With the holiday season in full swing, Rashid Al Dhaheri has been on a intensive karting adventure in Italy in what rates as the most com­prehensive training programme ever embarked on by a young aspir­ing race driver from the UAE.

The Abu Dhabi school boy, referred to as ‘Little Alonso’ af­ter two-time Formula One world champion Fernando, participated in karting race weekends at Lonato, Siena and Ottobiano venues and also undertook an intensive train­ing course held by the Italian fed­eration ACI CSAI in Naples.

The races and events were for drivers between six and eight, with Rashid, at six years and three months, in­variably the youngest in the groups.

Ex-Formula 1 driver, Le Mans winner and current Ferrari works driver Gimmi Bruni, who has signed Al Dhaheri for his karting team, said of the youngster: “Rash­id was able to improve constantly on each day in his approach to race conditions, developing his speed and in his understanding of race tactics. I am very pleased with his progress, considering he is only six-years-old.”

Al Dhaheri’s finest moment dur­ing a month of many highs was his showing in the Nazionale Easy Kart series at the Pista South Milano in Ottobiano, in Italy a week ago.

In the first race, with grid posi­tions determined by lucky draw for Heat 1, Rashid was allocated 30th out of 33 drivers. Being way down the grid did not deter the youngster, but rather inspired him to a rous­ing drive through the field to finish fifth.

Later in Heat 2, Little Alonso started from fourth, and early on moved up to second, chased the leader before digging deep into his race craft and pouncing on the last lap of the race to claim victory.

In the aftermath of his busy schedule, Al Dhaheri is enjoying a well deserved and relaxing holiday with his family, recharging for the second half of the season which resumes in September and will in­clude training and racing at Dubai Kartdrome.