ZLX are proud sponsors of junior race kart driver Alfie Briggs
Motorsport revolves around being better than the competition, and to achieve this, continuous innovation and engineering improvements are critical to a race team’s success. The sport exerts immense effort and money in constant development, and this is where ZLX have been introducing many businesses within the sport to the benefits of R&D tax credits. It is through this area of focus that ZLX were offered an opportunity to sponsor a very special young man, 14-year-old Alfie Briggs, in this year’s junior karting championships.
Below are the thoughts and feelings our CEO Stephen McCallion had on our partnership with Alfie:
“ZLX is thrilled to be supporting such an exciting young talent as Alfie and to be a part of his ongoing journey and future development, of which we look forward to following with great interest his continued success.”
Stephen McCallion, Founder & CEO, ZLX Business Solutions
We are delighted with our involvement and wish to relay some of the excitement we are feeling as we watch Alfie grow as a racer.
Alfie Briggs – The Making of a Champion
When you have a goal toward nurturing and achieving ultimate success, important decisions must be made regarding the correct route to take. Parents Emma and Steve made the decision to home-school Alfie so he could pursue his karting dream under the family banner of BBM Motorsport. The journey so far has been testimony to total dedication, with Alfie already getting himself noticed within the sport, most notably by his now threatened and mainly older competitors.
Euro Rotax Max Championship
Earlier this year, Alfie competed in the Euro Rotax Max Championship. The last round took place in the stunning Val D’argenton racetrack located in the beautiful Loire Valley, France. In preparation, Alfie spent two long days analysing the track, discovering the very best racing lines, overtaking possibilities and grip levels prior to the three exciting yet challenging days of racing ahead. Alfie races in the junior league, and he was racing alongside older, highly competitive racers with considerably more experience.
Qualifying
Alfie went into qualifying, aiming for a top 15 finish amongst 63 starters. At the beginning of the heat, Alfie was surrounded but was determined to give it everything he had, heat after heat. Alfie improved his initial standing until disaster struck during the third and final heat. The aggressive nature of the tournament saw Alfie being bullied and knocked about, causing damage to his car’s throttle. Finishing the final heat in 23rd place did not sit well with Alfie, who was now determined to show the older drivers he could not be intimidated easily.
B Final
Starting in 7th place, Alfie was determined as ever to showcase all he could do on a racetrack. The B final kicked off with Alfie racing past other competitors, using his overtaking talent to push his way through the field. Alfie triumphantly crossed the finish line in 1st place and almost a second ahead, making this Alfie’s first win of the European Championship. After a short-lived celebration, Alfie had his game face back to put right his disappointments in the Pre.
Pre-Final
After Alfie’s winning success in the B final, he participated in the Pre-Final, where he started in position thirty-two. Again, Alfie used his tactical overtaking ability to reach 24th position.
Grand Final
Eager to show other drivers he is a force to be reckoned with, Alfie set off, aiming to finish in the top 15. Alfie pushed hard and skilfully, eventually reaching 17th, where he then used his defensive driving skills to ward off the other competitors. Fighting to the finish line, Alfie was placed 17th overall in the Grand Final. His ability to defend his position was a difficult task that he took in his stride.
What’s next for Alfie?
Alfie was incredibly proud as he has gained much experience and cemented himself as the talented underdog who returned across the channel with his first European Championship win.
As recent as last week, the charismatic Alfie completed a weekend of racing for the fifth and sixth round of the British Superone Championship at Clay Pigeon in the stunning Dorset countryside.
We will keep you updated on Alfie’s progress within our series “Tales of the Track “.
Special thanks to all the team at BBM Sport from everyone on team ZLX.
