Mumbai racing driver Zaamin Jaffer has been confirmed as one of India’s leading competitors for the brand new i1 Super Series which will blast into action early in the New Year with a star-studded entry list – headed by none other than 1997 FIA Formula One World Champion Jacques Villeneuve.

Beginning an exciting new chapter in Zaamin’s young career, his participation in the i1 Super Series will mark the 21-year-old’s first experience of racing sportscars; the category featuring 18 identical Radical SR3 racers. Nine teams, each representing a different Indian city ‘franchise’ will field two cars and the mouth-watering prize purse of two million US dollars has attracted some major names.

Joining the Indian ace on the entry list for the opening round at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia on 21^st/22^nd January will be several ex-Formula One stars including Villeneuve, Jean Alesi, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Mika Salo, Giancarlo Fisichella and Vitantonio Liuzzi.

The new championship was officially launched during a specially organised event at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi on Monday, 19^th December, where Zaamin was named as one of nine ‘Indian International’ class drivers. In addition, there are two further classes – one for non-Indian racers with international experience and another for less experienced racers from the sub-continent.

Yesterday Tuesday, 20^th December, competitors had their first taste of the Radical SR3 which will be utilised in the five-event championship during a brief 20-minute test at Yas Marina. Immediately proving his worth, Zaamin – who has most recently been winning races in the Dubai-based Formula Gulf 1000 Championship – lapped within just 0.6 seconds of outright pace-setter Frentzen.

Posting a best time of 1m01.153 seconds, the talented rising star of Indian motorsport broke into the top 10 overall just 0.3 seconds shy of Liuzzi and ahead of vastly experienced international racers such as Salo, Alex Yoong and Sakon Yamamoto.

“We’ve been working really hard to try and be involved in the first season of the i1 Super Series so I’m absolutely delighted to have been announced as one of the Indian drivers”, said Zaamin, “I can’t wait for the first race, it’s going to be incredible competing on track with so many top drivers and it’ll be the highlight of my career so far for sure.

“The championship has been eagerly awaited for a long time and it’s going to be massive for Indian motorsport, it’s really exciting to be part of it from the inception and a huge opportunity. Having an F1 Champion like Villeneuve and Grand Prix winners like Frentzen and Alesi involved is fantastic. The first test went really well – to have been faster than someone like Mika Salo is a great feeling.”

Following the opening event in Malaysia in late January, round two will take place in the Gulf state of Bahrain on 3^rd/4^th February with round three scheduled for a week later, 10^th/11^th February, at Losail in Qatar. The ‘home’ event for the i1 Super Series will take place on 25^th/26^th February at the Buddh International Circuit in New Delhi with the finale set for 9^th/10^th March at Yas Marina in the UAE.

Team line-ups are expected to be confirmed early in the New Year – for more information visit the official championship website www.i1superseries.com

Zaamin Jaffer continued his superb run of success in the United Arab Emirates-based Formula Gulf 1000 Championship in Dubai on Friday, 25th November – the Indian ace taking his second victory in as many race meetings in round five before sealing his fourth podium on the trot in round six.

 
Formula Gulf 1000 rookie Zaamin Jaffer, who took race victory on his debut in the United Arab Emirates-based championship during his category debut earlier this month, is aiming for continued success when rounds five and six take place at Dubai Autodrome next Friday, 25th November.
 
The 21-year-old Indian, who competed in the Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship in the UK this year before participating in the Indian Grand Prix-supporting Delhi Championship with MRF races last month, returned to his family residence in Dubai immediately after the inaugural Formula One weekend in his homeland where an opportunity to debut in Formula Gulf awaited.
 
Starring on his first appearance in the UAE-based single-seater championship two weeks ago, the Mumbai-born racer set the standard immediately by qualifying on pole position 0.3 seconds clear before going on to take a memorable win.
 
Although slipping to second position off the start, Zaamin wasn’t to be denied victory on his debut and after posting the fastest lap on the eighth tour of the 4.3-kilometre International Circuit he took the lead on the 10th and final lap to win by 0.2 seconds.
 
Lining up on pole position once again for race two, Zaamin got away well on the rolling start but into the first corner he lost around six seconds when a car spun in front of him under braking. Fighting back impressively, he charged through the order and set the fastest lap on the penultimate tour to finish in second place just 0.5 seconds shy of another win.
 
“I didn’t know what to expect really on our first weekend but to take both poles, win the first race, almost win the second and set fastest lap each time was fantastic”, said the Dubai-domiciled driver, “The plan was to end the year with the Indian Grand Prix support races in MRF but the opportunity to race in FG1000 presented itself so we had a go!
 
“After such a strong first weekend in the championship, we decided to stick around and do the next two races as well. I’m confident we can have another good set of results next weekend and that’s going to be really important to end the year on a high.”
 
Zaamin added: “We had a few issues in Formula Renault BARC this year so didn’t end up showing our true pace unfortunately. Things went much more smoothly in MRF though and last time out in FG1000, if we can add to that with another really positive run next weekend that’ll be a big boost to help try and secure the backing to keep moving forward in 2012.”
 
