Young Emirati Karting Star Continues his Defence as WSK Super Master Series title holder

Abu Dhabi – Lonato – 25^th February 2020: Young Emirati karting star Rashid Al Dhaheri continued a strong season with another podium finish, as he ascended the steps to be rewarded with second place in a tough competition at South Garda Karting. The race forms part of the WSK Super Master Series and part of Rashid’s defence of the world-class karting title he won last season.

There was record participation of 362 drivers representing 47 different countries all across the four categories at the South Garda racing weekend from 20th to 23rd February. Rashid raced in the Mini category flying Parolin colours, in the Qualifying heats Rashid finished fifth, then in the Eliminatory heats Rashid came in first place three times out of five. The young champion finished third in Prefinal A, following a close-run battle where he was in the lead for most of the race and just got pipped on the last lap.

The starting grid for the final placed Rashid on the third row, giving the youngster a significant task to overcome to make a mark. Once more, Rashid demonstrated his fighting spirit as he achieved a considerable feat. By the start of the first lap Rashid quickly made his move to third place and by the end of the first lap he had already advanced to first position. The youngster held firm ahead for the first four laps, then was overtaken on lap five. The battle was on.

Rashid was in hot pursuit throughout the race and kept the pack chasing behind him at bay. Considering the challenges in qualifiers and heats, Rashid had quite remarkably made the best of his starting position and was even challenging for first throughout the final. By the closing laps he was pushing hard and defended his second position well, all the while pushing the front.

Crossing the line in second, it was a job well done, as Rashid achieved a podium finish to keep himself in play for the defence of his WSK Super Master Series title.

Interviewed after the final, Rashid said: “To race out here on the South Garda track in a world-class competition is an excellent challenge to cope with and the tough race demonstrates the high-performance level of this championship. This second place keeps the team in contention for WSK Super Master series and provides a strong base to build up from. It’s all to play for as we reach the halfway mark in this championship and I will work hard to apply myself. I thank the Parolin team, my mechanic and my coach for their support in advancing our collective efforts.”

Rashid’s Italian coach, ex-Formula 2 Champion, Fausto Ippoliti said “Rashid had a challenging time in the heats and qualifiers for the South Garda racing weekend and it is testament to his hard working nature and to his skills that he turned around his earlier position to cross the line in second place. His whole approach during the final shows a positive winning attitude – this makes Rashid one of the key contenders for the WSK Super Master Series.”

The South Garda Karting track was built in 1988 and features a full-length of 1200 metres, a width of nine metres and grandstand capacity of 2000 people. The circuit is renowned as one of the most important International tracks, is CIK FIA approved and has been specifically designed to deliver an adrenaline-fuelled route.

Rashid’s new year continues in a winning spirit against strong global competition

Abu Dhabi – Lonato – 18^th February 2020: Young Emirati karting star Rashid Al Dhaheri achieved a convincing win at the 25^th Winter Cup at South Garda Karting in Lonato Italy, over the 14^th-16^th February. This achievement provides a continuation of a star-studded 2019 and adds to an exciting start of 2020, as Rashid adds another trophy to his cabinet.

The Winter Cup attracted more than 300 drivers from 47 countries in four categories. Rashid took part in the Mini ROK category and had a solid performance throughout the racing weekend, with qualifiers and heats seeing him reach the apex of pole position in his group. This saw Rashid well-placed in second row of the grid upon the final race start.

Straightaway in the first lap of the race, Rashid, flying Parolin colours with kart number 457, broke through from the second to the first row and surged ahead to the front, overtaking the competition and immediately taking the lead. With the standard of racers high, the competition was fierce throughout the race and the chasing karts made this a challenge.

With a stunning performance, the young talent held firm throughout the 12 laps and with a stellar performance dominated the race. The victory didn’t come easy however, as the second-place kart spent the whole race glued to Rashid’s rear bumper.

The final battle on the last lap saw high pressure for Rashid, however he held out with a brilliant performance. Pulling away from the chasing second and third karts, as the checkered flag waved, Rashid powered ahead over the finish line to achieve victory.

Shortly after receiving his trophy, Rashid said: “South Garda is a track I know well and to win here is always special, particularly on this occasion where it was a tough racing weekend. The competition was strong and it is a split second here and there on straits and corners that makes the difference. Therefore, I would like to thank my coach Fausto Ippoliti who teaches me how to maximise my edge and my mechanic that makes my kart run to its best.”

