C’bean Junior Karting series returns at Bushy Park

Rising young stars from across the region will enjoy a chance to shine when the second Caribbean Junior Karting Academy Trophy (CJKAT) is staged later this year (November 4-6). Administered by the Barbados Motoring Federation (BMF) in association with Bushy Park Circuit Inc (BPCI), it follows the successful running of the inaugural event in 2019 after which subsequent editions were affected by the pandemic.

Funded by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile’s (FIA) Sport Grant Programme, the event is open to kart racers aged between 11 and 17 years, with invitations being sent by the BMF to the Barbados Karting Association (BKA), along with karters from Antigua, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago. CJKAT is modelled on the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy, which has been the first rung on the ladder of the FIA’s single-seater path to F1 since 2010, previous winners including current Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who won in 2011 at age 12. To allow more opportunities for Caribbean hopefuls to race, the regional series caters for a wider age range than in Europe, where the limits are 12 to 14 years old.

In 2019, Adam Mallalieu beat fellow Barbadian Calem Maloney to the title, winning 19 of the 24 races between them, with Jamaicans Ryan Chisholm and Tommi Gore separated by just six points for third place, Gore losing out despite four race wins. Barbadian Kayleigh Catwell became the fourth race-winner with a heat victory in the final round.

The CJKAT rules place the emphasis on driver talent, creating a level playing field for young hopefuls from across the region, who will race identical Vortex-engined Exprit OK-Junior karts, running on control fuel and mandated allocations of tyres. The karts will be refurbished and tested by UK-based kart specialist Paul Carr Racing who, along with the Bushy Park technical team, will be responsible for maintaining them and ensuring that they are all equal. Details of the format for the race weekend are still a work in progress, but it will include a day of training for officials and competitors led by a team of FIA-accredited Regional Training Providers (RTP).

BMF President Andrew Mallalieu said: “I am delighted that we are able to continue this programme, which produced some exciting racing last time round. Following on from the record-breaking numbers who participated in our FIA funded training sessions at Bushy Park last month, it is another excellent chance to consolidate the growing unity between the ASNs in the region as we work towards greater co-operation.” (RB)