BENGALURU: Akash Gowda, a 16-year-old Indus International School student, claimed the national karting championship-2015 in October, conducted by JK Tyre FMSCI Rotax Max, in the Junior category (age group of 13 to 16). With the win, he proved to be an emerging force behind the wheels.
The JK Tyre FMSCI Rotax Max National Karting Championship 2015 India is the only such event conducted under the aegis of FMSCI, conducted across India with racers from all over the country participating. The championship consists of five rounds that were held in Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Bengaluru. With one win, three second and one third place finish respectively, Akash won the title accumulating 413 points, seven clear of his nearest rival.
For Akash Gowda, racing runs in his blood. He got his first taste of speed at 11, at a family fun karting event where he showed immense talent. A national rallyist and motorsport enthusiast himself, his father Harish A identified Akash’s talent and began training him immediately. It was around this time that the Amaron Karting Challenge 2011 was announced, with races being conducted across the country. Akash was prepared for the challenge and his father wasted no time in enrolling him for the races, despite Akash’s limited training and exposure. Thus began Akash’s first lap in the racing world.
Akash also debuted in his racing career with JK Tyre Racing Championship Formula BMW, JK Tyre National Racing Championship LGB Formula Swift in 2013 and is progressing faster in the series, with the last round of Formula BMW to be concluded this month at Buddh International Circuit in Noida.
The accolades that Akash has won are truly stupendous. In 2015, he emerged as the national champion, winning the JK Tyre Rotax Max National Karting Championship India 2015. He was the second runner-up in the JK Tyre MMS Rotax Max National Kart Open 2015.
Last year and the year before, Akash was the vice champion in the JK Tyre MMS Rotax Max National Kart Open 2014 and 2013.
In 2012, Akash was the 2nd runner-up in the JK Tyre MMS Rotax Max Rookie Cup 2012 and in 2011, his debut year, he won the Amaron National Karting Challenge 2011 and was the 2nd runner-up in the JK Tyre National Rotax Max Karting Championship India and the JK Tyre National Rotax Max Rookie Cup 2011, while ending as the fourth runner-up in the All Star Karting Challenge in Malaysia.
From all accounts, Akash is on the right track and with motor sports really taking off in the country, a new champion is on the horizon.