After having proved their mettle in the karting challenges, Suriyavarathan Karthikeyan and Shravanthika Lakshmi are now keen to take on the best in the Karting Slalom Cup at the inaugural FIA Motorsport Games in Rome in November.
They know it’s going to be a huge task but sounded confident of doing well for their country in this competition that features 17 nations. India and Thailand will represent the Asian continent that will see a mixed pair (boy & girl) tackle an obstacle course using a relay format.
The children taking part are all aged between 14 and 16 and they will compete with the identical electric-powered karts.
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Suriyavarathan, a class eleven student of the Vivekalaya Prakriya, is the senior of the two and is more experienced, having finished third in the junior category of the X30 karting championship and the Rotax Max National karting championship in 2018. He also went on to win the JK Tyre Formula 1300 Novice Cup the same year.
But an accident in May stopped him from taking further part as he suffered multiple fractures on his arm. He has recovered well and is now ready to play his part in Rome.
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Shravanthika is equally fluent in her driving. A class 10 student of C.S. Academy, the girl, an accomplished singer, was scared when she made her motorsport entry in 2017. Today, she is scaring even the big boys with her daredevilry on the track! She says she learnt it all from Akbar Ebrahim, the former F3 champion. Her father Shyam Kumar, an experienced racing steward, is also a guiding force; so was Sajeev M. Rajan, chairman, FMSCI Karting Commission.
“I am prepared. We are also going a day in advance to Rome to get used to the conditions,” said Shravanthika, who finished on top in the Sodi Kart four-stroke Junior open and second in ladies class of the JK Tyre National karting championship in Bengaluru last month.