Here’s a racing name to remember – Bloemfontein’s multiple South African karting champion — and world title runner up last year — 14-year old Stuart White made a significant impression when he made his main circuit debut at Red Star raceway over the weekend. The youngster then promptly followed that up with a great showing in his national championship Formula Ford debut at Zwartkops on Woman’s Tuesday.
Now the flying redhead who already has a racing CV under his belt that would please many a veteran racer, is preparing for a busy rest of the year as he continues double duty in single seaters and karts, starting with the Rotax Max African Open 20 August.
Stewie has been preparing for his step up to main circuit for a while and with MSA permission granted, he became the latest in a line of impressive young karters to step into a real race car at just 14 years old, going on to stun all-comers when he put his Fantastic Racing RDSA machine on pole position for the Formula Ford race at Delmas’ Red Star Raceway Saturday 6 August.
“I had driven a Formula Ford and a Formula Volkswagen in testing, but we could only race in the six months before I turn 15,” Stuart explained. “I was very happy to put it on pole position for my first race, but because it was my debut and my first race start in a real race car, I had to start at the back. “Still, I finished fifth in both races there and I am very happy with that!”
Young White’s progress at Red Star was enough to convince MSA Single Seater official Greg Canny to allow Stuart to race in the national Investchem Formula 1600 round at Zwartkops three days later, promptly putting his car third on the grid behind vastly experienced championship rivals Dewald Brummer and Julian van der Watt. “I was even surprised by that!” Stuart admitted.
“Unfortunately I fluffed my start and dropped back to 8th, but I fought back to finish sixth and score national championship points in my first race,” a delighted White confirmed. “I started the second race in fourth and ended up sixth again, this time it was within 3 seconds of the leaders. “I need to practice a little more,” the youngster who so impressed with his speed and his racecraft pointed out. “But I am confident to get on the pace soon.”
Not that Stuart White’s progress in his first races was a surprise to those in the know — he started karting in 2006, coming to the fore in 2013 when he took a double South African national primary school 60cc Maxterino and Mini Rok karting titles to earn himself Junior Protea South African Colours, before an impressive showing Vortex Rok World Karting Final.
Stuart added a third South African title to his CV with the 2014 Junior ROK Championship, before representing South Africa in the prestigious CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy against the world’s best drivers in his age group across Europe through 2015.
Stuart has spent the first half of 2016 preparing for his step up to the main circuit, while also racing in the Rotax DD2 shifter kart class before his main circuit debut last weekend. Dubbed ‘Baby Vettel’; Stewie is cutting a similar path for himself, having started out in karts before a career in single seaters where Stuart White now plans to emulate his race hero.
Stuart now has a very busy rest of year ahead of him, starting with the African Open at Zwartkops before the Africa Rok Cup in Vereeniging in September, two Autumn Cup races in Lonato in Italy and then and the Junior Rok World Final in October. Stuart will also compete in the FIA-CIK karting World Cup in Bahrain in November, in addition to the Killarney, first-ever new Kyalami and Zwartkops Formula Ford rounds in the same timeframe.
“I have a mega program for the rest of the year!” Stuart admitted. “But the biggest weekend for us is probably going to be the Junior Rok World Final — we have big expectations for that event after my second place last year and I have worked very hard throughout the year to be in the best position to go one better and bring that world title home.”
A humble and most popular fellow among his racing peers and fraternity, Stuart is thankful to be where he is in racing. “I am most fortunate to have a family that’s dedicated to my racing,” Stuart admits. “My dad puts everything into it and my mom and sister are right behind me too, which makes a huge difference, but I am also thankful to everyone else who has contributed to my career, from the Roos Kart Team to Fantastic Racing in Formula Ford and everyone else, without them I would never be where I am an I feel blessed to be able to do what I do…”
So remember that name – Stuart White is bound to become a regular feature of race reports for a long time to come…