Go-kart sensation, Muizzuddin aims to bring more glory this season

Malaysia's go-kart sensation Muizzuddin Musyaffa Abdul Gafar of Gamoto Racing Team, aims to build on his success in 2014 and bring more glory for the country this season.

The 12-year-old driver who became the first Malaysian and Asian to be honoured at the prestigious World Karting Series (WSK) Grand Gala in Adria near Venice, Italy last night, said the award has given him a huge dose of confidence as he prepared for the new coming season.

"I feel very happy and so inspired. I aim to win more and make my family and Malaysia proud," he said in a statement issued by Muizz Racing Team, Sunday.

Muizzudin, who was accompanied by his mother at the ceremony, took the champion's trophy WSK Series and the vice-champion trophy in the 60 Mini class for karters below 13 years old.

In his first year in Italy, Muizzuddin was named as Rookie of the Year of the ROK Cup Italy in 2012 when he was 10 years old. Apart from scoring podium wins in various competitions, Muizzuddin scored big last season when he took the overall title for the WSK Champions Cup and second overall in the WSK Super Masters Series for the 60 Mini class, contested by karters under 13 years. Turning 13 on Feb 23 this year, Muizzuddin would be competing the KF Junior category where he would be competing against karters older and bigger than him from all over the world.

The young Malaysian driver would also be driving more powerful machine and more challenging as well as the driver would need to manage the kart's carburator and fuel in-take while driving this year.

"The target set by the team for this season is to finish in the top 10 for the first half of the season and podium finishes in the second half. But, I have been trained by my parents since small to do things beyond the ordinary.

"So, for this season, I am targeting to finish on the podium from the first race and keep that consistently till the end of the season. It’s not going to be easy. "If we look at history, no rookie can finish in the Top 5 in the first year. To qualify for the finals is already a big deal. But, as I said, I have always been brought up trying to do the extraordinary. That has been my secret formula when competing" said Muizzuddin, who will continue to race with Gamoto Racing Team.

His 2015 season starts this weekend at Adria at the VEGA International Trophy, which is a series promoted by tyre-maker VEGA.

His other races this season are the WSK Champions Cup Series, the WSK Gold Cup Series, the WSK Super Masters Series, the WSK Night Race, the WSK Final Cup, the CIK FIA European Karting Series and the CIK FIA World Karting Championship.