Freddy makes comeback on podium in Macau
KUCHING: Sarawak’s international go-kart racer Freddy Lawan completed his comeback on the track this year with a podium finish at the Asian Karting Open Championship (AKOC) Round 5 at Kartrodomo de Coloane, Macau recently.
Freddy also managed to overcome the challenge on the phobia he had experienced with an accident at the track last year where he suffered two fractured ribs.
The evergreen Dayak warrior finished in fourth place in the rain-affected F125 Veteran Open final which was held together with the Masters category, featuring a total of 18 competitors.
Leung Wai Ming of China topped the podium, followed by Tam Yuk Ho of Hong Kong, Valentino E Mora of the Philippines while another Filipino Rommel D Herce came in fifth position.
Freddy said he was happy with the result but said he could have finished in second spot if not for a technical problem in the final on Sunday.
“I was second in the qualifying, Heat 1, 2 and 3 and I clocked the fastest time in the morning of the final practice,” he said.
“I was already second in the rolling lap when a Masters racer bumped into me which caused my go-kart to spin and I dropped to 14th position.
“However, I still managed to give a strong chase to eventually finish fourth,” added Freddy.
His next races will be the X30 Southeast Asia Karting KF1 Championship in Singapore in January and AKOC Beijing in April next year.
Meanwhile, Freddy said there is great potential of organising International go-kart races in Sarawak and that it was high time that Sarawak should have a world class racing track in place.
“As I have strongly supported the organisers of AKOC, X30 Southeast Asia KF1 Karting Championship and Rotax Max Asia Challenge, they have verbally assured me of the support if we are to organise races in Sarawak.
“AKOC organiser has promised to bring European racers to Kuching This is with one condition and that is as long as we have a proper international standard track which is approved by the international racing body,” he said.
“Go-Karting is getting very popular in Asia and it is especially growing very fast in China.”
According to him, Sarawak can organise three international racing events in a year which will greatly boost sports tourism in the state.
“We can expect more than 200 racers and their supporting crew as well as family members, relatives and friends in each race who can bring in the tourism revenue to Sarawak.
“Apart from that, it will also help to put Kuching, Sarawak on the world go-karting map,” he added.