Teen Amaan casts his nets wide in hunt of global racing glory

Kenyan autocross prodigy Amaan Ganatra has a natural grasp on speed and racing technique!

This is a racing trend the 14-year old adopted from his dad and as he has had clear driving traits showing up early in childhood.

With an apparently insatiable appetite for success, Amaan is incidentally a jack of all trades- although motorsport remains the first thing on his bucket list.

"In my first race this year, I had to persevere the pain inflamed by a broken collar bone to finish third in Two Wheel Drive NT Car Class. It was a nagging injury that I had sustained in a school hockey match."

 "Last year while in the Junior 2WD NT Class, I won five out of ten races which wasn't a mean achievement," he quipped.

Wait a minute. Amaan also plays football but he's more into athletics which he says gets him fit for his scheduled weekend motor racing meetings.

Amaan's meteoric rise in this noble 'man and machine' game wasn't due to luck, it was blood, sweat and tears all the way!

And this informs the reason why he uses other sports to race the much-needed fitness to spin motor driven race contraptions.

Now the Year 10 student at Braeburn School is thinking differently!

He has purposed to run selected National races next season to pave way for a full season in the British Swift Rallycross Championship.

Launched in 2010, the Swift Sport Rallycross Championship was created to provide a tightly controlled one make championship designed to highlight talented drivers.

Featuring in The 5 Nations British Rallycross Championship, it offers a level playing field for drivers to develop their car control and showcase their driving skills in these equally powered Suzuki Swift Sport pocket rockets.

The Swift Championship has successfully proven to be an excellent platform to drivers to showcase their  talents and help secure sponsors to aid progress up the Motorsport ladder with a number of former Swift drivers going on the compete in the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

"I have always haboured the ambitious journey to advance my driving skills in motorsport and indeed become a professional race driver," he quipped.

Amaan participated in the 2023 Kenya National Autocross Championship and is currently ranked second behind newly crowned champion Neel Gohil with one event remaining. He is also a contender in the Machakos based RX Rallycross Championship's Two Wheel Drive Championship.

With dedication and hardwork, Amaan aspires to achieve several milestones in the next 5 years. 

His aspirations revolve around rising through the ranks in National and international events.

All in all, the talented driver reckons that there is need for a fresh impetus into his already blossoming racing career. 

"I will be racing in the UK's Swift Rallycross Championship next season with the sole objective to gain requisite international exposure given their nature of high level of competition," he went on.

Amaan also had a go at the Cross Kart Championship run by WRC Hyundai Motorsport lead driver Thierry Neuville.

“Last year I had a great experience in the Cross Kart Championship where I qualified for the final but unfortunately missed out on the podium."

"In the Swift format, there is a level playing field as you get to drive the same car against your race adversaries with controlled fuel and tyres which helps to showcase an individual driver's speed and ability."

Achievements

Those who have interacted with Amaan concur that he is amazing talent.

"He is got good potential. He has been coached by Kenyan Champions Karan Patel and Baldev Chager who have all expressed optimism that he'll go places. They said he's making good progress as a driver," said Amaan's dad Altaf.

During the last weekend's Autocross Championship event at Kasarani's Triple S, Amaan displayed occasional flashes of brilliance.

Amaan's fastest time of 3.46.31 in the Two Wheel Drive Non Turbo Car Class was way above majority of the 4WDs, a true indication where he is headed as a youngster.

Like countless other motor racing protégés, Amaan is just taking his first baby steps towards a brighter future and aspires joining the FIA Rally Star Program.

"I aspire to race at the highest level in the sport; and then of course rising through star driver ranks where I stand a chance to race in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).

"I will also partake in a few Clubmans locally as well as my plans in the UK where I will concentrate more on the Swift Championship," Amman remarked.