Karting takes Ormonde teen to Europe
The 16-year-old karting enthusiast received his Protea colours after a year of victories, including two national championships and impressive finishes in the UK and Italy.
SA karting champion Muhammad “Mo” Wally, an Ormonde resident, capped off the year with an accolade most athletes dream of receiving—his Protea colours.
This after winning two national championships, earning him the top spot on the national leaderboard and putting him in the top 20% for his division internationally.
The motorsport prodigy has, to date, secured five national championships and four African titles. In September, Mo went to the UK to compete in the OK-N FIA Karting World Cup, placing sixth among 26 of the world’s highest-ranked karting competitors.
From there, he placed seventh out of 27 at the ROK Cup Superfinal in Italy in October, further solidifying his reputation as a most promising young talent in motorsport.
On December 1, Wally was one of only 30 motorsport athletes recognised with Protea colours this year.
“I felt honoured and blessed to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with some of SA’s greatest motorsport names, many of whom I have looked up to for years. It wasn’t as much about the award but rather the recognition that my hard work is paying off,” Wally explained.
Breaking barriers in motorsport
Wally’s journey to the top has been anything but conventional. His introduction to the sport came at the age of four when he experienced the thrill of motorsport through a family friend.
By the time he was five, he was competing in national championships, driven by a passion for speed and precision.
Despite his talent, the road to success wasn’t always smooth. In the world of motorsport, known for its tough competition and strict standards, you are only as good as your last race, and Wally has had to build a track record of consistent performance by proving himself time and again.
“Motorsport teaches you resilience. There are always setbacks, opposition, mechanical failures and even crashes. All you can do is get up, dust yourself off, and say to the world, ‘I won’t be beaten!’ Every challenge is an opportunity to grow stronger mentally, physically and strategically.”
Looking at the year ahead
With the 2024 season now complete, Wally remains dedicated to karting while firmly keeping focus on his ultimate goal of transitioning to F4.
Often regarded as the gateway to F1, F4 is a new level of competition, technical complexity and skill requirement, challenging drivers to master even more powerful and demanding vehicles. While his progression to the main track is still evolving, each race brings him one step closer to making his dream a reality.
“To make it to F1, you need significant backing. You have to have the talent and resources to compete at the higher levels. Earning my Protea colours will go a long way towards raising my profile and, hopefully, catching more attention from big-name sponsors.”
BP Ultimate and BP Rewards, representing BP’s fuel additives and loyalty programme divisions, respectively, have come on board as Wally’s primary sponsors for this leg of his career.
“Having BP in my corner has been incredible. Their support and belief in my potential motivate me to push harder in competitions, and I’m grateful to have their backing as a young driver. I’ll be proud to carry their emblem onto the track next year.”
Having finally received his Protea colours and now preparing to take the next step, he hopes to inspire others to chase their dreams just as he is following his.
“I want people to see that it doesn’t matter where you come from, but how hard you work. I plan to someday become SA’s first F1 titleholder of the Muslim faith and show others that no matter what their background is, they can also break ceilings. My career might still be in its early days, but I’m already working to be the driver that young racers can turn to for help and motivation,” Wally concluded.