Team Principal Marco Parolin said: “This victory has provided Rashid with a superb start to 2020 and this Winter Cup at the South Garda track attracts some of the greatest global racers. It is a great privilege to work so closely with talent that is flourishing and my team is proud to be involved in Rashid’s development. We anticipate that on the strong platform from 2019’s many trophy wins, we can work with Rashid on refining his abilities to a higher level.”

The South Garda Karting track was built in 1988 and features a full-length of 1200 metres, a width of nine metres and grandstand capacity of 2000 people. The circuit is renowned as one of the most important International tracks, is CIK FIA approved and has been specifically designed to deliver an adrenaline-fuelled route.

The young Emirati racing driver won the race against local and international karting talent

Abu Dhabi – 20^th January 2020: Young Emirati karting star Rashid Al Dhaheri marked a UAE homecoming race by winning the Dubai O Plate – the United Arab Emirates’ annual major event for kart races held at the Dubai Kartdrome. Rashid has participated five times in this competition, and this is the fifth Dubai O Plate that Rashid has won, which makes him the contest’s most successful participant, marking a historical win for the youngster.

Rashid won the race following two days of action-packed kart racing, which pitted some of the best 32 drivers from the UAE and all around the world against each other, as they competed in three qualifying heats and two races, both pre-final and final.

On Friday, Rashid was the best performer from the three heats, where he started from pole each time, and his strong performances made it clear that he would be extremely competitive for the whole racing weekend. Rashid’s accomplishments throughout showed his attention to detail and his analytical approach shining through, as the strong mechanical set-up of his kart during the three qualifying sessions paid off.

On Saturday morning, Rashid went on to win the pre-final, which allowed him to start the final from pole position. On the last lap of the pre-final, Rashid was far and away 4.765 seconds quicker than his nearest competitor in second-place and 9.402 seconds quicker than the kart in third place.

As the final got underway, a great start put Rashid in the lead right away for the first curve, where he held strong for the first 12 laps of the 16-lap race. On lap 12, his closest rival for the weekend took the lead for two laps as the race drew to a conclusion. Rashid managed to overcome this challenge very quickly as he passed his competitor, finishing the race ahead of his competitor by 0.248 of a second. These quick reactions resulted from capitalising on skills in the heat of the moment, with no time to second-guess manoeuvres or decisions Rashid has demonstrated – once again – his mental alertness, quick reflexes and desire to remain the best of its league (X30 Cadet). 

From the top of the podium, Rashid said: “To win at home is always something special. The battle was very concentrated right from the first lap all the way through, and I really enjoyed racing with such intensity. Above all and from the depth of my heart, I would like to thank my team who always give me the best racing kart and equipment, which helps provide the edge over the competition. I know that without the full commitment and support of the team I could not perform to such a high level – this win is also their victory.”  

The 11-year-old Emirati secured a new win of prime importance that placed him at the top of his game, having succeeded in establishing himself as the benchmark of the Cadet category ready to move soon to the Junior category. Racing is a true making of physical and mental capabilities and Rashid uses both of these dominant traits to maximize his performance. 

Rashid will now move on to kick off the new racing season in Italy, starting this coming weekend with the WSK Champions Cup in Adria. This will be followed in February with Round 1 of 4 of the WSK Super Master Series.

Social media platform positions the young Emirati on top of the international karting racing scene within his category

Abu Dhabi, 24 December 2019: Karting fans from all around the world recently elected young Emirati karting star Rashid Al Dhaheri as the best Mini driver of the 2019 season. The result took into consideration two distinctive parameters: first, the ranking points based on the results obtained during the season and second, the vote of fans. This was a robust way for the fans to determine the one driver who stood out above the rest of the tough competition over the course of the season.

The close of this season has seen the motorsport community showed more and more interest in Rashid’s achievements. Be it a page that is created solely for him, or a page created to archive his race results, his name does not go unnoticed. The recognition from the community of karting fans highlights Rashid’s outstanding performances.

Such polls are echoing at the upper level of the sport as demonstrated by Mohamed Ben Sulayem – FIA Vice President who tweeted: “Well done Rashid, you are the best Mini driver of 2019. Congratulations, I admire young talents and I encourage you to keep performing”.

Through such valuable visibility, the result of the poll gives even more credit to Rashid’s performances and provides the public with the opportunity to get to know who he is and what he has accomplished. This result also reflects Rashid’s complete dedication to his sport and the huge amount of drive and determination that leads him to constantly refine and improve his driving skills. Maintaining a high-performance level and striving for improvement is key to Rashid’s career development and to the Parolin Racing Team. Race results and public recognition show that hard work is paying off.

