SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS

But Aqil’s UK craft handy at home

South Africa’s nine-year old international kart racer Aqil Alibhai has just returned from his latest British racing adventure at a wild LGM series weekend at Rowrah in Cumbria, Wales. Aqil is now ready to take on his home rivals at Vereeniging’s sixth round regional races Saturday 10 September.

“European karting kids are world class at my age,” Aqil explained of his most recent sojourn. “They race every weekend so it’s a privilege to compete against and learn from them and I really learned so much again this weekend.

“The LGM series is completely different from anything else I have ever raced — there is no qualifying and they mix up the grids so you can start in the top 10 in one race, then you are mid-pack for the following race and then you end up a the back in the last race — so it’s quite mad! ”Then they add up your points through the day and that’s your position in the final.

“We raced Sunday and Monday as it was holidays, but it was a crazy weekend,” the Ormonde, Johannesburg driver admitted. “I started in pole position in the first race, because I was the new kid because it was a reverse grid from the last meeting. “That was all very busy, but I made it into the B Final where I finished fourth to qualify for the Final, which was a most intense race —I made up ten places, but I ended up out of the tow and six karts passed me!

“It’s really hard racing but I’m learning from my mistakes — I also think that I have broken my fear of racing in England and Monday was a whole new race day!

“I started last, mid-pack and third in that third Monday race, which was the highlight of my weekend — I pushed my way to first and led the pack until I was shoved off the track and dropped to the back! "But it was the first time I had the pace to be in the top ten since I've been racing in the UK and I am learning so much by been pushed around like that.

“Now I can’t wait to race at home again next weekend — we were second in the African Open a few weeks ago and I am strong int he Maxterino championship, so we really need to go one better in Vereeniging, so we can chase for the title, even if we have missed a round.”

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