Dubai Autodrome’s Nation Circuit will host the fifth and sixth rounds of the 2011/2012 Formula Gulf 1000 Championship next Friday, 25th November.

India’s Zaamin Jaffer starred as the best of the homegrown talent in the Delhi Championship with MRF races at the brand new Buddh International Circuit over the weekend, 29th/30th October, with a fantastic showing as part of the support package to the inaugural Airtel Grand Prix of India.
 
Accompanying the FIA Formula One World Championship for its first visit to the sub-continent, the 21-year-old had to battle severe sickness throughout the weekend but performed superbly to attain a sixth place finish in race one on Saturday and an even better top five result on Sunday.
 
Mumbai-born Zaamin, in only his first year of ‘slicks and wings’ action, returned to his homeland off the back of an encouraging debut season in Formula Renault in the UK and quickly got to grips with the 1.6-litre Ford-engined Van Diemen car utilised in Delhi Championship with MRF.
 
Despite being struck down with illness during practice and into qualifying, he was still able to post the ninth fastest time in both sessions. Faced with a tough challenge to make strong progress through the cosmopolitan field from the fifth row of the grid, the ever-improving Indian ace drove impressively with excellent pace to fight through into a deserved top six finish.
 
For Sunday’s encounter around the 5.1-kilometre New Delhi track, Zaamin lined-up ninth on the grid again but delivered an even more competitive drive than on Saturday to shine once again with the partisan support of the tens of thousands of spectators in attendance.
 
Initially moving up into the top six early on, he spent the majority of the race in that position but out of the final corner on the last lap he was able to get terrific drive on the run to the finishing line and took fifth place at the chequered flag – once more the highest placed Indian driver. Further to that, Zaamin also posted the fourth fastest lap of the race to confirm his superb pace.
 
“It’s been an amazing weekend”, he commented, “The whole event has been fantastic, it’s been such a privilege to be part of the first ever Grand Prix weekend in India and to be the top Indian driver in the MRF Formula races is really special and a great result – especially when you factor in I was ill most of the weekend!
 
“Practice and qualifying didn’t go as we wanted for that reason, so we were left with a lot of hard work in the races but I had good pace and knew we’d be able to fight through. The highlight for me was pulling off a move at the last corner of the last lap in race two, that sealed a great weekend. I’m sure we could have challenged for the podium if we’d qualified in the top six but sixth and fifth place from ninth on the grid in both races is a good return.”
 
Zaamin added: “I’d like to congratulate everyone involved in creating the Buddh International Circuit as it’s a fantastic track to drive and a great facility. This weekend has been so important for our sport in India, I’m really happy to have been part of it all.”
 

Racing driver Zaamin Jaffer is little more than a week away from the start of the biggest adventure of his motorsport career to date, his competitive debut in MRF Formula 1600 – a key support category to the Airtel Grand Prix of India, the country’s first ever FIA Formula One World Championship event.
 
Born and raised in Mumbai, the 21-year-old cannot wait to return to his homeland next week where the eyes of the world will be on the Buddh International Circuit on 29th/30th October as the stars of Grand Prix racing do battle around the 5.1-kilometre New Delhi track.
 
Zaamin recently travelled to Chennai in India to take part in a pre-event test session, his maiden run in the MRF chassis he will race next weekend. Producing consistently quick lap times, the outing went very well and Zaamin feels justly confident ahead of the Delhi Championship with MRF races at the brand new Buddh circuit. His first experience of that track will come next Friday, 28th October.
 
“I really can’t wait for this”, he commented, “For me the whole year comes down to this one event, it’s going to be off the scale for India and a really proud moment for me to be racing at my country’s first ever F1 meeting. I’ve never raced in India before so that’s going to make everything even more special – it’s so important for my career too, I really want to lead the way as the top Indian driver.”
 
Having just completed his first season in Formula Renault in the UK, Zaamin has accrued some good experience of ‘slicks and wings’ action having previously competed in the non-aerodynamic world of Formula Ford.
 
The car utilised in the Delhi Championship with MRF is similar to the Formula Renault machinery Zaamin has been used to this season, running on full slick tyres and with wings front and rear to create requisite downforce. The Van Diemen chassis is powered by a 1.6-litre Ford engine
 
Unfortunately, Zaamin’s aim of finishing comfortably inside the top 10 of the Formula Renault BARC Championship this year unraveled slightly during the last few events when factors out of his control, namely a blameless accident at Thruxton and a series of technical issues, hindered his points score.
 
“We had a few issues this year, especially the second half, which really did hold us back and meant we just slipped out of the top 10 at the end of the season”, added Zaamin, “It’s really frustrating as at the start of the year we had really good pace, I’ve learnt plenty though and the experience will definitely help in the MRF car next weekend.”
 
