Spice Girl Mel C's little brother is set to achieve fame in his own right
as a racing car driver.  Paul O'Neill, who virtually wrote off his sister's
new £35,000 Mercedes in January, wants to race for the Rover MG sports team.

He will find out next week if he has got the job to drive fulltime with the
British car-makers.  His ambition is to race Formula One cars in Grand Prix.

Paul, 18, who works as a motorbike courier in Manchester, credits his big
sister with inspiring him to turn professional.  He says: "I watch her on
stage and think 'Look at how hard she works and how good she is,' and try
and do that myself.  She's not really into motor racing but she encourages
me."

Paul, who got his full racing licence in March, has been driving scaled-down
Formula One cars at the Donington Park circuit in Derbyshire since last
year.  But he dented Mel's Mercedes SLK when he lost control at 30mph,
hitting a lamp-post.  He escaped with cuts and bruises but admitted he was
worried about facing Mel.  He said at the time: "She'll batter me for this.
I needed to get to work and Melanie has always said she doesn't mind who
uses the car."  All the Spice Girls got one of the Mercs for helping the
German firm launch the new McLaren Formula One car.

Mel C ensured her brother won't smash up her car again by buying him a
£29,950 Trident Ventura 2.5l at the Motor Show in Birmingham on Tuesday.