South African karter set to compete in British Ginetta Junior series
"We are confident that the talent he showed at the Scholarship event".
At the age of 16, South African Aqil Alibhai has spent much of his life behind the wheels of racing machinery.
Young South African race driver Aqil Alibhai will graduate from karts into an international car racing category this year, when the 16-year old tackles the 2021 British Ginetta Junior Championship.
Alibhai, who starred in the Ginetta Junior Scholarship Academy in December, was snapped up to drive one of the Breakell equipe’s new Ginettas in the same series that propelled McLaren star Lando Norris to his Formula 1 career.
The Ginetta Junior Championship is the UK’s longest running and most prestigious Junior series, offering the first step on the circuit racing ladder for 14-17 year old racing drivers.
“We took note of Aqil’s progress during the Ginetta Academy shootout in December,” team boss James Breakell said. “We are confident that the talent he showed at the Scholarship event will shine through in the championship.”
The Ginetta Junior Championship is the UK’s longest running and most prestigious Junior series, offering the first step on the circuit racing ladder for 14-17 year old racing drivers. The Juniors race on the support bill for the British Touring Car Championship, with the first races at Thruxton on 8 and 9 May before taking in all the great British circuits through to October’s Brands Hatch finale.
The Rotax Junior Max African Open Champion in 2018 and 2019, Aqil twice represented South Africa in the Rotax Max World Finals.
Lancashire based Breakell Racing has enjoyed success in a broad variety of circuit racing formulae in the UK and Europe over the past 18 years. The team races in the Nürburgring VLN endurance series, the Radical Challenge, Bikesports, Ginetta GT5 and now also the Ginetta Junior championships. Aqil will drive alongside young Scot Fergus Chalmers in Breakell’s new Junior campaign and is no stranger to the UK after spending 2015 there racing karts before making his mark on the South African scene.
The Rotax Junior Max African Open Champion in 2018 and 2019, Aqil twice represented South Africa in the Rotax Max World Finals, as well as the 2020 Rok Cup Superfinal, where he impressed on each occasion.
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