MOTORCYCLING: Corderoy, 14,  is taking on and beating seniors at their own game

IT may be boys against men, but young Zak Corderoy is matching his seniors in a bid to reach the top of the sport.

The 14-year-old from Blewbury, near Didcot, has won junior trophies in each of the last five years, despite a serious back injury, but now he is up against the big boys.

Corderoy, who attends St Birinus School, started racing motorcycles at the age of six, thanks to his dad, Tim’s, interest in motorbikes.

He was crowned junior 4.2 British ninimoto champion at the age of nine.

Two years ago, he broke a bone in his spine, but that did not keep him off the track for long.

“I was out for about two months, but the doctor told me it was completely healed and I don’t think about it now,” said the tall youngster.

Corderoy’s crowning glory came in 2013, when he trounced his rivals to win the prestigious the Aprilia Superteen Championship on his Aprilia RS125 bike.

He won 19 of the 32 races, triumphing in seven of the nine rounds and recording lap records at his favourite Rockingham Internationoal track and at Donington Park.

Prevous winners of that trophy including two-time MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner and the current top British rider Cal Crutchlow.

This year he is facing a new test, racing his four-stroke RRV450 machine against seniors in the ThundersportGB Aprilia Challenge.

After the first of nine rounds – held at Brands Hatch last month – Corderoy was placed 11th out of 26.

The second round is at Donington this weekend, when he will compete in four races and a qualifier over the two days.

“My aim is to get into the top ten,” said Corderoy, who admitted it would be a dream to follow in the footsteps of fellow Oxfordshire rider Bradley Smith to the pinnacle of the sport.

“I’d just settle on becoming a professional rider,” added the youngster, who is grateful for the support of his sponsors Tye Constructions, Machine Shack and Putolin as he makes his rapid way in the sport.