BAHRAIN-BASED karting racer Lewis Smith is in high spirits after maintaining his strong standing in the 2022/2023 Bahrain Rotax MAX Challenge (BRMC) and as he gears up to compete with Team Bahrain in the third MENA Nations Cup in Oman.
The 17-year-old Briton, sponsored by VermineX, impressed last weekend in the BRMC at Bahrain International Karting Circuit in Sakhir.
Lewis first posted a Pre-Final victory and then took the runner-up spot in the Final of the Senior MAX class in the second round. Then, in round three, Lewis took second place in the Pre-Final before an incident late in the Final forced him to miss out on a podium.
Lewis was able to hold on to second position with 69 points, just five behind the leader and with five rounds still to go.
“I had a good weekend but was quite unlucky towards the end of the Final in the third round,” recalled the young Briton.
“On the very last lap, there was an incident in front of me and I was hit from behind, which pushed me into the accident. My steering column was broken and it’s a wonder I was able to drive my kart back into the pits.
“After an investigation, it was determined to be a racing incident and I was in last place on the final classification. Fortunately, I had done enough over the weekend to maintain my place in the championship, which is a positive looking at the bigger picture.
“There’s still a long way to go in the season and I will continue to work hard and prepare for the next rounds.”
Before then, Lewis has brought his talents to Muscat Speedway as part of Team Bahrain in the MENA Nations Cup.
This year’s meeting marks its third edition with the racers from more than 20 nations from the Middle East and North Africa.
Lewis is racing in the Senior MAX class of the event’s MENA Rotax MAX Challenge. Following practices held on Wednesday and yesterday, the field will be competing in qualifying heats today and then the Finals tomorrow.
“I’m very much excited about competing in the MENA Nations Cup and getting to fly the flag of Bahrain high in a multi-nation event,” said Lewis.
“It’s always a wonderful challenge to race against top competitors from other countries and a valuable learning experience that I will take with me in my development as a racing driver.
“I hope to perform well and represent my family and friends, my sponsor VermineX, and the Bahrain motorsport community to the best of my abilities.”
Lewis is looking for support from companies for sponsorship opportunities. Those interested in backing him can contact his father Tony on +973-32200420.
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