Latest news with #LiquiMoly
IOL News
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Giuliana Saladino: the inspiring journey of South Africa's seven-year-old karting prodigy
At only seven-years old Giuliana Saladino is taking the carting scene by storm. Image: Supplied Meet Giuliana Saladino. She's only seven years old, but remember her name because, judging by her record, she's going to be another South African to make a mark in motorsport. Women in motorsport have come a long way in the last few years, and it's not uncommon to turn on the television and hear female names behind the wheel and also commentating. There have been many challenges, like the need for equal pay and commercial opportunities, like those afforded to most male sporting codes. Karting marvel Described as a karting marvel in a male-dominated sport, she sets the racing agenda with lots of help from her parents. Her impressive list of achievements includes: 2024 Prokart SSS Championship winner in the Minions class. Winner of the fastest lap trophy in the Prokart SSS Championship. Second place in the 2024 Rok Cup South Africa Nationals Championship in the Tillotson Cadets. Signed new sponsors for the 2025 season, including Supa Quick, Liqui Moly, NGK Niterra SA, Kennedy Tools, and Sparco. This year, she is starting to train in Rotax Micro Max for club races. In her blood Racing is in Saladino's blood with her grandfather, Larry Wilford, a racing legend around South African circuits, having been in the sport for over fifty years, while her brother, Matteo, 11, is also a talented kart racer. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Giuliana Saladino quickly made her mark finishing third in the 2023 SSS Championship, which was also her rookie year. Image: Supplied Based out of the Vereeniging Karting Club, she quickly made her mark, finishing third in the 2023 SSS Championship, which was also her rookie year. Giuliana's mom, Natalie, was exposed to late workshop nights with her dad teaching her how to use the tools and exercises like bleeding brakes, which captivated her interest in the sport. She wasn't allowed to participate in motorsport herself, but she makes sure her kids get to realise their shared passion for the sport. Proud mom According to Natalie, her daughter's interest was cemented when she was found in the garage, pretending to be racing in her brother's kart. In 2022, aged four, Giuliana's parents presented her with her first kart. She promptly gave it the number 4. Not because she's a Lando Norris fan, she's a diehard Ferrari fan, but because she was four. 'The track is my happy place,' said Natalie 'We are immensely proud of her. Her ambition, dedication, and drive to excel in her sport. She doesn't do it for anyone but herself. It brings her pure joy and a sense of achievement being on the track. 'She wants to become an inspiration and role model for other boys and girls.' Giuliana Saladino striking a pose in her race suit. Image: Supplied 'Always keen for one more session on practice days, Natalie says the young starlet has learnt to be a humble winner and gracious loser. 'At the tender age of seven, she can joke with her peers and have in-depth conversations with adults about the sport. Karting has brought about a maturity in her. A maturity that is important when dealing with speed, risk and awareness of not only yourself but everyone around you. 'When she was 4, she would watch Drive to Survive and say things like, 'I want to be in that movie, mommy'." She recently attracted interest from international driver academies that focus on female drivers, like More Than Equal and Iron Dames Young Talent, which are tracking her development and progress, and have requested her application for their programs when she is eligible. So, remember her name … Giuliana Saladino
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR Insights: Trackhouse duo overcomes lack of speed for Texas top 10s
Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez both overcame a lack of speed in their Trackhouse Racing Chevrolets to leave Texas Motor Speedway with top-10 finishes. According to NASCAR Insights, Chastain's No. 1 Chevrolet ranked just 23rd in overall speed in Sunday's Würth 400 presented by Liqui Moly, and Suárez's No. 99 28th. But Chastain stormed to a second-place finish despite the relative lack of pace, while Suárez came home 10th. Advertisement MORE: Texas results | NASCAR Insights analysis explained Chastain's surge was bolstered by his No. 2 ranking in restarts Sunday and bettered with defense, which ranked third overall. That continues a trend of overcoming hindered performance from his No. 1 Chevrolet, which ranks 14th this season in speed. But Chastain isn't alone. His Trackhouse teammates Suárez and Shane van Gisbergen are facing similar issues, ranking 22nd and 35th in outright speed. 'That's a working-class day,' Chastain told FOX Sports. 'Just no confidence in the car (Saturday), and you all saw that. Just the speed of the Trackhouse cars on Saturdays is just terrible. And we're just not confident — all three drivers. 'There was one pit stop today that (crew chief) Phil Surgen and the group — it takes a ton of people back at Trackhouse and on the box here and at GM Chevrolet, and they made me a confident driver all of a sudden with one adjustment. And it was small stuff. It doesn't even make sense. But after that, I was a confident driver. … But yeah, I can't drive an uncomfortable car, personally. So as soon as they got it comfortable — or at least gave me some confidence — we started going forward.' Advertisement At Texas, no one defended positions better than Suárez, a two-time Cup race winner. He maximized the productivity of his pit crew as well, which ranked fourth Sunday with front tire changer Josh Bush, rear changer Seth Gajdorus, tire carrier Charles Plank, jackman Josh Appleby and fueler Milan Rudanovic. However, the No. 99 car ranked 28th in passing and 20th on restarts. 'It was a good day for this No. 99 Kubota Chevrolet team,' Suárez said. 'We had decent speed out there. I think that we potentially had a little bit more, but we were struggling a lot on restarts all day long, except for the start of the race for some reason. All in all, it was a decent day, and it's good to get back-to-back top-10 finishes.'