The current provisional schedule for the F1 weekend sees the MRF cars venture out on track for the first time next Friday, 28th October, at 10.00 (local time) for a short 30-minute free practice ahead of qualifying at 16.00. On Saturday, 29th October, race one is expected to get underway at 12.25 with race two scheduled to begin at 11.00 on Sunday, 30th October – the day of the Indian Grand Prix.

Zaamin Jaffer is gearing up for unquestionably the biggest race of his career after confirming he will compete in the Formula MRF support event to next month’s Indian Grand Prix – the eagerly awaited first ever visit of the FIA Formula One World Championship to the 21-year-old’s homeland.

Marking a huge moment in sporting, economical and tourist terms for the country as a whole, the arrival of F1 in India could also, potentially, mark a major turning point in Zaamin’s burgeoning race career as the global spotlight is turned on motorsport in the subcontinent.  

Normally competing in the Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship, the Mumbai-born driver is delighted to have secured a seat in Formula MRF for the F1 support race and is aiming to make the most of the opportunity by enjoying a successful outing in front of the Grand Prix hierarchy.

“Formula One’s arrival in India is absolutely massive for the country”, he said, “The eyes of the world will be on New Delhi and it’s going to be a very proud moment for me to not only race at home for the first time in my career, but to be doing so on a Grand Prix weekend for the first time too. I really can’t wait – it’s going to be huge.”

Zaamin, who is based in Milton Keynes while racing in the UK, was in action in his regular FR 2.0 car last weekend at Thruxton in Hampshire for the penultimate two rounds of the 2011 Formula Renault BARC season. Despite some serious misfortune, namely a huge accident in the first of the two races, he bounced back superbly in the second encounter to record a well deserved top 10 finish.

Battling hard on the fringe of the top 10 in the opener, round nine, Zaamin was the unfortunate and completely blameless victim when a driver ahead locked-up at the chicane and got out of shape on the exit. Moving to the right to get out of the way of another car and then cutting back to the left on the straight, the slowed FR 2.0 then made contact with Zaamin and pitched his car into the pitwall.

Forcing an immediate and obvious retirement, the Hillspeed team faced a huge challenge to repair Zaamin’s car in time for round 10 with only three hours between both races. In the end, a superb effort enabled the Active PR-backed driver to not only take part in the race but to battle through to 10^th place even though his car was far from ideally set-up due to the time constraints.

“Testing went well at Thruxton and I had high hopes after that but qualifying wasn’t so good so we had to work hard in the races”, explained Zaamin, “In the first race I wasn’t that happy with the car on new tyres, we had quite a bit of understeer and I did take a couple of hits early on. We were on course for getting into the top 10 though but then (Jack) Dex wiped me out and put me in the wall.

“There wasn’t time to flat-patch the car so there was no set-up on it for race two, the corner weights were out and it was locking-up but the team did a great job to even get me in the race. In terms of pace, it wasn’t that bad actually – to take 10^th place was as good as we could have hoped for.”

Zaamin’s debut season of Formula Renault competition will come to a conclusion six weeks from now over the weekend 15^th/16^th October at Silverstone in Northamptonshire. For the first time this year, the Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship will receive live television coverage in the UK as the category will be joining the support bill of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Provisional 2011 Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship Standings (after Rd10):

10^th Zaamin Jaffer, 105pts

Mumbai-born racer Zaamin Jaffer delivered an impressively strong account of himself at Zandvoort in The Netherlands over the weekend, 13th/14th August, with a double class podium on his debut in the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup.
 
The 21-year-old, who is in his first season of ‘slicks and wings’ racing, seized the chance to gain some additional experience during the summer break from his regular commitments in the UK-based Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship and starred at Zandvoort with two excellent drives.
 
Despite being at the wheel of the previous generation FR 2.0 car, the one he pilots in Formula Renault BARC, Zaamin outperformed a number of NEC regulars in their more powerful 2011 specification cars and finished second in class in each outing. His performances were especially notable considering the dreadful wet conditions which were prevalent throughout the event.
 
“It was a really positive weekend, we had good pace compared to the guys in the current spec cars and to finish ahead of so many of them – especially in race two – was fantastic”, said the Indian racer, “Obviously they have more power than we do and in the wet they have much better tyres, they’re softer, wider and have more grip, so to be able to mix it with them was really good.”
 
In terms of his class, Zaamin immediately led the way during the opening practice session and just missed out on pole position in qualifying by 0.3 seconds. In the first race he lapped consistently quicker than Hillspeed team-mate Howard Fuller but had to settle for second after a small mistake.
 
Race two – which acted as support to the prestigious RTL GP Masters of Formula 3 – was by far the most impressive run for the Dubai-domiciled driver as he scythed his way through superbly from the back of the grid into 14th position overall and second in class again.
 
After an unfortunate excursion at the beginning of second qualifying, Zaamin faced an incredibly tall order but by the end of lap one he had already climbed into the top 18 overall and progressed very well to gain another four positions before the conclusion on lap 12.
 
