Local kart racer Rudi Schüssler has done his country and himself proud in Spain.
The Grade 9 Hoërskool Randburg learner recently won the junior class of the first Tillotson T4 Championship and was chosen to represent South Africa in the Tillotson World Series in Spain.
Rudi finished 17th overall and the other South Africans also fared very well.
At one stage, SA was in the running to take the Nation’s Cup but a lot of things went wrong and many racing incidents happened.
“We learnt a lot and will be 1000% prepared next year,” his mother Grethe Doubell-Schüssler said.
“There were 12 SA drivers, four mechanics, two coaches and about 13 parents that went on the trip. The SA team drove very well, the competition was tough but they did the country proud.”
The team had to raise funds for the trip as the government did not sponsor them.
“My big dream is to race in F1 someday. I work hard to try to work myself up through the ranks of racing to achieve this,” 15-year-old Rudi said.
“It is a very competitive sport with many competitors wanting to race at that level, this is of course a challenge. Also living in South Africa and trying to break through is quite tough as there is currently no F1 race in South Africa. We are hoping that Kyalami will return to the calendar.”
Rudi sometimes finds it difficult to practise in Benoni during the week as he still has school and his mother works a full-time job.
“I also race online in iRacing and Assetto Corsa Competizione and I regularly do quite well in those sim races.”
Since starting kart racing last year, Rudi has faced many challenges with his kart, though most are being sorted out.
“On a more personal note, by far the biggest challenge so far this year was losing my father in May to cancer after a short battle. I had a big race a few days after he passed and I dedicated that race to him. I hope that I am making him proud.”
To find out about Rudi’s career and ways to sponsor him, contact Grethe at gretheschussler@gmail.com
“If you are interested in sponsoring me, it would be very welcome as motorsport is extremely expensive to get into, and even more expensive to stay in. Some people joke that you need to be a millionaire to enter motorsport.”
Branding options are available on his suit, kart and helmet.