Rashid said: “I am honoured to be recognized by many motorsport fans as the best driver in my category and I would like to thank all of the fans who voted for me. This shows that my performances are catching attention and public support provides an added motivation that pushes me to always enhance my abilities and remain among the top drivers. My gratitude towards all of those who believe in me is immeasurable and I will continue to thank them by winning more titles with my team, Parolin Racing Kart.”

The 2019 season marks a significant step forward in Rashid’s tempo. Over the last months, the young driver ramped up his performance exploiting the full potential of his Parolin Kart. After its recent WSK Super Master Series successes, for which Rashid contributed by winning the WSK Super Master Championship, the WSK Euro Series Championship and the Rok Cup Italia, Parolin Racing Kart has confirmed his place among the top international karting teams. Behind the wheels of his kart, Rashid has demonstrated great competitiveness over the course of the season and took a decisive lead over his opponents. The young racing driver has advanced strongly throughout the 2019 season with top performances winning several races and culminating with the race and championship’s win at the world’s greatest karting race in Macao at the beginning of the month. This is the first time that a young driver from the Middle East reaches that level of competitiveness in the early stages of the motorsport scene.

The young Emirati racing driver took the lead from the start and remained in front every single lap for a resounding victory

Macao – 10th December 2019: The world-class karting circuit in Macao was the theatre for the last major race meeting of the season – the track bears a striking resemblance to another famous street circuit, Monaco. This is widely-regarded as a must-win event for the best up-and-coming talent and the route to single seater racing cars, Macao has rapidly become the most prestigious race track of all.

The win capped off a successful year as a superb final race was a fitting end to a season where the young Emirati achieved four international Championships and multiple podiums. The course of this year makes Rashid the most successful Mini driver on the podium for the year 2019.

As has been the trend for much of the racing season, Rashid exceeded expectations in Macau to achieve an outstanding performance throughout qualifying to place him on the first row and ultimately win this prestigious last race. Since qualifying on pole position on Friday, it was clear that Rashid will be very competitive over the weekend. On Saturday, he was the author of a great round of heats allowing him to start the final from the front row. In the final on Sunday, a great start from the young Emirati put him in the lead from the first curve and he never looked back while achieving the best lap during the race in 00”55”37. The 11-year-old Emirati secured himself the first place making him an unrivalled champion as this conclusive win allowed him to increase his lead at the Macau International Kart Grand Prix Championship in the x30 cadet category and secure the 2019 title. This makes it two in two with Rashid also gaining a first-place finish at Macau in the previous 2018 season.

The feat of making an impressive new pole position on such a demanding track was such an outstanding result Rashid pinned this victory as much on his team as he did on himself saying: “I have no words to describe how I feel today. To start the last race of the season off on the front row and to win in Macao is a fantastic feeling. I am happy and proud to fly the UAE flag in Macao that is one of the world’s most prestigious racing tracks. I want to thank the team for their full commitment and support this season, the title is a collective victory. We all should be proud of what we achieved today together. Next year, we will continue to work hard together and keep up the momentum”.

Reaching the end of his first season with the Parolin Team, Rashid has shown why he is special according to Fausti Ippoliti, team principal and ex-Formula 3000 champion, who said: “Rashid is stepping up his performances since he joined the team. Macao’s intense weekend reflected the whole championship season during which Rashid demonstrated a broad scope of his considerable potential and showed his great tenacity. In motorsport and more especially in karting, performance is all about adaptability to changing racing conditions and as shown this season Rashid has carried this out so well. If Rashid continues to perform that way, and I am convinced he will, then he is set to have a glorious motorsport career ahead of him”.

Now Rashid and his team are looking forward for the next year’s new season to win new titles that will open him the doors of the single-seater racing cars’ categories.

Marco Parolin, Parolin Racing Kart Team Principle said: “We are extremely pleased to conclude our racing season with a victory in Macau. This win was the cherry on top of Rashid’s sensational season. He has proven to be competitive in different conditions this year, showing a great ability to adapt to any circumstance. We will soon start to work in order to prepare another successful season in 2020.” 2019 has been a stellar season for Rashid, which has seen him achieve a great deal including 2019 World Series Karting Super Master Champion and World Series Karting Euro Series Champion, both in the Mini Series category, in a season where he also won the ROK Cup Italia and countless other victories. This all in his first season with Parolin Racing Kart.