By Reza Murfi Year 12.
Andrey Ouziel is a go-kart racer in Year 9. A big fan of racing, Andrey first started at the age of 11 and continued to progress in the sport. Andrey is currently not fully committed to racing as school is a main priority. However, we were still incredibly eager to learn all there is to know about a young driver like him.
Which series are you racing in?
I raced in the Karting euro series and WSK series, as well as some smaller championships in Spain and France.
How did you get into racing in the first place?
I began racing when I was 11 years old in Dubai out of personal interest. Neither of my parents have a racing background so I started with zero experience. In my second year, when I was 12, I began winning races. In that year I came third over all, but I had the disadvantage of missing one race, in which if I had done did well in, I would have won the championship.
What is it about racing that makes you enjoy it so much?
I love the feeling of being on the track and in the kart. Going 120 km/h gives me a rush that I don’t get from many other sports; it’s a unique feeling.
How often do you race?
I race almost every weekend. I have 2-3 races a month in the beggining of the season, but closer to the end I have less (1-2 races during a weekend).
Is there anything special or superstitious you do before racing?
Before the race-qualifying begins I close my eyes and visualise what I need to do. I take deep breaths and clear my mind. This helps me stay focused and calm, as there are many emotions before a race.
Do you plan on racing in higher classes in the future?
In the beginning I wanted to become a formula driver. It was my primary ambition. But now that I’m older, I understand that this isn’t what I want to do in life. I’m happy that I’m doing this, but I want do it for fun rather than competitively.
What is your favorite racing series to watch?
I love watching F1; I watch every race of the season. I also like WRC, but I’m mainly into on circuit racing.
Who is your racing idol?
I wouldn’t say I really have a racing idol, but there are F1 drivers that I like such as Verstappen, Leclerc and Albon. I know Alex in real life as well, so following his progress is really interesting.
How do you manage your time between racing and school?
Managing my time between school and racing is quite difficult for me, especially now that I’m in high school. This is also a reason I am not going to do as much racing. Since I’ve stopped my grades have gone up a lot and I’m doing better in school.
We would like to thank Andrey for giving us his time to answer our questions. We wish him all the best in his racing career.
