PETALING JAYA: Zarief Rayqal Fahruddin (pic), who won the overall champion for the junior category in Asia’s leading international karting series recently (IAME Series Asia), is setting his sights for the bigger prize at the IAME World Warrior Finals 2024 (IWF24) to be held in Valencia, Spain, in November.
Spurred by a mission to make a mark at the World Finals and fired by an ambition to be a Formula One driver, the 14-year-old is putting in extra efforts in training that had been laid down by his coach and trainer Rohairijaz Mohd Ropin.
“I aim to do my parents and Malaysia proud. I will try my very best,” said the Cempaka International School student, who supports the Petronas Mercedes F1 team.
But he is ready for the challenge.
“My parents have been my biggest supporter. They have been supporting me since the day I fell in love with karting in 2019. When I was small, I had lots of toy cars and I just love racing. Then, one day my dad took me to the track – from there I fell in love with the sport,” said Zarief, who sealed the Asian junior title at LYL International Karting Circuit in Cheras last month.
Racing for Malaysia’s top karting outfit DRM Racing Team, Zarief won the final race and collected a total 152 points to beat his Thailand teammate Krittach Jirayupa to retain the overall title for Malaysia after it was won by Katrina Ee last year.
Third overall this year was won by Singapore’s Conrad Garrow of Fireball Motorsports.
Competing against a field of more than 30 drivers around tracks in South-East Asia, Zarief won three of the six rounds; coming in second in Round 4 at Sepang International Karting Circuit to finish at the top of the championship, which is decided based on five best results.
Last season, Zarief finished third overall in the IAME Series Asia 2023 behind Katrina and another Malaysian driver Hendra Ade Putra, who won first and second respectively.
Like most Malaysian karters, Zarief also competed in the Rotax Max Challenge this season. However, results competing on the Rotax 125 Junior Max Evo engines have not been encouraging this season; unlike his performance on the X30 IAME machines.
To be held at the International Kartodromo Lucas Guerrero in Valencia, the IWF24 will feature four race categories with each representing the pinnacle of karting competitions in their respective age groups – the X30 MINI for young karting talents; X30 Junior for young aspiring drivers; the X30 Senior for the experienced drivers and the X30 Master, which is reserved for more mature and experienced drivers.
