An unbeatable force on the racetrack

The South African Short Circuit Series (SASCS) recently kicked off with their round 6 race meeting at the Formula K-SA race track in Benoni, inviting all talented racers to compete for the top spot.

Local racing sensation Ethan de Freitas, a learner from The King’s School West Rand, made his debut after once again dominating the race track during his previous competition on August 3, earning third place in the SM65 Championship race.

It was a perfect day for racing as the sun shone across the race track with supporters filling the stands to shout and chant for their fellow racers. Mario de Freitas, Ethan’s father and coach for the EDF Racing team, geared his racers up by preparing them mentally and physically for a variety of heats the team had to achieve in order to qualify for the finals.

“Before we think about the final race, it’s vital to focus on not only securing the top three positions but also securing the right qualifying time or even better their personal best time. That builds their confidence and hunger for the win. Ethan’s first race was in the SM50 class, and the main goal was to secure enough points,” Mario said.

For the SM50 Class race, Ethan qualified in pole position and went on to win all three heats, securing the maximum 75 points for the day. This flawless performance maintains his unbeaten streak for the year and extends his lead in the SM50 Championship to 160 points with two more races remaining.

For his next race, the SM65 Class, he secured second place and demonstrated that he is no rookie to the race track, claiming two wins in the heats and setting the fastest lap with a time of 1:42:372. Despite a 10-second penalty in Heat 1, Ethan still rallied fearlessly to secure 63 points and win first place overall in the SM65 Championship.

The highlight of the day was as Mario watched his beloved son proudly lift his trophy on the podium.