“I’m confident I could have won the class in both races”, he explained, “I was consistently quicker than Howard (Fuller) in race one but the smallest of mistakes prevented me from challenging. In the second one, the problem there was the fact I was stuck behind one of the current spec cars while also defending from one of them as well so it took me a lap longer than him to get by.
 
“As soon as we got past, you could pull two or three seconds clear but they had a big advantage with more power and much better grip from their different tyres. The whole point of doing the weekend was to get some extra experience in race conditions in the Renault and to go up against some of the top European guys. Overall, I’m happy with how everything went and our level of performance.”
 
Zaamin’s next outing will come as part of the regular Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship season with rounds nine and 10 taking place on Saturday, 3rd September, at the ultra-fast Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire. Ahead of the event, the Hillspeed driver is seventh in the points standings.

JAFFER JUST MISSES TOP SIX ON FORMULA RENAULT DEBUT

Wednesday 30/3/11

Testing Update

                Zaamin has been very busy over the last few weeks testing at various circuits that he will race at during the 2011 Formula Renault BARC season. Along with testing commitments he has also been flat out with University work as he approaches the end to his Buiseness Management Degree.

At the last official Formula Renault BARC test at Croft Circuit, Zaamin again showed his strong pace by going 4^th fastest on the first day and followed that up with 3^rd on the second and final day of testing.

                Along with this strogn performance he has also shown strong pace at other circuits, most recently being at Donnington Park where the first round will take place.

 “We have been very competitive in pre season testing so far and are in a very good position for the first round. At donnington yesterday we were able to try out a lot of new things with the car and found interesting results which should bode well for the season. I cant wait for the first round at Donnington!”

Further updates will follow as the intense pre season preperations continue. 

Friday 11^th February

Indian Racing driver Zaamin Jaffer had his first run in a Formula Renault 2.0 car at Silverstone yesterday (11^th Feb 2011).

The weather conditions were not ideal and created challenging conditions, as there were constant bursts of rain throughout the day leaving Zaamin with no running on a dry circuit. However he handled the day well and got settled into his new environment with Hillspeed Racing.

Zaamin used the first few sessions to get acclimatised to his new car and get used to driving a car with wings.  He made steady progress throughout the day and ended up being the fastest man on track in the final session of the day by 0.2s. Several of his rivals for the 2011 season were present at the test session that have already had many days running this year. The fact that Zaamin could match and even better their speed in only his first run in the car, shows potential for a great year ahead for the Mumbai born driver.

The test has marked the start of a busy pre season test schedule for Zaamin who will be out again as early as Tuesday at Oulton Park and Croft on Friday.

Pictures of the test can be found in the gallery. 

Recent Article in UAE newspaper The National

Zaamin Jaffer grins when he recalls the first time his mother came to see him race in Formula Ford. Understandably nervous about her only child's chosen career, in 2009 she nevertheless made the journey from their home in The Lakes, Dubai, to Snetterton, a circuit in the east of England, to see her son in action.

"We had had a discussion about where might be the safest place for her to watch," he says. He opted for a spot midway along the main straight - "What could go wrong there?"

But instead of seeing her son motoring past harmlessly, Zakera Jaffer was treated to the spectacle of Zaamin, in the middle of a bunch of five tightly packed cars, being repeatedly shunted from behind by an aggressive rival at 235kph.

Just recently, Jaffer, 21, returned to the UK to begin the next lap of his race to become a Formula One driver. After two seasons in Formula Ford, he is graduating to the British Auto Racing Club's Formula Renault Championship for his first taste of "slicks and wings" - but not before he spent a final week cramming for an exam for his degree at Cardiff University.

In a sport in which young drivers are frequently privileged children whose wealthy parents have bankrolled their progress up through the ranks, Jaffer stands out for having made his way so far under his own steam.

Further progress, however, now depends on finding a sponsor to back what could prove to be the UAE's first Grand Prix star.

Jaffer was born and raised in Mumbai, where his family ran a business leasing out construction equipment. An only child, Jaffer was just seven years old when his father died. Two years later he won a scholarship to study as a boarder at Millfield, a coeducational private school in Somerset, England, where he worked to gain the necessary A-levels for university.

It wasn't until he was 14, when his mother decided to move to Dubai, that he got his "first chance to drive something". Many would-be racing drivers get their start in karting at a much earlier age, but for Jaffer it was better late than never.

"I just started driving for fun at the Dubai Autodrome, but then I brought up the idea of racing in the UAE National Karting Championship."

Grudgingly, his mother bought him a Dh30,000 racing kart at the age of 16, which he had had for about a month before his first senior-division race, in 2006. To his own surprise, he finished second. On his second outing, two months later, he won the race and that, he says, "is when I realised I could make something of this".

For the best part of the next two years, Jaffer raced sporadically, but he knew he couldn't afford to hang around in karting for long. He also knew he needed someone familiar with the racing scene.

At 17, through a letter-and-email campaign, Jaffer managed to convice John Pratt, a former Formula Ford, Formula three and saloon-car racer and driver coach based in the UK, to be his coach and manager. Pratt steered him towards the single-seat Formula Ford series.

