Georgetown GP launched with strong focus on youth development

By Avenash Ramzan

With a strong focus on the development of the next generation of motor-racers, GT Motorsports on Tuesday afternoon launched the inaugural Georgetown Grand Prix, set for Friday evening at the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) headquarters, Albert Street and Thomas Lands.

The brainchild of GT Motorsports, Vishok Persaud, along with GMR&SC President Rameez Mohamed and representatives of the various corporate partners engaged the media in highlighting what fans can expect when action steams off at 18:00h.

Persaud, in giving an overview of the activity, pointed to the deliberate attempt to identify, expose and develop a young cadre of drivers through age group racing, which is expected to be the highlight of the night’s programme.

“The Georgetown Grand Prix is going to be Friday, and it’s going to be the first significant karting event that we would have had in a long time. There is a lot of promise because this afternoon I’m going to introduce you to the highlight of the event, and for the first time it’s actually not going to be the older, more seasoned racers, but kids that are ages six to 15, who are more than likely to dominate the event,” Persaud explained.

Through the recently unveiled GT Motorsports refurbished track at GMR&SC, there has been a resurgence in go-kart racing, with dozens of boys and girls using the opportunity to get involved into the sport.

Friday’s event will provide the perfect platform for them to test their competitive juices in a controlled environment. A total of 15 races are billed for the night, with groups based on age and engine size.

“There will be 60cc karts ages 6-10, 125cc Junior ages 10-15, 125cc Senior 15 years and older, and we’re going to have the Super Karts or the Shifters that we call them, that’s going to be called the Pro Cup or the Open Cup. There is also going to be a four-stroke race, powered by Honda, and it’s a Class that’s going to be a lot of fun,” Persaud pinpointed.

In the senior races, the likes of two-time Caribbean Group Four champion Kristian Jeffrey, the phenomenal Mark Vieira, Guyana and Caribbean Superbike champion Matthew Vieira, Group Two driver Stephon Jeffrey, and the Trinidad and Tobago father and daughter combination of Ravi Singh and Bridget Singh are among the top names.

Former Caribbean Superbike champion Stephen Vieira will make his debut in go-karts, powering a Sun Burst Juices branded kart.

Newly elected President Rameez Mohamed said the GMR&SC fully endorses the Georgetown Grand Prix, and by extension the activities being staged under the purview of GT Motorsports.

“I think that the GT Motorsports facility is the perfect nurturing ground for upcoming racers and it also serves as a means of practice for current racers. The GMR&SC, which is currently an active FIA member, gives us the authority to issue FIA certified licences to all racers. Also being the sanctioning body for motor-racing in Guyana, we will be providing trained FIA Marshalls and our full safety team at every event hosted by GT Motorsports,” Mohamed told the gathering.

Group Four driver Kevin Jeffrey praised the move by Persaud to invest in such magnitude in the sport, noting that motor-racing can only benefit from such investment.

“I think we should all thank Vishok Persaud for having the vision and the guts to invest in a facility like this. I envy these youngsters for what they have here- in our days we never had anything close to this, and the talent I’m already seeing from you guys…I want you to enjoy the journey, enjoy the racing,” Jeffrey intimated.

Ansa McAl’s Stag Beer representative Colin Stuart, Monster Energy Drink Brand Manager Justin Stoby and Rudy Jairam of Continental Group of Companies and Sun Burst Juices also shared the head table at the launch, and they all expressed their respective companies’ delight to partner with GT Motorsports.

Friday’s event, which is free to the public, is also being sponsored by Ray’s Motor Spares, Secure Innovations and Concepts, E-Networks, Superbet, Ocean Spray Hotel, B.M Soat, Prem’s Electrical Store and Honda Powersports.