The SpeedBay Fortitude Karting Championship 2024 kicked off last Saturday, 13 July after a five-year hiatus. Held at the FIA-CIK certified SpeedBay Karting Track in Bandaragama, the six-hour endurance event carried together 13 teams and strategic team managers, who geared up for a modest test of endurance.
The uncooperative rainy conditions posed a challenge to the karting teams with their pre-race strategies, and instead had to adapt fresh tactical moves and adjust throughout the race to counter the weather. Nevertheless, it was able to showcase the skills of the drivers and the crucial role played by race officials.
Team ACBT demanded the top spot on the podium with 449 laps, through fierce competition and intended manoeuvring. The winning team, comprised of Thiyago Pereira, Sachith Fernando, Inuk Maddumarachi, and Mathew Karunaratne, managed by Erath Karunaratne, showed great endurance and adaptability to consistently complete the winning number of laps, despite the rainy track.
Second place went to FlashSquad Racing, achieved by Ishan Munaweera, with team members Thinuka Wijerathne, Ryan De Bruin, and Shakthi Gunasekara, while the third place was secured by team Macson Mesh, led by Manager Inshaff Iqbal, comprising of Emdad Hussain, Adeeb Gazzali, Ayesh Bandara, and Anika Ariff.
Conferring to the organisers, pit stops played a fundamental role in determining the outcome of the competition. Teams were allowed up to six drivers, but efficient pit crew gave the winning edge to the race. Swift driver changes, tire replacements, and any essential repairs under pressure done faster in the rainy weather were some of the key elements that separated the winners from the rest. The team that could execute these pit stops flawlessly had a significant advantage.
Another notable highlight of the event was the contribution of Iron Maidens, an all-female Karting team, which brought prominence to the growing diversity within Sri Lankan motorsports, especially with the increasing representation of FIA-certified women in motor racing.
This event is part of a three-round series, with the second round arranged for 7 September, and the final race set for 9 November. The extended races promise even more gruelling competitiveness, as they uncover uncharted territories through racing, such as with surprise weather conditions in a 6-hour multi-driver endurance stint.
The sporting event was carried out with the invaluable support by a host of sponsors, including Assetline Finance, Bajaj CT100, and Discover 125 by David Pieris Motor Company (Pvt.) Ltd., David Pieris Solar Energy by David Pieris Renewable Energy (Pvt.) Ltd., MRF and ATLAS Tires by David Pieris Motor Company (Pvt.) Ltd., E-Drive electric taxi service by David Pieris Motor Company (Pvt.) Ltd., BAIC and NETA by David Pieris Automobiles (Pvt.) Ltd., and Dealo Group (Pvt.) Ltd.
The first round of the SpeedBay Endurance Karting Championship 2024,organised by SpeedBay at Bandaragama, owned and maintained by David Pieris Racing & Leisure (Private) Limited, the motorsports arm of the David Pieris Group, wrapped up successfully thanks to the exceptional talent of the drivers, and the unwavering dedication of all marshals and stewards involved in the event, and the Ceylon Motor Sports Club, one of the oldest motorsports clubs in Southeast Asia.
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