Aaron Scott takes the fast lane for Shropshire move

A British professional racing driver who competes mainly in the British GT Championships has moved to Shropshire.

Aaron Scott - aged 31 and originally from Surrey - moved with his TV presenter wife Charlie George and their two-and-a-half-year-old-son Thomas from Wolverhampton to Telford before Christmas so they could bring up their child in a more rural area.

Aaron, who races in a Ferrari 430 for Mtech and a Dodge Viper for GT3 Racing, both Midlands-based teams, is also a professional driver coach.

This month Aaron competed in the Dubai 24 hour race in a Ginetta for GT3 Racing where he and his team mate finished fifth in their class, qualifying in third place, which was a strong finish. His ambition is to compete in the Le Mans 24 hour race.

Aaron said: "I've raced professionally since 2001 but I started racing as a child. My dad was involved in British racing.

"He was an official and I was at a British Grand Prix when I was three months-old. I kind of grew up round the race track. I remember when I was at school teachers said I had a really vivid imagination because 'I'd met Nigel Mansell'."

Aaron starting kart racing aged 14. "You had to graft to pay for your kart," he said. "I wanted to be a Formula 1 driver when I was a kid but I didn't think about earning a living."

Aaron did karting initially for fun but it became more and more serious as he got so good at it. "I won a couple of junior karting and one senior karting championship. I was always at the forefront there. And I think it's great with kids getting into racing."

He started car racing reasonably late in life in his 20s. He had other jobs while saving up his money to fund his racing, including working as a salesman at the Grand Prix Racewear shop in London.

"I'd earned enough money to pay for my first season," said Aaron. "I thought if I won the championship (The BRDC (British Racing Driver's Club Formula 4 Championship) I would carry on and if I didn't I wouldn't. I won that championship and that kind of gave me the momentum to carry on.

"That gave me quite a lot of contacts and from there I raced in the National Formula Ford Championship. In 2003 I switched to sports car racing and that's where I've been ever since."

Aaron said: "I get paid to race the cars. I'm a professional racing driver but I also work now for private individuals. In my role I will take a driver who can afford to do it but is needing some help. So I will sit in the car with them and we have a data logging system in the car to get them up to speed, and I show them the ropes. It's a private test day."

The cars are capable of reaching speeds of up to 200mph

Aaron's teaching job is to help his clients understand the course and the car and to teach them to drive as fast as possible. "This will be someone at quite a serious level."

Aaron races at all the British racing tracks, including Silverstone, Brands Hatch and Oulton Park.

Aaron said: "There's two drivers in the car. I'll drive the car and then, after a certain amount of time, I'll hand over to my team mate."

Aaron's career keeps him very busy, racing cars worth up to £200-300,000.

He'll only get two or three weekends off during the season so it's good Aaron's got an understanding wife, sports car racing TV presenter Charlie George. Sometimes they can be working on the same track.

Son Thomas is already a major fan of car racing. So does Aaron want his son to follow him into professional car racing? "He's really into it. I feel like my dad did. I don't see that I want him to go into racing."

And what of his hopes for 2011? "This year I feel I have an excellent opportunity with the British GT and the British Endurance Championships and that is really my goal."

• Further details from www.aaronscott.co.uk Youngsters interested in getting into racing can get started by visiting www.msauk.org