Ginetta Junior ace Aqil Alibhai will make his single-seater debut in the GB4 Championship season finale at Donington Park this weekend (15-16 October). The just-turned 16-year-old joins Leicestershire-based race team Scorpio Motorsport for the three-race event as he prepares for the next phase in his junior career.
Prior to the step up to open-wheel car racing, Aqil completed a strong 2022 season in the Ginetta Junior Championship with Elite Motorsport, where he achieved five podiums, a pole position and a fastest lap. Additional career highlights include a Ginetta Junior Winter Series race win and being crowned the 2019 Rotax African Open Champion in karting.
Ahead of his debut, the South African racer has been working hard with his coaches at Kokoro Performance to prepare for the event, including thorough simulator and fitness training.
Aqil Alibhai said: “It’s a dream come true to have the opportunity to race a single-seater car for the first time. I have completed an intense training programme these past few weeks with my driver coaches, and my continued focus is on understanding the car and feeling its limits. I know I’m in good hands with Kokoro Performance and the Scorpio Motorsport team and hope I can make a success of this weekend.”
Kieren Clark, founder of Kokoro Performance, added: “This is a really exciting opportunity for Aqil to gain invaluable experience of single-seater racing. We have seen so much growth in him as a driver this season and I look forward to seeing how he tackles this challenge.”
Scorpio Motorsport are former championship winners in Formula Renault with Alibhai’s manager Clark, and returned to single-seater racing this season, supporting Christian Lester’s Rossoverde Racing entry. The squad, headed by Jon Pettit, now enters the series under its own name for the first time, with hopes to expand its GB4 programme for 2023, after a successful few seasons in sports cars.
Scorpio Team Principal Jon Pettit said: “We’ve been working very hard behind the scenes to return the team to single-seater racing and we’ve dipped our toes into GB4 this year to get a feel for the cars and the championship. We’ve run a number of initiatives behind the scenes to drum up some driver interest and are delighted to have secured a deal with Aqil and his management team, who of course we know very well from our Formula Renault days! Aqil has done a great job in Ginetta Juniors this year, and we’re looking forward to working with him and assisting his development at Donington Park.”
For more championship information, visit www.gb-4.net