Mbabane- Bulelani Shongwe’s dream of reaching Formula One will face another test when the 20-year-old takes on some of Africa’s karting drivers in Angola next month.
Shongwe will represent Eswatini at the Karting Africa Showrun in Benguela on October 10 and 11, in an event expected to attract 39 drivers from 14 African countries.
The continental competition comes as the Mbabane-born driver continues to build his experience in karting, which he sees as a pathway towards his ultimate ambition of competing in Formula One.
“I decided to take it seriously because I had dreams of pursuing a career in Formula One racing,” Shongwe said.
He said his route to motorsport started with a childhood fascination with cars before he discovered karting and began pursuing it competitively.
“I discovered karting through my love for cars and my passion for driving. I have loved cars from a young age and always dreamed of doing something involving them,” he said.
The Angola race will give Shongwe an opportunity to measure his progress against competitors from across the continent while gaining experience outside the local and South African racing environments.
Shongwe is currently studying Business Management and Logistics in South Africa and has had to balance his academic commitments with training and racing.
He said the traveling between Eswatini and South Africa had also contributed to his development as a driver, particularly in areas such as awareness, defensive driving and multitasking.
His development has been closely followed by WORR Motorsport founder and head coach Wesleigh Orr, who has praised the youngster’s attitude and willingness to learn.
For Shongwe, however, the objective extends beyond simply taking part in the Angolan event. He wants to use his motorsport journey to gain international recognition and demonstrate that Eswatini has talent capable of competing on the wider African stage.
“I’m hoping to achieve recognition worldwide to represent what talent Eswatini has,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Eswatini Sport and Recreation Council Senior Marketing and Communications Officer Dumisani Ntiwane said the organisation supports young athletes pursuing opportunities in their respective sporting codes.
“As the umbrella body for sport, we fully support such endeavours, particularly those driven by our youth, who represent the future of every sporting code,” Ntiwane said.
Ntiwane said the development of karting could eventually benefit other sectors, including tourism and industries associated with sport.
While Shongwe’s immediate focus is Angola, his eyes remain firmly fixed on the biggest stage in motorsport.
“My ultimate dream is to be in Formula One and on the big screen,” he said”.
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