Mumbai, March 31 (IANS) India’s rising karting talent Kiaan Shah of Rayo Racing marked his Senior international debut with a double podium finish in Round 2 of the IAME Asia Series and IAME Thailand Series.

The 15-year-old Mumbai racer came into the weekend after a difficult phase, having suffered a fractured arm in a snowboarding accident in late December that sidelined him for nearly two months. Despite limited preparation, Kiaan made a confident step up from the Junior category into a highly competitive Senior field featuring a World Champion and several Asian and European champions.

Kiaan showed strong pace in the heats but was placed 14th on the grid for the Final. He produced a determined drive, steadily gaining positions to finish fifth, just 1.6 seconds behind reigning Asian Champion Yu Ka Po of Hong Kong. The result earned him a podium finish, with the top five classified as winners in the competition.

As the IAME Asia Series round also counted towards the Thailand Series, Kiaan was classified third to claim the second runner-up trophy, with two competitors not registered for the Thai standings. He finished behind Singapore National Champion Dillan Tan and eight-time Thai Champion Toby Gale.

Reflecting on his return, Kiaan said, “The last three months have been tough. I’m grateful to my doctors, physiotherapists, and my trainer Rohan for helping me recover and prepare for the demands of the Senior category.”

Coach and mentor Rayomand Banajee added, “A podium on his Senior international debut exceeded expectations. Competing against such a high-calibre field makes this result even more special.”

Having missed the opening round due to injury, Kiaan made an immediate impact in a 39-driver field at the Bira International Karting Circuit, qualifying seventh in his group. The large grid was split into four groups for the heats.

He finished fourth in Heat 1 after a clean and strong drive, while Heat 2 saw him recover from an early setback to finish seventh. However, Heat 3 proved costly as he was hit from behind by an Indonesian driver on Lap 2, forcing him to retire due to damage.

Starting tenth in the Super Heat, Kiaan climbed up to sixth before eventually finishing eighth, with rivals on fresh tyres gaining an advantage.

The DNF affected his overall standings, placing him 14th on the grid for the Final. Undeterred, Kiaan made a strong start to break into the top ten early and gradually closed in on the lead pack, eventually finishing fifth in the Asian category.

–IANS

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