ASTANA – Fourteen-year-old Sultan Ibragimov will take part in the 2019 Formula 4 South East Asia Championship after completing the first test on the Sepang International Circuit Nov. 26-28 in Malaysia. He ran with the MERITUS.GP team during three days of testing.
The test races became the first stage to prepare for the new season following professional karting competitions.
Event organisers note Kazakhstan is building Future F1 heroes with Ibragimov’s “impressive inaugural F4 test” at Sepang.
“I am glad for this experience to take another step towards my dream – to participate in Formula 1,” he said after the races.
Ibragimov impressed the team with his determination and ability to read and understand racing car data and follow instructions from his engineers. His time also improved to a level that would have qualified him to start his first race in the middle of the grid during the penultimate round of the championship.
“Sultan Ibragimov set an impressive time during his inaugural FIA F4 test, despite having to acclimatise to the hot and humid tropical conditions. He drove the red number 7 MERITUS.GP Formula 4 car, clocking up over 500 kilometres on the 5.543 kilometre, challenging 15-corner and 6-straight track near Kuala Lumpur,” reads the press release.
He progressed well in the three days, learning the track and feeling comfortable with the car and environment. MERITUS.GP’s engineers are confident he can be a front-runner.
Ibragimov started with kart racing at age 10 and won several karting competitions.
“When I race at a speed of more than 100 km/h or overtake rivals on the tracks, I feel calm and get adrenaline and I really like this condition. I work hard during training sessions and follow my coach’s advice to achieve excellent results. I have no doubt that motor racing helps me to be more confident in everyday life. I am really proud of my achievements in my racing career,” Ibragimov told Alsport.kz.
Launched in 2014, Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Formula 4 offers young drivers the opportunity to take the first step from karting into the world of single-seater racing.
