A proud moment for young karting racer
The Walter Selvaggi Karting (WSK) series was started by an Italian businessman as a platform where young talent can demonstrate their driving skills with the hope of being discovered by racing scouts.
Fourteen-year-old Luviwe Sambudla raced in the WSK series and achieved a podium finish in the WSK Super Master Series. He is the 2021 South African Mini Rok national karting champion, and his international performance is remarkable.
Vic Maharaj, Motorsport South Africa (MSA) sporting services manager, says this is a significant achievement for the South African karting community. “Luviwe’s achievements in the WSK have been nothing short of remarkable. As one of the first South Africans to compete in this prestigious karting championship, he has not only paved the way for future generations of South African racers but has also made his country proud with his exceptional performances on the track,” he says.
Luviwe, who was born in the Eastern Cape town of Mthatha, is a highly talented young karter who has been competing in the MSA ROK Cup series in South Africa with his team, Squadra Corse, a South African outfit dedicated to training South African drivers for the world racing stage.
“The MSA Rok Series allowed Luviwe to sharpen his skills before making the move overseas,” says racing entrepreneur Mpho Gumbi, Luviwe’s manager from ICAN-Management. Gumbi explains that while Squadra Corse works locally to develop and nurture young talent, the jump to international karting is so significant that he started ICAN-Management as the big brother to these aspiring young drivers.
Luviwe moved to Portugal in 2022 to race in several of Europe’s premier karting championships, including the Champions of the Future, WSK, and FIA Karting series. He first raced in the OK Junior class, where he could develop and learn all these foreign tracks. Then, in 2023, he moved up to the OK class with Kart Republic.
The WSK series hosts championships in the 60 Mini, OKJ, OK, and KZ2 karting divisions and has previously attracted champions like Antonio Giovinazzi and Max Verstappen, two Formula One drivers who are notable champions of this series.
In the final in Cremona, Italy, of the WSK Super Series, Luviwe lined up with over 30 drivers in the OK class with Kart Republic. The final ended with Luviwe finishing an impressive second place and also achieving the fastest lap.
It is well known that many Formula One drivers leveraged their experience in the famously challenging and prestigious international karting championships to grow into their current status. This overseas training and racing experience plays a pivotal role in Luviwe’s skills development protocol.
Luviwe credits team manager Mpho and his father as the inspiration for his success in racing. His ultimate aspiration, however, is to perform at the level of other champions of colour, such as Lewis Hamilton.
Luviwe serves as an inspiration to many young South Africans who aspire to pursue a career in motorsport.
Source: Cathy Findley PR
