A Torfaen teenager has won his first racing trophy of the season.
Caleb McDuff, aged 16 from Pontypool, has earnt the title of the first deaf driver to stand on the Britcar Trophy podium.
The Cwmbran High School student races for Team BRIT, an ensemble recognised as the world's only competitive team comprised entirely of racing drivers with disabilities.
This is his first year with the team.
Moving up from prior karting achievements, the Torfaen teenager was in the driver's seat of a BMW 1 Series for this year's Britcar Trophy.
The event - round two of the series - took place at the Snetterton Circuit on April 14.
Caleb competed in two races, each spanning 50 minutes.
Despite vehicle issues that necessitated an unscheduled pit stop in his first race, the fast-acting crew managed to return him to the race.
Ultimately, the teen driver claimed the fifth spot in the first race.
The second race saw Caleb swiftly soar up to first place following the mandatory pit stop.
Nevertheless, a subsequent stop/go penalty saw him bumped back to third position.
Remaining steadfast, he clinically maintained his ranking and completed the race coming 3rd in his class, and earning his first podium spot.
Caleb was diagnosed as deaf at the age of two following a series of severe ear infections during infancy.
Thanks to cochlear implants, however, he currently possesses a moderate level of hearing.
The team has devised a technical solution which allows him to utilise his implants and converse with the team pit crew even while wearing his racing helmet.
Speaking after the race, the Welsh racer said: "It was brilliant to get on the podium for the first time with the team.
"I know I could have finished even higher up the grid, and it’s a shame my stop / go penalty pushed me back to third.
"That’s learning that I’ll take into the next round.
"I've loved being part of the team and it was great to see my teammates also do well with podium finishes at Snetterton."
Caleb expressed enthusiasm for the next rally at Brands Hatch on May 4 and 5.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here