behind her, Lily is now fully focused on racing. Her goals for next year include:
- Gaining consistency in race weekends
- Pushing for more podium finishes
- Expanding into national-level events
- Continuing to build her profile as a talented young female racer
We’re excited to see what’s next and proud to continue supporting her journey.
At IMS Heat Pumps, we believe in backing local talent and helping young people reach their potential. Lily’s determination to succeed in both her studies and racing is inspiring, and we’re thrilled to be part of her story. Follow Lily’s progress on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with her latest races and achievements.