“Coming with the seniors will be tougher, but I am prepared to fight.”
That’s how karter Zane Maloney summed up his preparation for the Italian challenges he will face this year.
At the end of a whistle-stop visit to Barbados, the 14-year-old driver told NATIONSPORT that it was going to be tough but he was ready to face the competition in Italy.
“It will begin with two weekends of practice at the Garda Circuit to be followed by another similar exercise at the Andria Circuit and the additional battle with the extremely cold weather currently existing in Europe,” he said.
Maloney added that both sessions were in preparation for a race meet at Adria Karting Raceway towards the end of the month and good results should give him the kind of preparation he needed to face the tougher competition from the senior ranks.
Attached to Ricky Flynn Motorsport, the young Barbadian defied the odds after finishing fifth in the world event in October by snatching the World Karting Association’s Manufacturer’s Cup at the Daytona International Speedway last month after taking pole positions in the pre-finals and finals.
“Racing in Europe is much harder than racing in the United States. That’s why practice is so important in the run-up to race meets and looking for a good result is foremost on my mind,” he added.
Pointing out that he liked the two tracks in Italy, having finished fourth and fifth in his first events last year, Maloney said he was focused on what he had to do and his mechanic gave him all the necessary coaching.
Sol Barbados, Rock Hard Cement and Bushy Park Barbados have all combined to make his efforts in Italy possible.
In the company of his mother Natalie, his daily routine is physical training and school work in order to maintain a balance in his preparation for the race meet next month in Italy. (TT)