Aidan Wright

I was always keen on speed, I use to love sitting on my dads lap and steering the car down the back streets and changing the gears for him. There is just something about going fast that really gets the adrenaline pumping. I started racing after my parents bought me my first go-kart in 2004. I remember the excitement I had when we first went out to do some practice laps at the track, it was like Christmas in July. As the years flew by Dad and I started traveling to other states trying to get a few big races under our belts, The motto that "practice makes perfect" was what I lived by. Eventually I managed to have a few good placings in some top events, this was when I was selected onto the Tony Kart Australia "Junior Development Squad". It was a rocky start as it was the first time I had ever raced such high profile drivers before, it is quite daunting reading magazines about other competitors then finally racing them. As the year went by I managed to learn more and more about myself and how the kart adapts to different tracks.

As a new year began with the Tony Kart Team I decided that I was going to give this year my very best, I managed to place in the top 5 in every state and national tournament that was held throughout the 2010 season.2011 began another year with the Tony Kart Team and I found it a bit hard to adapt to the senior ranks but I quickly got over that and managed to place very well in most events. I ended up traveling overseas to Italy and France to race that year, I was the first Australian CIK driver to compete overseas in 10 years. I loved every moment of racing overseas, the chaotic driving, the feeling of representing your country, it made for such a great experience and it is one that I will never forget. I ended the year on the biggest high I have ever had, by winning the last round of the CIK Stars of Karting and the prestigious South Australian Karting Championships.

After being approached by Peter Thompson, the Meritus GP team principal, I arranged to undertake some testing in Malaysia. After posting consistently good results Peter offered me a place in the team. Providing driver development and motorsport engineering to young drivers and with 34 titles in Formula Asia, Formula BMW Pacific, Formula V6 and GP2 Asia under their belt it was an easy decision to make to sign with Meritus GP for this year’s racing calendar. This year follow me as I give it my all to race and become the JK Series Asia Pacific Formula BMW Champion.

2011
Auto Action Magazine Top Ten Karters of 2011
South Australian State Titles – 1st place Clubman Light, 2nd place Leopard Light
Castrol Edge CIK Stars of Karting Series – 1st place Pro Light (KF1), Round 5
CIK-FIA World Under 18 Karting Championship – 18th overall from 83 competitors

2010
Northern Territory Open Sprint Kart Championships – 2nd place Junior Clubman, 2nd place Junior National Light
CIK Round 4 Stars of Karting – 1st place, Final 1 KF3, 2nd place, Final 2, KF3

2009
Selected for Tony Kart Development Squad
Queensland Closed State Championships – 1st place Junior Clubman

2008
Cairns and District Kart Racing Club Championships – 1st place Junior National Light
QLD Closed State Championships – 1st place Junior Clubman