STATE titles were on the line last weekend, as the Coffs Harbour Kart Racing Club hosted the latest round of one of Australia’s most prestigious karting championships.

State titles were up for grabs over three big days of racing, as the Coffs Harbour Kart Racing Club hosted the Rotax NSW State Championship.

The Rotax Pro Tour is a nationally recognised Karting series that offers the highest level of competition in Australia to owners of a Rotax 125 MAX engine.

The Coffs Harbour event was the latest round of the 2021 Rotax Pro Tour, which is also held in Warwick, Geelong, and Canberra.

Christian Estasy and his father Adrian were among the many drivers and racing crew who travelled from across Australia to take part in the Coffs Harbour round.

The father and son team from Sydney have travelled around Australia to racing events.

It was Christian’s first time racing at the Coffs Harbour track, and the 14-year-old noticed the difference between it and his home track in Sydney.

“It’s a lot more technical in regards to racing and a lot more narrow and tight,” Christian said.

His father Adrian was formerly a top junior driver while growing up in England.

In fact he shared with News Of The Area his days of racing against arguably the greatest driver of all-time.

“I actually raced against Lewis Hamilton when he and I were juniors in England,” he said.

“I was a few years older than him and I beat him a couple of times.

“But I just knew he was going to be something special, and the era I came from there were a lot of good junior riders in karting.”

Adrian finished third at the 2004 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Egypt, while his son has qualified for this year’s event to be held in Bahrain.

 

By Aiden BURGESS