Abu Dhabi: Emirati karting star Rashid Al Dhaheri has received a major boost ahead of the 2018 racing season as he will be the part of the iconic ‘Tony Kart Racing Team’.
The nine-year-old Emirati schoolboy completed an impressive 2017 season on the international stage, particularly in Italy, where he won numerous races and ranked consistently at the front of the field against older and more experienced drivers.
Rashid will be joining the Tony Kart Racing Team, Tony Kart’s official factory racing team, which is one of the top racing development teams in international karting. Being selected to race for the factory team at such a young age highlights the impact Al Dhaheri has made during his Italian campaigns and establishes him as a young driver to watch in the future.
During 2018, Al Dhaheri will compete in the Mini category in Europe in the green and white of Tony Kart and will begin testing with the team ahead of the forthcoming season under the expert tuition of Tony Kart drivers and staff, including the likes of multiple karting world champion Marco Ardigò.
Tony Kart represents a significant step forward for Rashid who will join world famous drivers who have raced Tony Karts including Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Jarno Trulli, Scott Speed, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Danica Patrick.
Tony Kart Racing Team is also closely associated with the Ferrari F1 team through their partnership with the Ferrari Drivers Academy (FDA) development programme which prepares young drivers for the Scuderia.
“This is a fantastic development for Rashid and shows that dedication and hard work is paying off. Tony Kart is one of the biggest names in karting with great infrastructure and a track record of producing great drivers. It is a step up for our boy and it will be an honour for Rashid to race in their colours and representing the UAE on the international karting scene at the highest levels,” said Rashid’s father Ali Al Dhaheri.
Head of the FDA, Massimo Rivola speaking about Tony Kart said: “The Ferrari Driver Academy has the clear aim of training drivers for the very highest level of motorsport. Being able to work with very young talented drivers is definitely the right way to go about this.”
