Summarize

Reigning South African Rotax Mini Max karting champion Ghazi Motlekar showed great pace at the second round FIA Academy karting championship at Adria in Italy over the weekend.  The highly regarded FIA Academy sees top karters junior karters each selected from different countries around the world racing identical machines over three rounds across Europe. 

Motlekar was ninth in Thursday’s qualifying before gaining a couple of places to seventh in Friday’s first qualifying heat. “The weekend started well and the first heat was good,” Ghazi explained. “The second qualifier started well too and I was running in the top ten again before I had to avoid an incident ahead of me late in the race. “That dropped me down to 20th so I had to fight back over the last three laps. “It went well from there and I ended up 14th by the flag."

Ghazi then had a good run as he made up a couple of places from tenth to eighth in his qualifying heat on Saturday morning to qualify 16th for the final that afternoon. “I had a decent start in the Final, but there were a few incidents around me and then I struggled to find my rhythm in the middle of the race.  “I still managed to fight back and regain several places again. “I had decent pace this weekend, but I never had the best run in the final. 

"Most importantly, I once again learned so much at the FIA Academy and I'm proud to represent Mozambique at the highest level of karting for my age group. "I am most grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow as a driver,” Ghazi concluded. ”Now it’s time for a little break from racing!” 

With Italy in its Ferragosto holiday shutdown, Ghazi’s next appointment is the FIA Academy Final at Kristiaanstad in Sweden in September. Then its back to Italian Rotax Junior Max action at Sette Laghi, where young Motlekar sits in a fighting championship second position.