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Tuesday May 12, 2009

Young Bryan leaves ’em trailing in Tokyo

PETALING JAYA: While 16-year-old Jazeman Jaafar earned a career-first podium finish in the Formula BMW Europe, another Malaysian teenager Bryan Mehta was also on a roll in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Bryan stunned the crowd in his debut outing in the All-Japan Kart Championships by winning Race 2 at the Haruna Kart Circuit in Tokyo yesterday.

The 15-year-old Kuala Lumpur-born Bryan of the Birel Pacific Motorsports team crossed the finish line of the 25-lap final race four seconds ahead of Japanese Kohei Suto and five seconds in front of third-placed Reo Takahashi.

Bryan finished fourth in the heat and made the most of the second row start in the final to become the first Malaysian to win a race in the prestigious series.

In the season-opener at the Twin Ring Motegi on Saturday, Bryan made a quick impression by claiming a second place finish behind Suto.

“It was definitely an unexpected result but I am really happy and pleased with it.

“I also want to thank the team who worked tirelessly to ensure I had the perfect machine throughout the weekend,” said Bryan, who is the only Malaysian taking part in the series.

Bryan, who is Malaysia’s reigning champion in the Yamaha SL Cup Junior category, is honing his karting skills in Japan this year.

Trained by A1 Team Malaysia driver Aaron Lim, Bryan is among the promising young crop of karters to look out for in the near future.

Bryan was the best-placed Asian when he finished seventh in the CIK-FIA Karting Asia-Pacific in Macau in December last year.

His next event is the CIK-FIA Asia Pacific Championship in Suzuka in two weeks’ time and his tutor Aaron said it will be another big learning curve for him.

“That will be another big test because a lot of the top European drivers will be on the grid. It is also a good way for him to gauge himself after this win.”

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