In 2008, even as he studied for his A-levels, Jaffer set about trying to raise the sponsorship he would need - both for Pratt's services and for a drive with a Formula Ford team. In all, his first season, in 2009, would cost him about Dh700,000.

"I e-mailed hundreds of companies every week. I tried the UK, here, India, and it was just 'No, no, no'. I got hundreds of rejections."

He finally found a private benefactor who wishes to remain anonymous - and who is not, he says emphatically, his mother, who runs her interior design business in Dubai.

"My mum doesn't pay for any of it. At the beginning she said, 'If it comes to it I'll try to help out', but I didn't want to put that burden on her."

Jaffer joined Raysport in 2009, and at his first race he qualified 16th out of 24 drivers, and finished the season fourth in the rookie standings.

He found himself learning fast. "What really shocked me was how close everyone was. In karting, there are five or six quick guys at the front and the rest are spread out. In Formula Ford, if you are 1.2 seconds off the pace you are going to be last. Lose one-tenth of second and you'll be three or four places back."

Last year, however, didn't go his way.

"By the end of the season, I counted 13 out of 25 races in which I had either had a technical problem or got hit by someone else," says Jaffer.

In the end, he finished the season 16th out of 26. "The positive I took out of the season was pace; there were moments when I had shown I could run up at the front."

Jaffer and his mentor then made the decision to get him into a class dominated by similar technical considerations.

The obvious F1 feeder class was the British Automobile Racing Club's Formula Renault Championship, from which Kimi Räikkönen graduated to Formula One.

"A lot will depend on this year," he says. "I haven't had the results I believe I should have, and it's got to the point where I really do need to perform now, otherwise I've got to reconsider where I'm going."

But he'll be going nowhere without the money he needs for the coming season - and which he has yet to find. He has won the promotional support of Dubai communications and marketing company Active PR, but he will need to find about Dh750,000 by the time team testing starts in the UK at the end of this month.

He is firmly committed to giving his F1 bid everything he has, but he is already looking ahead to a Plan B. If he hits the end of the road, Jaffer would like to start his own management and coaching operation in the UAE to pass along everything he has learnt in his time racing. The sport has changed his life.

What you gain, he says, is "an extra determination that I don't believe you would in everyday life. You get used to working long hours, flat out, and you just keep going.

"Even if I went into business I would have that mental strength."

January 10th, Dubai, UAE - Recent Interview with Khaleej Times by David Light

Stepping up to Formula Renault, Dubai-based racing driver Zaamin Jaffer is still on course to break into Formula One

Born in Mumbai, educated in Dubai and the UK and returning to his family home in the UAE during the offseason, if the Emirates is going to lay claim to its first Formula One driver soon, there is probably no better candidate that embodies the spirit of the place more than Zaamin Jaffer.

Having first met Zaamin almost two years ago when he was entering Formula Ford, a one-make single-seater championship in Britain, his enthusiasm for motorsport and determination to succeed in becoming a professional driver was infectious. Two years on and the 21-year-old Cardiff University student has signed with Formula Renault BARC reigning champions Hillspeed Racing. A further single-seater series, Formula Renault is generally considered the entry-level competition for budding F1 drivers. Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa and Lewis Hamilton all took part in it, going on to Formula Three, GP2 and reaching the pinnacle of F1 soon after.

We spoke to Zaamin about what it felt like to take this career leap.

How do you look back at your time in Formula Ford?

I completed two seasons in the competition. The first went really well. I got a few podiums and finished fourth in the driver standings. Last season didn’t exactly go to plan, though. I was extremely unlucky with the equipment and collisions. Thirteen out of 25 races I either had a technical problem or somebody shunted me off the circuit. I finished sixteenth overall, which is where I didn’t really want to be.

How do you deal with not finishing up where you believe you should have?

You always have to stay positive and look forward to the next round, hoping things will go better. There’s no point in sitting around and sulking because that won’t help. There were seven rounds last year where everything went wrong and it got really tough. But I stayed positive and managed to get out of it.

Have you carried that positivity over to beginning the new season in Formula Renault?

This season I’m very optimistic. I have worked on the structuring of my racing. Moving into a new championship is exciting and working with the 2010 title winning team has given me that extra motivation. I’m going to work really hard and make sure everything goes to plan this year.

How did you end up signing with the Hillspeed Racing team?

Once I decided to move on from my previous series my coaching team put the word out that I wanted to move to Formula Renault. I had four or five teams approach me asking if I wanted to drive for them. I narrowed it down to two and then we ended up with Hillspeed because their track record is so good. I get on with the team boss too, so it seemed like a good fit.

What are your expectations for the coming year?

I have to win the championship.

No pressure then.

The team took me onboard because of my motivation to get the results this year. I set myself that goal and they want to retain the title. I’m feeling confident about it.

Are you looking to be in this series for a while?

It depends on results. It’s quite open-ended and we’ll look at where I am this time next year.

