Manama: Following his brilliant performance at the CIK-FIA Under-18 World Championship and Academy Trophy at Genk, Belgium, which saw him qualify for the final race in France, Bahraini karter Talal Beshara has set his eyes on another achievement and his lifetime goal.
Talal began karting when his aunt first introduced him to this sport.
“I was nine when she first got me into the sport. I noticed that the first step to reach Formula One is karting and that is where it all started,” said Talal.
The 13 year-old has had the backing of his family members for starting at a very young age and they have always pushed him to achieve his best. He has no intentions of taking it only as a hobby but wants to pursue a career in the world of motor sports.
“My dad likes it, but my mom cares about safety more so she gets nervous. She always tells me to be careful. One of the main things in karting and F1 is safety … but one can also have fun,” he said.
Talal is not the only child in the family who enjoys karting. His 16-year-old brother, Abdulla, also races at senior level and has played a role in Talal’s achievement.
“We used to go karting a lot at the age of six. My brother used to always race but I was too young to drive so I never knew how it felt. The first time I drove, I noticed I enjoyed it and it is something that I could achieve a lot in,” the Bahraini karter added.
Talal, who looks up to British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton as his role model, dreams of one day becoming a professional Formula One driver. Even though his dreams are a long way ahead, his family think he has what it takes to achieve his goal.
Having participated in two international races, Talal sees his last result as his biggest achievement.
“My biggest achievement was my last race in Genk, Belgium. It’s where I reached the final. It was the first time I reached a high position in an international race,” he said.
Unlike most kids his age, Talal, who studies at The Bahrain School, has had to keep a steady balance between his racing career and his studies.
“It affects me a lot in school because I have to travel and come back and finish my work. Last year I had travelled to race but was back a week before my exams. I came back and managed to balance it out equally ,but it was hard.”
Talal’s father, Othman, who works as an advisor at the Ministry of Commerce, appreciates the school’s effort and support to keep his youngest son pushing for his ambitions.
“I think last year he did very well balancing racing and education. The school was very understanding towards his busy schedule and I think he managed well.
“He had to travel sometimes and stay long hours at practice. The school principal and the whole administration are very supportive. I give lots of credit to the school because without them being so understanding he might have not had this chances.”
However, unlike his son, Othman has a different opinion about the best moment of his son’s career.
“When I saw him among the top 50 drivers in the world in Spain in his first ever international race it was the highlight of his career so far to me. His performance surprised me, but a feeling grew in me that he was going to make it to the final.
“Even though he missed it by one position I was much more excited and proud about his performance. Obviously reaching the finals in Genk, Belgium, was also a big achievement, but I wasn’t as surprised like during his first race.”
Apart from his school and his family, the Bahrain Motor Federation (BMF) had a big role to play in Talal’s development.
Earlier on, Bahrain was allowed only one seat in international races which was taken by Hussein Ali. However they managed to get another seat for Talal.
“I’ll give BMF a lot of credit. If it wasn’t for BMF we might have never got the other additional seat. Their efforts are clear, because to have two drivers from one country is not an easy thing. Only few countries have that privilege,” added Othman.
“The only thing I wish they could change is to give the young drivers more attention and help them get sponsors. Sponsorships do matter especially at this age,” he added.
Having his two sons in the world of motor sports, and being a former football player in the US in his early years, Othman had been very keen on seeing his boys excel.
“The only thing I want them to know is that they should work hard and stay focused. The difference between first, second and third place is the hard work each one puts in. Eat well and sleep healthy,” he concluded.