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RACE ACE Menasheh Idafar is on the fast track to success after competing for glory against drivers from across the globe in one of motorsport’s leading single-seater championship series.
The 20-year-old former British School of Bahrain pupil, who holds dual-UK and Bahraini nationality, has been receiving rave reviews for his track prowess and his ambition is to become a professional race driver.
Speaking from his London training base, Idafar told GulfWeekly: “Racing is something I always enjoyed, especially since my 19-year-old brother Ezra and I used to go karting every weekend in Bahrain.
“I was always interested in motorsport from a young age and had great support from my parents.”
Now Idafar is flying the flag of Bahrain alongside drivers from Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Denmark, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands and England in the 2011 Cooper Tyres British F3 International Series.
This series has produced many F1 drivers and even future world champions. Winning drivers are often earmarked as ‘the ones to watch’ by team recruiters.
Idafar is already ranked 15th in the standings and has notched two podium finishes – at Oulton Park and the famous Brands Hatch circuit.
He said: “British F3 has always been very challenging for me and especially this year as the field is very close. There are a lot of very quick, talented drivers in the championship so it’s very tough but a great place to learn.
“I dream one day of becoming a professional driver – my hero is Fernando Alonso. He can always get the best out of the car, even when it’s not performing well. He’s always up there near the front no matter what.”
Idafar recently concluded Round 21 of the Series at Spa-Francorchamps Circuit in Belgium. After battling through from the back of the grid following a disappointing qualifying round he finished in 14th place.
There is now a five-week break in the racing calendar with rounds 22, 23 and 24 returning to the UK at Rockingham in Northamptonshire on September 3-4.
The series featuring the world’s leading young racing talent covers over 30 races in10 different meetings – seven in the UK as well as three in Belgium, France and Germany.
Although born in Britain, Menasheh grew up in Bahrain and is considered to be one of the Middle East’s most exciting young motor racing prospects.
He has lived in Manama most of his life but in 2008 moved to the UK to further his racing career with Team T-Sport, in Brackley, Northamptonshire.
After two years karting, he made his race car debut in the Thunder Arabia series, ending the campaign fifth overall and achieving two victories in the process.
In 2007, aged 16, Idafar made his first appearance in the UK after graduating to the Formula Renault BARC Championship as the category’s youngest competitor.
He claimed his first podium results with a brace of BARC Class rostrums in the Formula Renault UK Winter Championship. The following year he embarked on his second season in Formula Renault BARC and was instantly a championship front-runner with five podiums and four pole position starts, concluding the season a highly-creditable fourth overall in the driver standings.
After another Winter Series appearance, this time in a full Formula Renault UK specification car, he stepped up to the hugely competitive national championship for the 2009 season. Joining the legendary Manor Competition team for the year-ending winter races, Idafar came third overall and achieved his maiden Formula Renault UK podium finish.
In 2010, Idafar graduated to the British Formula 3 series where he quickly made headlines by winning the British F3 National Class crown, a title won in the past by FIA Formula One driver Sergio Perez of the Sauber team.
He currently drives a Dallara-Volkswagen and is sponsored by Ortolan and Gulf Computers Services where his father works.