Formula Renault is very different in that you have aerodynamic aids like wings, which makes it a great series to be in. It’s been proven to produce good drivers.

But you’re still as keen as ever to get into F1?

Of course. This is a great opportunity to move to bigger things. Nothing will ever stop me from trying to reach my goal.

Having grown up in the UAE, what has it been like watching the Grand Prix succeed in Abu Dhabi over the past couple of years?

This year was really interesting because it was the championship decider. That helped raise the profile because the whole world was watching. They put on a good show. The actual racing overall in Formula One is a little bit boring though, but that’s just the way F1 is at the moment.

Would you want to make it a bit more exciting if you got in?

For sure, but changes are being brought in for the 2013 season that will do that. Based on what I’ve read they’ve made adjustments so overtaking should be a bit easier. It needs a change to make sure the racing doesn’t get too artificial.

Would you say you have to watch the lower leagues to see true racing?

To a certain extent. Even just below Formula One they are racing using F1 principles. There is no point creating a junior Formula that feeds F1 and not have any of the aspects of it apply to the bigger races. Every Formula has good racing, especially if there are long straights, but to watch very competitive racing from meet to meet, you have to go quite far down the ladder.

Dubai-based Indian born racing driver Zaamin Jaffer is delighted to announce his graduation to the UK-based Formula Renault BARC Championship for the 2011 motor racing season after agreeing a deal with reigning champion team Hillspeed.

The 20-year-old, who has been competing in the Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain for the past couple of seasons, is relishing the prospect of moving into the world of ‘slicks and wings’ racing.

 Stepping-up to the headline class in Formula Ford this year, Zaamin did encounter more than his fair share of bad luck but came through to achieve a best finish of fifth place at Donington Park during the penultimate race meeting of the season at the wheel of his Scholar-engined Ray. He closed-out the 2010 campaign 16th overall in the main driver standings.

 “I’m really looking forward to my first test in the Renault with Hillspeed at Donington next week”, said Zaamin, “Last season in Formula Ford was tough and I had quite a bit of bad luck so I wasn’t able to show my true speed. I’m aiming to put that behind me in 2011 though.

“It’s an exciting time for me, I’ve got a new challenge ahead and with a strong team like Hillspeed behind me, along with the support of iZone Driver Performance, I hope to be challenging for the championship title.”

Hillspeed team principal Richard Ollerenshaw added: “It’s great to have agreed a deal already with Zaamin, he’ll be a welcome addition to the team and although last season was a tough one for him we know he has good pace and we’re sure he’ll shine in BARC next year.

“Next season will be a critical one for him but if we’re able to start off well with some good test mileage under our belts, I’m sure it’ll be possible for Zaamin to fight for the championship. Our plan is to be at the sharp end from the start of the season and to obviously try and retain our title.”

For his 2011 Formula Renault BARC bid, Zaamin will be backed once again by Dubai-based Active PR.

He’s only 19 years, but Zaamin Jaffer has what it takes to become a ?professional Formula 1 racer from the region The atmosphere surrounding the Dubai Autodrome was one of action-packed fun. There was a competitive spirit amongst the crowd as Zaamin Jaffer took attendees on individual laps around the race track.

Rain, hail or shine, Jaffer raced across puddles of water with full control of the SR3 RS ensuring a positive experience and a memorable day for all.

He was born to race. From the tender age of five, his passion was cars and racing. The 2009 racing season has seen some of the most exciting motorsport competitions and Jaffer’s fight to secure a seat in the MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain is a legendary one. “My mother used to drive the pram down to the local supermarket. We used to always be very late, and all the food was gone most of the time. So, I think the importance of speed was brought to my attention from a very early age,” he laughs, adding, “I know how I developed it, but as to where the kernel was sown, I really don’t know. Because there was no motorsport in the family whatsoever, and in India, there wasn’t really even an established race circuit. To talk about going motor racing would be the equivalent of saying ‘I’m going to go for a holiday on the moon,’” says the 19-year-old, who has had to juggle full-time study for a Business Management degree in Cardiff University, with intensive driver development programmes and races.

A Dubai-based racing driver, he revs the engines of one of Radical’s most popular sport cars, the SR3 RS. The 2009 racing season saw Jaffer compete in driver development programme which involved hours of extensive mental and physical training in the lead up to every racing series.

“For me, a short break is enough to recharge my batteries. I also like being in the car for testing. Plus there is the added incentive — and honour — of achieving considerable success in Formula BMW tests, finishing within the top six in both sprint and endurance races,” he says.

His latest rankings in British Formula Ford include three podiums, one fastest lap, and finishing 4th overall in rookie standings demonstrating the necessary confidence, drive and the determination to become one of the top race drivers within the professional racing scene locally and internationally. He has only four years of experience in karting, single seaters and saloon car training.

John Pratt, Jaffer’s coach, has full confidence in him saying, “He performed exceptionally well, finishing 4th in the Championships Scholarship Class. He has evolved a great deal during the 2009 racing season and has proven that he has what it takes to perform under pressure to the highest level.”

