Next Gen Kart Racer

It’s interesting to see the next generation of racers get started, especially when they follow the same path lil’ Daniel did back in 2016. After three years (and two championships) in CRKC, Demaras was selected for the Goodwood Scholarship Team. He went on to a successful karting career including two TRAK Championships, before moving up to open-wheel racing.

Here’s a recent article from eared in Bradford Today about young Marco Bazan, as he progresses from A&D to Club racing at Goodwood with the support of his mom Bela.

10-year-old Bradford Racer Steers His Way to League Scholarship

The Bradford resident’s passion for Go Karting started just a few years ago after watching Formula 1 racing, but it’s quickly blossomed into an obsession, with his karting suit hanging on his wall and his race simulator in front of his bed facing the TV. At just six-year-old, he knew Formula 1’s every racer, every race, and every kart. “I was like okay; something is going on here. And my husband tried soccer and hockey, but nope, and ever since he was little, he’s loved cars. So, he got into Go Karting and he’s been doing it ever since,” said Marco’s mother, Bela Bazan.

Marco started out racing at Goodwood Kartways in Uxbridge and registered for their “Arrive & Drive” rookie level program. His natural talent behind the wheel caught the eye of the owner of the track, who offered him a scholarship into their weekly league. “Now he’s in the actual league every Saturday and we bought him a kart from Italy that’s stored there,” said Bela.

Marco Bazan recently earned himself a Go Karting scholarship at Goodwood Kartways Taking his passion from a sport he watched on TV to one he competes in every weekend has been a surreal ride for Marco. “It feels really good,” he said. “I’ve been excited every Friday before the race on Saturday… I just can’t wait and it’s hard to fall asleep.”

There is a lot of commitment involved with the league and it can be frightening on the track—especially for his parents—but there’s nowhere Marco would rather be. “The adrenal takes over,” said Bela. “He flipped his kart and it’s scary as a parent, but for him, even after an accident, he’s saying, ‘let’s go, let’s fix the kart right away.’ He’s very quiet during the formation lap and he’s just so focused.”

All Adrenaline and High Hopes

Marco is currently in 12th place out of 26 racers in the league and he credits that to his commitment to the sport. “It’s a lot of practice and a lot of sim practice,” he says.

There was a moment for Marco last year when he knew he could race at a competitive level. “Last year, at the beginning of the year I won three races on the bounce,” he said. “And I started thinking that I could maybe get rewarded a scholarship.”

Although he’s only 10, Marco is already thinking about the future and where he hopes he can take his love for racing. “Long-term goals are to start getting recognized by sponsors, especially Red Bull, that’s something I really want,” he said. “In the short-term, I want to maybe start moving up a league.”

As Formula 1 racing continues to grow in popularity in Canada, more and more kids like Marco have gravitated to the sport because of the high stakes and the star athletes—Marco’s favourite driver is Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.