FRANCOIS LOTTERING
THE Namibia Motor Sport Federation was one of many international motor sport federations that benefited from the International Motorsport Federation (FIA) intervention to assist in developing local motorsport talent from an early age.
Though this initiative kicked off two years ago, nothing could be done due to the Covid-19 pandemic that literally forced all race cars to park in the pits.
Bradley Ferreira, one of the training officials, told Top Revs last weekend during a training session at the Tony Rust Race Track that this year they will start come hell or high water.
“We will kick off with the programme,” Ferreira said.
To ensure the right mix of aspirant racers came to the fore, the Namibia Motor Sport Federation (NMSF) advertised in the media, inviting youngsters between the ages of 10 and 18 – boys and girls – with an interest in motor sport.
The response was amazing, Ferreira said, however, due to limited space, they had to sift through the applications to ensure they can spend quality time with each candidate.
Most, if not all, big names in the motor sport industry all started with karting, Ferreira told this writer, hence starting at the grassroots level, and training them what this code is all about.
“We want to identify talent and develop that talent from the side of the NMSF, and with the help of the parents,” Ferreira reiterated the real purpose of this project.
But how can the parents assist, Top Revs wanted to know? It is their role to ensure the children eat healthy, stay fit and maintain discipline as motorsport needs fit, strong and disciplined racers due to the high strain on the body, and requires mental and physical fitness, Ferreira said.
The long-term goal, Ferreira said, is to see go-karting grow in Namibia.
“We want to develop future champions with this progamme,” Ferreira added.
Fifteen children were selected for the programme.
“We told them how to eat healthy, stay fit and the protocol of racing on and off the tracks since this is a dangerous sport,” Ferreira said.
Eleven-year-old Danyella Tjongarero, one of the trainees, told Top Revs that though she had done go karting before, this was on another level. She laughed from pure excitement to be part of the FIA-initiated training programme.
Her love for the sport started by watching her father on the race tracks and even sharing the same love for Formula 1 Grand Prix motorsport.
“It seems I will do a lot of racing in my life, I love racing and it looks like so much fun,” she told Top Revs.
Yohssef Hasan is following in his father’s footsteps, who is also a racer of note in Namibia.
“It is very nice taking part in this development progamme, as it broadens your opportunities with motorsport.” Hasan said.
Seeing his father racing on bikes and in cars was a big inspiration. “This is where I want to go,” Hasan told this reporter.
FIA provided two karts equipped with all the safety equipment required to ensure that no beginner gets hurt or injured during training.
“Here,” said Ferreira, “everything behind the steering wheel starts with safety.”
All children, despite that the cars do not reach high speeds, must wear safety helmets and adhere to the instructions of the officials on and off the race tracks.
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