16 year old Gold Coast racer Blake Leigh-Smith will be mixing it with the world’s best at the 125 GP at Donington the first weekend in July, having been granted a wild card entry. The British Grand Prix will be Blake’s fourth overseas race this year, following promising performances at Albacete and Jerez in the highly competitive Spanish 125 Championship. In January, he won his class in a round of the New Zealand road racing championship. Blake has been riding since age 5, graduating from dirt track to competing on a Moriwaki 80cc junior road race machine in 2003. Last year, Blake began racing a Honda RS125, winning three rounds of the 125 class in the Australian Superbike Championships. With the backing of his parents business, Runaway Bay Riviera, Cut Graphics, Shoei Helmets and Sidi boots, Blake took the plunge to start his overseas racing career. In his second race of the Spanish Championship, Blake finished 26th from 53 entrants at Jerez. Blake will make his UK racing debut on his Keen Racing Preparations RS125 in a class widely seen as prep school for budding MotoGP riders. His appearance at Donington was facilitated by Motorcycling Australia.