Percat leading new young talent programme
Bathurst 1000 winner Nick Percat will spearhead a new junior pathway initiative designed to help promote Australian racing talent.
Percat has teamed up with Melbourne Karting Centre owner James Sera and Australia's top junior team Sonic Motor Racing Services to formulate the programme, which is designed to bring drivers through karting and into professional motorsport.
Young drivers will receive tuition from both Sera and Percat in karting, Percat then continuing that guidance through the progression from karts to cars with Sonic.
The programme is an extension of driver tuition work Percat has been doing at Sonic since he won the Australian Formula Ford Championship with the squad back in 2009.
“I attend a lot of karting events, and the question I get asked the most by parents is, “what do I do next for my child?” said Percat.
“At the moment, there really is no clear pathway. I already do a bit of work for James at MKC, and I'm still heavily involved with Sonic, so the idea that we’ve come up is a clear, simple and real pathway for kids who want to be race car drivers.
“Personally, I’m motivated to help the next generation of youngsters coming through the ranks and make sure they don’t rush the steps. They need to get the fundamental rights, and this partnership will allow us to streamline that through the expertise at Melbourne Karting Centre and Sonic."
Mick Ritter, boss of the successful Sonic outfit, said Percat and Sera are the ideal people to help spearhead a pathway programme.
“A programme of this nature is something we have been working on for quite some time, but it has always needed to be with the right people,” said Ritter.
“We only want to be involved with people who have the interest of talented young drivers at heart, and I’m pleased that we have formed a great partnership with James and Nick.
“Our programme will provide a clearer path for talented young karters who are already being trained at the highest of standards at a karting level, which will make the transition and progression through the first stages of their circuit racing career both more structured and successful.
“Both James and Nick follow the same ethos about developing young talent as we do at Sonic. Effectively, we train them and give them the tools to progress to the next level.
“It is exciting to be able to align with them, and we are looking forward to bringing the next wave of karting talent into the Sonic family.”
Sonic will host an information evening regarding the programme early in the new year.
Interest can be registered by contacting the team.
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