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New Zealand-born driver Mike Young (right) with co-driver Malcolm Read along with their Japan Cusco-powered Subaru WRX sporting Ezy Racing branding on Thursday in Queensland ahead of the weekend rally as part of the Australian leg of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship
Promising Kiwi driver Mike Young on Thursday expressed confidence ahead of the Queensland, Australia leg of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) 2015, which kicks off tomorrow.
Young has been signed up by Ezy Racing, Sri Lanka’s first professional motor racing team to compete in a FIA-sanctioned motor racing event in Asia Pacific, to represent the brand in the APRC.
He will be driving Japan’s Cusco Subaru EZY Racing car at this weekend rally in Queensland.
The tie-up with 22-year-old Young, who is considered to be one of the best new prospects in the Asia Pacific Rally circuit, is a fresh strategic move by Ezy to become a recognised motor racing team in Asia Pacific.
Young has won triple APRC titles two years in a row and finished second overall in the 2014 APRC Drivers’ Championship. He is coming into this weekend’s 475-kilometre rally placed third overall.
He will be competing with current leader Pontus Tidemand of Sweden, driving for Skoda, the winners of the APRC for the past three years and second-placed Gaurav Gill of India. There will be 11 competitors overall for the Queensland, Australia leg of APRC 2015.
Young and co-driver Read Malcolm, also from New Zealand, told Daily FT, which is covering the International Rally of Queensland, that he was confident about the challenge ahead.
It will be the first time Young will be testing his mettle in a four-wheel drive competition, having won all his previous titles using two-wheel drives.
“Driving a four-wheel is an advantage because it is a little calmer and easier but also a new challenge,” said Young. He said that overall the APRC was a diverse rally requiring skill, knowledge, experience and luck, apart from speed.
Commenting on his partnership with Ezy Racing, Young said that he was “excited” and it was a good move.
“Ezy’s passion for racing is very inspiring. I share the same passion,” said Young, who began racing from the age of eight through karting.
“The Cusco team has given me a great opportunity this year. Moving to a four-wheel-drive car and having EZY Racing on board makes the step-up a lot easier with their strong support. I’m really excited and the future is looking good,” he added.
Young said he took a liking to racing thanks to his father, who too was a racing fan and covered various contests as a TV journalist.
At the age of 18, Young entered his first rally, the 2011 Rally of New Zealand in a Nissan March. He won his class in that event and has not looked back since. In the same year Young competed in the Malaysian Rally Championship and a one-off event with the Cusco Racing team at Rally Hokkaido – the start of a four-year partnership.
With backing and guidance from Japanese-based Cusco, Young and co-driver Malcolm went on to win triple FIA APRC titles in 2013 and 2014 – titles that included the 2013 Asia Cup and the 2014 Production Cup, along with the junior and two-wheel drive trophies.
Young said Ezy has done things differently and gone the distance in its aspiration to become a popular racing team and brand. This differentiates Ezy, and the partnership, which is for one year, has been positive, Mike added.
Ezy, with its passionate founder Shafraz Hamzadeen, created history for Sri Lanka when its team made an impactful debut in 2014 in the APRC and completed a successful inaugural year internationally.
Speaking of the rationale behind signing Young, Hamzadeen said: “Young has been the most exciting prospect that the APRC has unearthed during the last five years. He has made his presence felt in the APRC by winning rallies amongst the big boys while competing in the Junior Rally Championship which runs within the Asia Pacific Rally Championship. This year Young has officially graduated to compete in his first season outside of the Junior Championship. We are very excited to partner with him on this new journey of his.”
Young will be driving a Cusco-powered Subaru WRX in the 2015 season. Japan-based Cusco Racing has been an active part of APRC for over 10 years and an instrumental part of Young’s graduation process, starting with three years in two-wheel drive cars and in 2015 progressing to turbo-charged four-wheel drive which will power Young and EZY Racing.
The FIA APRC has been recognised since 1988 as one of the premier regional championships in world rallying. Six regions make up the FIA regional rally championship series with events spread across the globe. Geographically, APRC covers the largest area and represents almost 40% of the world’s population.
Two legs of APRC 2015 have concluded so far – Whangarei (New Zealand) and Noumea (New Caledonia). After Queensland (Australia) this week, the next legs will be held in Johor (Malaysia), Obihiro (Japan) and Longyou (China). More details on EZY Racing’s Australian Rally are available on www.fb.com/ezyracing.
