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Every girl's dream - a car powered by chocolate!

A racing car built from renewable materials
A racing car built from renewable materials

It is made from potatoes and its steering wheel is a load of carrots!

But a car driven by Rochester youngster Aaron Steele is really souped up - it even speeds round racing circuits!

Aaron, 20, powered round the Rockingham circuit in Northamptonshire recently to put his eco wheels - powered by chocolate fuel - to the test.

The unique concept is the brainchild of researchers at the University of Warwick and is the first F3 racer designed and manufactured from sustainable and renewable materials.

Surprisingly, the car complies with all 2009 F3 rules, except for its biodiesel engine... which runs on the chocolate fuel.

And now brake disc pads made from cashew nuts are in development! Steele, a McLaren Autosport BRDC Awards finalist, said: “Motorsport will have to be sustainable in the future and what has been researched and developed at the University of Warwick could well be the racing car of tomorrow.

Racing driver Aaron Steel from Rochester
Racing driver Aaron Steel from Rochester

"The team have come up with an incredible concept and it’s fantastic to have an opportunity to drive something so new and exciting.”

Dr Steve Maggs, part of the WorldFirst Racing research team, based in the Warwick Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre (WIMRC), said: “As original equipment manufacturers focus on decreasing engine emissions to meet future CO2 targets, the WorldFirst project proves that if you are going to wholeheartedly embrace the 'green is great’ ethos, then you have to broaden your vision.”

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