"I'm pretty star-struck, to be honest".

It's not the typical reaction towards one's team-mate but in the case of Charlie Robertson, it's perfectly understandable. As part of Team LNT Ginetta-Nissan, the 18 year-old from Aberfoyle will partner Sir Chris Hoy in this season's European Le Mans Series with the first race coming on Saturday at Silverstone in one of the least likely pairings in the sport's history. It was two years ago that Hoy became Britain's most successful Olympian, winning his fifth and sixth gold medals at London 2012 before hanging up his bike for good in the months afterwards. Robertson meanwhile, was forging his way as one of the most successful junior drivers on the circuit, oblivious to the fact that just a few years later, his team-mate would be the man he was watching win gold in the London velodrome.

Competing alongside one of Britain's greatest ever sportsmen is a privilege few have experienced and it is an opportunity that Robertson is relishing. "I'm really, really excited to be working with Sir Chris- being team-mates with him is going to be awesome," he says. "I think I'll learn a lot from him in terms of how he approaches competing, the psychology of it all and how to deal with everything on a professional level. He's got such a professional attitude, it'll be interesting to see it close up. He's performed in such high-pressure environments so there's so much I can learn from how he deals with that".

Robertson is an equally important member of the pairing though- Hoy's limited driving experience means that despite spending over a decade at the top of track cycling, he remains something of a rookie in motorsport. "I think we can learn a lot from each other actually", Robertson says. "Sir Chris is obviously pretty new to the sport so there will be some of the driving aspects that I might be better at than him. I think that we'll be able to help each other".

Born in Surrey to Scottish parents, Robertson lived in Scotland from the age of 7 until he returned south of the border age 12 but he retains his Scottish patriotism, displaying a Saltire on his racing helmet. He began karting in 2005 at the age of 8, progressing quickly through the ranks before making his car-racing debut in the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2011, becoming the youngest ever winner of an MSA-sanctioned car race at the age of 14. After winning the

Ginetta Junior title in 2012, it was Robertson's triumph in the Ginetta GT4 SuperCup last year which propelled him onto securing a drive in the Ginetta-Nissan LMP3 car in the senior ranks this year.

The 2015 season presents a significant challenge for Robertson- not only is he making the leap from junior to senior but he is also moving from sprint racing to endurance racing for the first time. Previously, Robertson's races would last around twenty minutes whereas the European Le Mans Series races will last around 4 hours. Robertson and Hoy will share the driving and the 18 year-old realises just how tough performing well for that extended length of time will be. "I've been doing a lot of cardio work- running and cycling to try and build up my endurance and get stronger because it's actually all the work that you do away from the track that's the most important thing", he says. "And I use some of the same psychological techniques that Sir Chris used throughout his Olympic career. I'm part of the Nissan Academy and I get psychological support from them- they talk a lot about that side of things because preparing mentally is obviously really important".

Robertson is an interesting blend of maturity and youth. He calls Hoy, Sir Chris every time he mentions him, something one would imagine the Olympic champion will put a stop to pretty quickly but it shows the respect Robertson has for his team-mate. The 18 year-old has, it seems, coped effortlessly with his success but has acquired not a hint of arrogance- almost too little of it. When I ask him what qualities he thinks he has which have enabled this rapid progression through the ranks, he is modest, almost coy in his reply. "I really don't know what's made me successful- a lot of people are really self-confident and a bit boastful about their achievements but I'm not like that", he says. "I just think about doing the best I can and that's worked for me so far. I guess I must have a decent amount of raw talent but I haven't expected any of this success. Last season, I just went in thinking that I just wanted to try and do my best and I ended-up winning the championship. And practice- that's what a lot of this comes down to, it's so important".

It is only when I ask Robertson what his goal for the season is that he shows any assuredness. "To win the championship", he replies without hesitation. "And long-term, I want to win the Le Mans 24 Hour Race. The prize for winning the championship this year is a seat at Le Mans so I'm hoping to be racing in it next season. It's going to be

tough but I think I'm on the right path. I can't see myself doing anything else- this is what I love doing and I seem to have an aptitude for it so I just hope that I can make a career out of it". And if Robertson needs advice on forging a career as a successful sportsman, Britain's greatest Olympian isn't such a bad person to be able to ask.