In late 2008, Jaffer was selected as one of six drivers that Andy Priaulx Performance Management coached and managed, in 2009, racing in the prestigious Formula Ford Championship in the Works Ray car for Raysport.

On the night before his first race, he felt “very normal.” “I’m generally a fan of all things new, so I just couldn’t wait to see how it would all work and what the atmosphere would be like. I knew there wouldn’t be any problems if the weather played along. However, things might have turned out rather differently if it rained, as it could have a negative effect on visibility. But in the end all went off well,” he recalls.

Once outside the track, Jaffer turns into an ordinary teenager. “I also have a simple life. I cannot tell you how many times I sit alone here, eating in front of the TV. But those are the quiet moments when I know who I am. Those are the moments that make the dream work,” he says.

But speed doesn’t thrill him always. “I’m a very careful driver. I can’t afford to lose my licence, or else I wouldn’t be able to reach the tracks on time and practice to fulfill my ambitions. I follow all the rules and never extend the speed limit on city roads, but on the track, it’s a different matter altogether,” he reveals.

He laughs when he’s asked if he’s ever ‘lost it’ on the race tracks. Is there anything that gets on his nerves of this calm and composed teen while he’s on the fast track? “When the other driver’s quicker than me. But that’s obvious, isn’t it?” he asks.

He likes the tracks in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the UK because he’s been “very quick” on them in the past. He also likes the atmosphere in these cities, “People are friendly, and the best part is that these cities have motorsport-mad fans in them,” he says.

“I’ve always believed in doing things myself and that’s the advice I’ll give others too. Do something. Do it yourself and do it properly,” he says, matter-of-factly.

Jaffer plans to participate in the 2010 Formula Ford Championship for a 2nd consecutive year aiming to finish in the top three and eventually pave the way to him competing in F3 in 2011.

“I will always give 100 percent and am looking to finish in the points on a consistent basis. I’m aiming to squeeze the maximum from myself, to minimise mistakes and to keep on developing as a driver,” he says about his New Year resolution this year.

raziqueh@khaleejtimes.com

The Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain today unveils a superb provisional calendar for the coming season – the 44th in Formula Ford’s illustrious history – with five meetings supporting British Formula 3, one alongside the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, another supporting the DTM and a “jewel in the crown” slot at Europe’s F3 blue riband event, the Zandvoort Masters.

The Ford-backed championship will be contested over 25 races with a mix of double-header and triple-race events spread over the 10 meetings; Sam Roach of Formula Ford promoter RacingLine says the planned calendar will be superb for spectators and competitors alike:

“The natural progression of drivers from Formula Ford to Formula 3 is being reinforced with every passing season. Our 2008 champion, Wayne Boyd, was a British F3 race-winner last year and we expect our ‘09 champion, James Cole, to follow Wayne into F3 this season. So we are in an excellent position for the coming year with five of our 10 meetings alongside British F3 at the UK’s best circuits.

“It’s fantastic also to have been selected to join the bill at the European ‘Formula 3 Grand Prix’, the Masters at Zandvoort in the Netherlands, which I am sure will be a highlight for everyone.” The British teams will share the grid in Holland with cars from the Benelux Formula Ford series, and it’s hoped that Scandinavian-series cars will join the party.

Other highlights for the coming season include races at Donington Park with British Touring Cars, at Brands Hatch with German touring cars, and at Knockhill in Scotland with British GT. The August Silverstone fixture will see Formula Ford tackling the full Grand Prix circuit for the first time since the introduction of the Duratec engine in 2007.

There’s also an early-summer visit to Castle Combe, trips to Rockingham and Snetterton, and an exciting Easter championship kick-off at Oulton Park.

Among the technical and sporting innovations for 2010 are the radial tyres developed by new title sponsor Dunlop, and revisions to the Scholarship division for less experienced drivers which will see the Scholarship champion winning the free use for the 2011 season of a Van Diemen chassis and Scholar-prepared engine, as well as free race entries.

With the championship celebrating the addition of World Champion Jenson Button’s name to the lengthy list of ex-Formula Ford champions to have made it to the pinnacle of global motorsport, the prospects for finding a successor in Formula Ford 2010 could not be brighter.

Registrations for the coming season are already open and are being taken at the BRSCC stand at next week’s Autosport show at the NEC Birmingham.

2010 Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain Provisional calendar

03-05 Apr  Oulton Park, with British F3
08/09 May Knockhill, with British GT
05/06 Jun  Zandvoort, Netherlands, with F3 Masters
19/20 Jun  Castle Combe
17/18 Jul   Rockingham, with British F3
14/15 Aug Silverstone GP, with British F3
29/30 Aug Snetterton, with British F3
03-05 Sep Brands Hatch Indy, with DTM
18/19 Sep Donington Park, with BTCC
25/26 Sep Brands Hatch GP, with British F3

Zaamin Jaffer is committed to developing his skills and displaying his skills in the ultra-competitive world of Formula Ford racing in the United Kingdom, “British Formula Ford is know to be the best junior Formula for aspiring drivers to make their mark. At the same time it offers a platform to gain experience and compete against the best young talent in motorsport.”

