Bugeja best novice in Shenington Park races

On a wet and misty weekend, Adam Bugeja recently figured in three races at the Shenington Park in the UK.

On practice day morning, Bugeja's SRS Racing team went through the different racing lines which the Maltese driver had to take due to the slippery track. It was the first time they had experienced such conditions.

By the afternoon, however, Bugeja was lapping within 0.9 secs off the top drivers, a significant achievement indeed. He is still classed as a Novice by UK karting rules. After getting a racing licence, any driver has to compete in five full race days and the licence document signed by race stewarts each time.

Until this happens, Novices always have to start from the back of the grid, irrespective of qualifying times.

The Shenington Park competition consisted of two heats and the final race. In all, 24 drivers took part. Bugeja, who started last, eventually gained six places to finish 18th in the opening heat. Then he had climbed up to 17th in the other heat but engine failure halted his excellent stride.

This led to frantic efforts by the team to get ready for the final, contested by 23 drivers. Bugeja gained four positions within two laps, but went wide in one of the curves. He still produced a massive effort and by the end of the race, finished 16th.

The Maltese driver was named Best Novice, showing his true potential to beat his peers on the day.