Ginetta Junior ace Aqil Alibhai will make his single-seater
debut in the GB4 Championship season finale at Donington Park this
weekend (15-16 October). The just-turned 16-year-old joins
Leicestershire-based race team Scorpio Motorsport for the
three-race event as he prepares for the next phase in his junior
career.
Prior to the step up to open-wheel car racing, Aqil completed a
strong 2022 season in the Ginetta Junior Championship with Elite
Motorsport, where he achieved five podiums, a pole position and a
fastest lap. Additional career highlights include a Ginetta Junior
Winter Series race win and being crowned the 2019 Rotax African
Open Champion in karting.
Ahead of his debut, the South African racer has been working hard
with his coaches at Kokoro Performance to prepare for the event,
including thorough simulator and fitness training.
Aqil Alibhai said: "It's a dream come true
to have the opportunity to race a single-seater car for the first
time. I have completed an intense training programme these past few
weeks with my driver coaches, and my continued focus is on
understanding the car and feeling its limits. I know I'm in good
hands with Kokoro Performance and the Scorpio Motorsport team and
hope I can make a success of this weekend."
Kieren Clark, founder of Kokoro Performance,
added: "This is a really exciting opportunity for
Aqil to gain invaluable experience of single-seater racing. We have
seen so much growth in him as a driver this season and I look
forward to seeing how he tackles this challenge."
Scorpio Motorsport are former championship winners in Formula
Renault with Alibhai's manager Clark, and returned to single-seater
racing this season, supporting Christian Lester's Rossoverde Racing
entry. The squad, headed by Jon Pettit, now enters the series under
its own name for the first time, with hopes to expand its GB4
programme for 2023, after a successful few seasons in sports
cars.
Scorpio Team Principal Jon Pettit said:
"We've been working very hard behind the scenes to return the team
to single-seater racing and we've dipped our toes into GB4 this
year to get a feel for the cars and the championship. We've run a
number of initiatives behind the scenes to drum up some driver
interest and are delighted to have secured a deal with Aqil and his
management team, who of course we know very well from our Formula
Renault days! Aqil has done a great job in Ginetta Juniors this
year, and we're looking forward to working with him and assisting
his development at Donington Park."
11 October 2022
