Another win for Eshan Pieris at the Rotax Max Asian Championship Round 6

Eshan Pieris continued his winning streak, taking first place in Round 6 of the Rotax Max Asian Championship held in Malaysia last Sunday. 

He also went on to be placed second in the overall championship based on the performance across six races held over the 2017 go-karting season, missing out on first position by a mere two points to Indonesian Prassetyo Hardja.

Previously, he made history by becoming the first Sri Lankan to win a race in this highly competitive Asian go-karting championship when he won Round 3. This win came hot on the heels of his brilliant performance at the Formula 4, open-wheel racing car race, held in conjunction with the Formula 1 races in Malaysia. Driving in this category for the first time, Eshan was placed third and carried off the Best Rookie award in the F4 SEA Race.

In this, the last race of the Rotax Max Asian Championship DD2 class, Eshan showed exceptional driving skills to win against Indonesians Senna SN and Prassetyo Hardja. Both were equal on points but during the practices, things were looking bleak for Senna as his kart was slower. But once Eshan won the prefinals the tables turned. Try as they might, they could only follow Eshan as he sped past everyone, overlapping some veteran DD2 drivers. Then a sudden shower just prior to the final race meant he was faced with the dilemma of choosing between slick (dry) and softer wet tyres. The gamble to drive on dry tyres on the still wet track paid off and despite losing his lead in the initial stages the third lap saw him ahead of the rest right until he crossed the chequered flag. 

The top two winners in each category of the regional championships held worldwide go on to compete at the Rotax World Grand Final. As such, Eshan, along with Prassetyo, will be representing Asia in the DD2 Senior Category, which is the premier event at this highly prestigious and extremely competitive race to be held in Portugal in November.

An Old Boy of S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia and presently an undergraduate at Monash University in Malaysia, Eshan represents the RL Karting Team from Malaysia.

Speaking after the race, a delighted Eshan was quick to thank his team RL Karting, his mechanic Vicky Raj and his manager and mentor Aaron Lim as well as the driving force behind his racing career - his parents.

Next year’s Asian go-karting season will start with the X30 Asia Cup to be held in Colombo in January at the Sri Lanka Karting Circuit in Bandaragama. This is the first international race to be held in Sri Lanka, and the first time an X30 race is being conducted outside of SE Asia. The race is expected to draw nearly 75 of Asia’s best drivers and will allow select local drivers to compete for the first time on home ground with the best of the best in the region.

This event is expected to bring Sri Lanka into the limelight, both in Asia and internationally, as the newest go-kart racing venue. The expansion of the existing track to meet international requirements is nearing completion. Such a facility and the ability to host international events will no doubt contribute significantly to the development of motorsports and create many more champions to follow in the wake of Eshan, making Sri Lankan drivers a force to be reckoned with in the international racing arena.