Zachary Persaud enjoys transition from Go-Karts to Vitz Cup

Guyanese motorsport has found a new star to watch as young driver Zachary Persaud showcased his prowess in the competitive Vitz Cup, delivering a stellar performance this past weekend that confirmed his transition from karting prodigy to circuit talent.

Persaud, whose family is synonymous with Caribbean motor racing success, blazed to two first-place finishes and a second-place podium in the Vitz Cup B class at the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) International race meet.

The performance serves as a powerful reminder of the potential Persaud first showcased back in 2019 when, at just 14, he clinched the Junior Karting Championship.

That victory earned him a MOTUL-sponsored package to compete in Florida, an opportunity that was heartbreakingly shelved in 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Six years on, Persaud has seamlessly leaped the high-octane world of karting—often dubbed the feeder series for professional motorsport—to closed-wheel racing.

“The go-karting was the first taste of racing for me, and what I learned then still applies now,” Persaud said, crediting the discipline for laying a “great foundation” that made the move to the Vitz Cup an “easy step up.”

Racing with the Top Power Racing team, Persaud’s success was built on calculated speed and strategic consistency.

“The goal going into any race weekend is the same as always: staying consistent and keeping a smooth and fast race pace,” he explained. “I knew going into the weekend I had the pace, so it was about maintaining that and following through with my practice.”

Persaud’s lineage suggests his success is anything but accidental. He is the latest member of a storied racing family, following in the tyre tracks of his grandfather, Jad Rahaman, his great-uncle, Ray Rahaman, and his uncle, Ryan Rahaman, all of whom have enjoyed great success across the Caribbean motorsport landscape.

Looking ahead, the young driver is keen to maintain his momentum but remains open to where the journey takes him next.

“If the opportunity arises, stepping up to a higher class would definitely be something I’d be interested in doing,” he noted.

“No definite plan yet, but we’ll see where the road takes me.”