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Collin Matiza, Harare Bureau
HOT-SHOT Zimbabwean kart racer, Zac Dufty, has set his sights high for the next exciting stage in his motor racing career in 2021.

After competing in practically every karting class within the sport over the past 10 years — and with trophies to prove it — 16-year-old Zac and his father, Kevin, who is also the racer’s mechanic and mentor, are planning a progression.

They want to move to the main circuit racing in the competitive South African Formula Ford Class.

For youngsters worldwide, who want to get into professional racing, the logical step up out of karting is the Formula 1600 championship, where the most promising up-and-coming race-car drivers compete in state-of-the-art single-seater cars.

In 2018, Formula Ford in South Africa underwent a radical shift with the introduction of “wings and slicks” to create a premier single seater class.

“Wings” refer to the addition of a body part that improves the down force on the car and “slicks” refer to the tyres, which do not have the treads that a road car has.

Ford engines are fitted to the five-speed sequential gearbox that powers the cars and all engines are sealed and may not be opened or modified in any way.

It is a single-seater open wheel racing category aimed at young drivers who are serious about a pathway to the top of motorsport.

There is a focus on ensuring a perfectly level playing field.

Excitingly, this category runs as part of the eight-round South African national circuit racing championship and is broadcast on television regionally.

From Formula Ford, young drivers may be able to get sponsorship and move up the ladder to a career in single seaters, GT3 or sports prototype race cars. Zac’s ambition is to race in GT3 or world endurance sports cars, so Formula Ford will be a stepping stone onto perhaps the VW Polo Cup series.

“The learning curve in Formula Ford is very steep. You learn so much about race car set up, using data and the very close racing provides an excellent grounding for any form of future racing career. There are few better ways to develop a race driver,” says Zac.

Zac goes on to add: “I’ve loved karting. I’ve been fortunate to have represented Zimbabwe at two World Finals in Italy, raced in South Africa for seven years and even taken driver coaching in the UK. For me, racing is the best thing ever and I’m ready to take it to the next level with Formula Ford and continue to fly the Zimbabwe flag high.”

His father Kevin Dufty said: “It’s never been easy for Zac competing against top competitors with big budgets in South Africa, but that’s why we race there.

“To be the best, you have to race the best and he has always punched above his weight. The next step to Formula Ford is a big one and as is so often the case in motor racing, it comes down to the equipment.

“Raising the money to race for a season is the biggest challenge for anyone who wants a career in motor racing. It’s going to be tough but we are definitely up for it and hopefully Zac will be competing against the best that South Africa has to offer in 2021.”

Zac will be the youngest Zimbabwean to ever race in the South African Formula Ford championship and the first since in over 12 to 15 years.