ui , ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁to ▁Paul ▁and ▁Ma ure en ▁B am ber ▁( née ▁Johnson ), ▁and ▁lived ▁on ▁a ▁farm ▁where ▁he ▁learned ▁to ▁drive ▁in ▁the ▁small ▁settlement ▁of ▁Jerusalem ▁on ▁the ▁Wh ang an ui ▁River . ▁He ▁attended ▁Wang an ui ▁Colleg iate ▁School ▁along ▁with ▁his ▁younger ▁brother , ▁William . ▁B am ber ▁began ▁in ▁k art ▁racing ▁and ▁won ▁his ▁first ▁title ▁aged ▁ 1 2 , ▁at ▁the ▁North ▁Island ▁S print ▁Championships ▁( J un ior ▁ 1 0 0 cc ▁Yam aha ▁Rest rict ed ), ▁and ▁his ▁first ▁national ▁title ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁S print ▁K art ▁Championship ▁meeting ▁in ▁A uck land . ▁Later ▁that ▁year , ▁he ▁secured ▁a ▁pod ium ▁at ▁the ▁Rot ax ▁Max ▁category ' s ▁annual ▁Grand ▁Final ▁in ▁Portugal ▁after ▁domin ating ▁the ▁Junior ▁class ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁Rot ax ▁Max ▁Challenge ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁ ▁Racing ▁career ▁ ▁Open - w heel ▁racing ▁B am ber ▁progress ed ▁through ▁k arts ▁and ▁single ▁se ater ▁series ▁and ▁was ▁ranked ▁sixth ▁highest ▁future ▁star ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁by ▁the ▁intern ation ally ▁recogn ised ▁website ▁driver db . com ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁At ▁ 1 5 ▁he ▁switched ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Formula ▁Ford ▁Championship ▁before ▁compet ing ▁in ▁Asia ▁two ▁years ▁later ▁where ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁Asian ▁Formula ▁B MW ▁title . ▁He ▁achieved ▁pole ▁positions , ▁fast est