With freedom of chassis design, engine build and variations in the technical specifications of the car, it is one of the only championships in the UK that allows drivers to develop an in-depth technical understanding of vehicle dynamics and race car setup.

Formula Ford cars typically have a weight of less than 500kg, and employ 1600cc Ford Duratec engines. With no aerodynamic aids allowed, this championship provides a unique opportunity for young drivers to gain experience of close, open wheeled racing and to develop their race craft technique.

Formula Ford not only gives young drivers a chance to compete in a renowned, presti gious championship, it also provides exposure through the media to associated motorsport industries and suppliers; and all at a comparati vely low budget.

British Formula Ford

The British Formula Ford Championship is the most vibrant single seater championship in the world. In its 41st consecuti ve year, and with the likes of Kimi Raikkonen, Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button and Damon Hill as former parti cipants, the list of graduates from the championship reads like the who’s who of motorsport. Almost half of the Formula 1 grid of 2007 graduated from Formula Ford. A testament to the learning experience about car setup and mechanical grip that stays with the drivers throughout their careers.

The British Formula Ford Championship is contested over 25 rounds at 10 venues across the UK and supports every round of the Briti h F3 Championship as well as one round of the DTM Series. This close link with British F3 makes Formula Ford a great stepping stone into the higher echelons of motorsport for both drivers and teams.

Formula Ford Roll of Honour

James Hunt, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jody Scheckter, Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Mika Hakkinen, Michael Schumacher, Ralf Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello, Eddie Irvine, Heinz Harold Frentzen, Jenson Button, David Coulthard, Mark Webber, Allan McNish, Mika Salo, Nick Heidfeld, Kimi Raikkonen, Pedro de la Rosa, Anthony Davidson, Christijan Albers,  Adrian Sutil and many, many more

Zaamin Jaffer had his first run of the season in his Raysport Formula Ford during a test session at Snetterton last weekend in preparations for the 2010 MSA Dunlop Formula Ford Championship.

The Raysport team have been working hard over the winter developing new components for the 2010 season.  With this in mind, and a new engine in the car, Jaffer was quickly on the pace and set the 2nd fastest time of the days test against the highly competitive Jamun and Fluid squads

Jaffer is delighted at his start to the season and commented “This is a very positive start to the season as I was able to get straight on the pace using the new Dunlop tyres, despite not having driven the car for 4 months.  I’m certainly looking forward to getting the racing underway this year.”

Jaffer is due to test again on 10th March at Oulton Park before round 1 of the championship on April 3-5th.

2010 will be Zaamin’s second season in the British Formula Ford Championship as a driver with team Raysport. It is arguably one of the most competitive series in international motorsport where many of the greats have made their name before progressing on to bigger and better things.

Zaamin has built an excellent relationship with the Raysport team and now has a full seasons experience racing in the UK to add to his growing CV.

The young drivers says, “We are aiming high and intend racing in the most competitive grass roots series in Europe. Here the learning curve will be steep but the rewards are potentially massive. I am committed and dedicated to performing at the highest level and look forward to a great year in my climb to the top.”

Since September 2008, Zaamin has been guided by the management team set up by triple world touring car champion, Andy Priaulx. This association will continue in 2010. Andy’s team have established a group of drivers that his management team have trained to become elite drivers and Champions of the future.

Zaamin has been coached by Andy’s own driver coach, John Pratt . John says, “Zaamin is very much the type of driver that we are looking to help, he is extremely determined and dedicated to achieving his goals and we have every confidence in him”.

Places in the prestigious scheme are awarded only to young drivers who show that they have what it takes to become a true champion. Zaamin’s natural ability and potential is reflected in his selection for this programme.

In 2011, Zaamin aims to make the step to the ‘slicks and wings’ series and will be looking to compete in the Formula Renault UK or Briti sh Formula 3 championship.

The UAE and Indian press are excited about the prospect of a future racing star and Zaamin aims to realise these expectations.

Zaamin Jaffer has confirmed his place on the grid in the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship. Jaffer, who is of Indian origin, who claimed fourth in last year’s Formula Ford Series scholarship class, is excited to be driving for Team Raysport for a second season.

“I’m delighted to commit to driving with Team Raysport in 2010. Last year was a big learning curve for me, and the team, and I think we’ve learnt a lot together which will help us push for higher positions this year in the Dunlop Formula Ford Championship,” commented 20 year old  Jaffer.

Equally delighted was Team Raysport’s owner, Gavin Ray, who says: “Zaamin has proven to be consistently quick and we are confident in his abilities to compete with the best this season in what continues to be one of the world’s most competitive junior racing formulae.”

Apex Motorsport Marketing will continue to release updates on Zaamin’s progress as he builds up to the season’s first race which takes place on 3 April at the exciting Oulton Park circuit, Cheshire, where the championship will be supporting the British Formula 3 and British GT Championships.