Muizzuddin aims to win Italian CSAI Championship

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s teenage karting sensation Muizzuddin Musyaffa Abdul Gafar will be revving it up in the second half of his 2014 season in Italy.

The 12-year-old enjoyed a remarkable outing in the first half of the season, emerging as the overall champion for the first time in the prestigious WSK Champions Cup in February.

The Cheras-born Muizzuddin, competing in the 60 Mini class for Italian-based Gamoto Racing Team, also finished second overall in the WSK Super Master Series.

He is now aiming to win the Italian CSAI Championship.

Doing well in the Italian Championship has always been his priority since moving to Sicily with his mother to develop his motor-racing career three years ago.

The five-leg championship is considered the equivalent of the junior world karting series with the participation of many top karters. The first leg is at the La Conca track in Muro Leccese, Lecce, from May 23-25.

Muizzuddin will be competing in a category that allows karters up to 13 years old to race but it’s not something new to him.

Muizzuddin, who celebrated his 12th birthday on Feb 23 this year, has always been competing with karters older than him and physically bigger than him since making his full season debut in 2012.

He broke his right leg in a racing incident that year, forcing him into a long lay-off and he could only finish 13th overall with 39 points.

Last season, he gave a good account of himself. He was placed sixth overall with 117 points.

“The Italian Championship is definitely the big one for me. I am ready for the challenge and I aim to do well this year,” he said.

Muizzuddin is now back home in Malaysia for a break, but it’s not all rest for him.

“I have to work out at the gym to stay fit and work on my stamina. It’s very tough competing in Italy,” said Muizzuddin, who will return to Italy next week.

“Apart from the Italian Championship, there is also the WSK Final Cup later this year. I hope to excel in it as well and make Malaysia and my parents proud. I sincerely want to thank them for their untiring support and sacrifices which made it possible for me to race in Italy,” said Muizzuddin.

“I am a lot stronger now compared to my early days in Italy. I eat a lot of pastas and I have strong muscles as well. My results so far have been good, thanks to the team. I want to go all out to make a mark in the 60 Mini class before moving to the KFJ category next year, which will be even more interesting and challenging.”