Young motorsport fans from across Dubai were brought together by Porsche to experience the thrill of racing first-hand in the Junior Go-Karting Championship. 20 children took to the track at Dubai Kartdrome to learn the basics from professional drivers in the Porsche BWT GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East.
Designed to raise awareness of the importance of leading a healthy, balanced lifestyle to succeed in motorsport, the event gave the UAEís rising young stars an action-packed morning of racing. In attendance and offering advice on health, nutrition and mental wellbeing were two of the biggest names in the Porsche BWT GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, Saul Hack of South Africa and Khalid Al Wahaibi of Oman. They also gave the young drivers tips and tricks on how to be successful behind the wheel, such as hand positioning and mastering the correct technique for breaking.
Taking place over the course of a morning, the 20 young drivers battled it out through three qualifying rounds before the top drivers took to the track for the final race, with 9-year-old Zacharee Grad crowned the winner. Zachary, along with two other podium winners, were invited to the Dubai Autodromeís official podium to accept his trophy, standing in the spot many professional winning drivers have before.
Following the event, all children were invited for an exclusive tour of the garages at the Dubai Autodrome, where drivers and mechanics from the Porsche BWT GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East were on hand to showcase the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car.
Omani driver Khalid Al Wahaibi said after at the event: ìWorking with the youngsters today was a brilliant experience and took me back to my days as a youngster, when I was obsessed with racing. Go-karting played a huge role in my development as a driver and itís where I started out nearly 20 years ago. Itís a great way to learn the key principles of motorsport racing and I really enjoyed passing on my experience to the next generation of driving enthusiasts.î
South African Driver Saul Hack also added: ìLeading a healthy and balanced lifestyle is incredibly important when it comes to professional motorsport racing and can sometimes be overlooked when thinking about the sport. As a driver, we feel a level of responsibility to ensure the next generation of young drivers understand the positive benefits of healthy eating and exercise. The go-karting event has taught youngsters from across Dubai the necessary driving skills to succeed in motorsport, while also providing them with the information they need to lead a balanced lifestyle.
Round 4 of the Porsche BWT GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East continues this weekend at the iconic Yas Marina Circuit, Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd February 2019, with gates open to spectators to watch the twists and turns of motorsport for free.
The Porsche BWT GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East is one of the longest running and most professional championship in the region and is based on the highly successful Porsche formula for one-make racing. It was created to give the regionís home-grown driving talent an opportunity to realise their racing potential and is credited with establishing the most exciting series on the regional motorsport calendar.