The third round of the Saudi "Aiyami" Karting Championship has concluded after intense competitions among some of the brightest rising talents in motorsport at "The Track" in Jeddah. The round saw fierce competition for top spots in both the Senior and Junior categories. This series is organized by "The Track" in Jeddah, under the supervision of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation.
In the Junior category, a fierce three-way battle emerged among drivers Abdullah Kamel, Omar Sandi, and Jad Loulis. Abdullah took the lead, crossing the finish line first and recording his first victory in the championship, followed closely by Jad, just a tenth of a second behind, and Omar finished third by a narrow margin.
The competition in the Senior category was equally thrilling. One of the highlights was Abdullah Al-Khraji's exit from the race due to an accident on the third lap that took him off the track. This was followed by an even more exciting moment as driver Reem Abboud won the race, marking her first victory in the championship. Drivers Abdulaziz Al-Tayar and Abdullah Abbasi completed the podium in second and third places, respectively.
It is worth noting that this race holds great significance for these rising drivers, as the winner will qualify to participate in the "Aiyami International Finals" for karting and gain the opportunity to drive a Formula 4 car in collaboration with the "Meritos Grand Prix" team, providing a unique experience for the winner to gain more experience and interact with drivers from different countries around the world, all gathered in one place, as well as enjoying the thrill of driving a single-seater car.
The series aims to guide drivers passionate about motorsports in their first steps towards professionalism. In this regard, Hamza Dherani shares his expertise in motorsports in general and karting and single-seater racing in particular with the participants. He is a champion of karting in Jordan and has participated in international single-seater races, as well as coaching several Arab drivers. After the round, Hamza stated, “We observe significant and rapid development in the levels of the participating drivers across different categories. There is no doubt that we have promising talents in Saudi Arabia who have the potential to become champions in several categories of motorsports. Karting is the foundation from which stars emerge, and I have truly enjoyed this foundational stage. We now have 40 drivers on the track, and we hope to see them all on the starting grid in global championships.”
Mr. Abdul Jalil Khalid Batarji, the executive director of "The Track," the largest karting circuit in Jeddah, expressed pride in what the track has provided in terms of challenges and excitement as well as a space for talent discovery and refinement. He said, “We established the track to provide a launch platform for young men and women to enter the world of motorsport, and our championships enable winners to participate in the world championship, which will elevate the level of the drivers. We aim to see a world karting champion from Saudi Arabia.”
Furthermore, there is one round remaining to conclude the 2023 season of the Saudi "Aiyami" racing series.
