KZ Karting National Champion Jay Urwin is heading to Portugal to represent New Zealand at the FIA Karting World Championships in Portimao, from October 10-13.
Urwin has had a breakthrough season, winning his second National KZ title in February at just 15 years-old. The rising star from Waikato also secured a podium finish at the SKUSA Pro Series opener in Orlando and claimed a stunning victory at the Stars Championship Series in Charlotte earlier this year.
Despite being the youngest driver in his class, he now has his sights set on the prestigious KZ factory class at the World Championships, where he’ll race against the world’s fastest kart drivers as an official driver for PSL BirelART North America.
Described by the FIA as “the domain of factory teams and professional drivers,” the KZ class is stacked with former and current world champions. Jay is the first Kiwi to enter this penultimate class.
“I’ve wanted to shift gears at the KZ World Championship since I was a kid. Racing in Europe is rapid, and so much goes into getting the setup right, but I’m confident we can be competitive,” said Urwin.
It’s also where Formula One great Max Verstappen made his mark, becoming the youngest driver to win the KZ event in 2013.
Jay’s father, Niki Urwin, added, “We’ve had a great season in the States, and Jay has matured in his driving. We’re eager to see how he fares against the best in the world.”
Before the World Championships, Urwin will compete in the final round of the Champions of the Future series as a warm-up event, taking place next week from September 25-28. While gaining experience is the primary goal for this event, the youngster’s results this year highlight his potential to turn raw speed into success.
“I love racing overseas. It’s always tough, but in such a good, positive environment, you can only get better,” Urwin said.
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