Kart racer Clayton Mizzi, in only his second season in the Sicily championship, has just won the re-gional 125 Rotax Max Challenge title.

The six-race competition got underway in January on circuits where Mizzi, again under the tutelage of the renowned Leotta Racing Team, had never tested before.

This was one of the biggest challenges Mizzi faced as most of the other contenders had good knowledge of the venues and even trained and tested there in the build-up to the 2013 season.

The Leotta team originated in 1960 when Pancrazio Leotta, at the time a bike racer, decided to invest in his own establishment, specialising mainly in chassis and engine set-ups.

The team’s ability to provide drivers with the best possible chassis and engine set-ups earned them a reputation for efficiency and professionalism in the karting circles.

That background helped Mizzi in no small measure.

“I could actually concentrate more on my driving and fine tuning of the kart,” he said.

“The team made my life easier in the championship. It was far better than having to start from scratch.”

The lack of sports funding and sponsorships in our country somewhat hindered Mizzi’s progress in his initial days on the track.

Luckily, his father Tonio is also an avid karting enthusiast and believed in his son’s potential from a very young age, giving him all the support he required to foster his talent.

“There were times when I nearly quit racing but my father made sure that my passion never waned,” Mizzi Jr said.

“There were others who, like me, were dedicated and talented but did not find enough backing and left. We also had no proper facilities to hold races and practise.

“When, one day, I decided to stop it was my father who convinced me to return to the track.

“I did well to heed his advice.”

Mizzi, who opted for a Danilo Rossi chassis last season, explained that one must have an inbred passion for racing to succeed.

“You have to feel the kart and understand what the engine requires,” he said.

“You have to work with your team and prepare the kart according to track and weather conditions. The build-up is important as a trouble-free race helps us to concentrate more on our driving.”

On his way to winning the Rotax championship, Mizzi won four races and also had two pole positions.

That was a remarkable improvement from the previous year but the progress was all down to dedication and his mental and physical training off the track.

“So much has changed from last year,” he said.

“I am more patient and the good training I received made me realise that races are not won in the first corner.”

Mizzi, who is assisted by Sixt, Mangano and Andrea and Raffaela Zammit Tabona, is now taking a break but he will be back in his kart in October for the Italian Rotax finals in Rome.

The finals will see the participation of 35 top kart racers, some of whom are regional championship winners in Italy.