Karting
Debutants Ride High At Red Bull Kart Fight’s Latest Edition
All roads led to Lahore as the Red Bull Kart Fight qualifiers blew the competition away to make headway with the finals at the 2F2F racing circuit, giving us Talha Bin Azhar as the national champion.
As the Red Bull Kart Fight makes an awaited comeback to Pakistan with its third edition, professional and aspiring racers from across the country rushed to hit the karting tracks for a taste of victory.
One such professional drifter was Talha Bin Azhar – the youngest in Pakistan – who just debuted kart fight with this event and won it like a pro.
Saad Lari - Red Bull Kart Fight 2021
© Zain Jafar
The third edition witnessed more than 1000 dragsters roaring on the tracks with over 700 at the Karachi qualifiers alone. Hundreds of participants competed to give us the gifted few from Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad.
More than 1000 kart fighters participated in 2021
© Zain Jafar
The top three racers from each city assembled at the finals in Lahore, where the rubber met the road on the 2F2F Karting Circuit.
Winners of Red Bull Kart Fight 2021
© Zain Jafar
From the Islamabad qualifiers, we have Yastoor Mirza and Shayan Aman as winners. From Karachi, Shamiq Saeed, Haris Qayam and Saad Lari made to the finals, while Talha Bin Azhar, Rai Ibtisam Ahmed and Hamdan Kaiser stood victorious from Lahore.
Karachi finalists - Red Bull Kart Fight 2021
© Zain Jafar
The crowd cheered to the moments of pure adrenaline rush as Azhar and Shayan Aman chased each other to give us a close-run show. In the ten-lap contest, we saw both racers use their attacking and defending skills to romp ahead.
Talha stole the show with a splendid victory, leaving the runner-ups Aman and Saad Lari Karachi behind.
Talha and Shayan chased each other to give audience a close-run show
© Zain Jafar
It was a maiden race for Talha at Red Bull Kart Fight, and despite being a professional drifter, Talha had to spend several hours practicing to know the ropes.
“Ever since I decided to participate, there was only one thing in my mind. I wanted to take one step at a time. I began practicing before the event to know the track and the kart.”
Finalists from each city ready to compete for the final race
© Zain Jafar
Talha knew that he needed to be good at it, so he participant in a local karting event a month before the event. This strategy helped him identify his weak points, which he drastically improved to make a stronger comeback for the main event.
“I knew I would win when I signed up for this, but I still took it one step at a time. When we reached the track, I thought I’ve come so far and I’ll win it. I knew what was coming and I was ready for it, and that’s what took me to the finals.’
Parkour performance at the national finals
© Zain Jafar
Talha commended Shayan for giving him a tough time on the track as the ten-lap race witnessed several overtakes by the runner-up. Talha’s strategy to keep Shayan at bay was as simple yet effective as it can get: keeping the danger six feet apart and deceiving the racing line like a pro.
Islamabad Finalists - Red Bull Kart Fight 2021
© Zain Jafar
“Whenever he got closer, I deceived the racing line. As he overtook me in the corners, I slowed down to focus on where I wanted to reach. It took me one lap to gain the lead again.”
Shayan – jumping to the second position from the third place in the last edition – found the competition to be fiercer than ever before.
Shayan Aman
© Zain Jafar
After racing a lot more racers than the last year’s kart fight, Shayan rates the final battle as the best one of his life.
Mural at 2F2F Karting Club, Lahore by Neil Uchong
© Arfa Usman
“Talha was excellent. I tried my level best to keep up and cross him, but he gave me a tough competition on the track. He had an edge over me when it comes to defence, and he won the race.”
Saad Lari – who debuted with Red Bull Kart Fight in Karachi – followed the first runner-up just seconds away after knocking out the stiff competition from the city.
Saad Lari
© Zain Jafar
“I started third and thought I would catch him, but my first two laps were not good enough. I was 2 seconds behind. I almost caught them in the last lap. I think if there were two or three more laps, I would have finished better.”
All three winners believed that the Red Bull Kart Fight had developed a unique flair in the racing community for the motorsport.
Neil Uchong at 2F2F Karting Club - Lahore
© Arfa Usman
Talha noted the international calibre of the tournament’s organization and the thrilling level of competition.
Shayan shared his thoughts on the massive increase in the number of racers, which he remarks as a positive sign for Pakistani motorsport community.
Saad Lari applauded the competition for bringing a true sportsman spirit in the community along with the racing skills that follow. He added that watching all the racers encourage each other off the track is a feast for the eyes, and it shows that the motorsport scene in Pakistan has a bright future.
Reviving the passion
