FOR YOUNG Jamaican driver Alex Powell, his first podium finish in an Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA)-sanctioned event represented the culmination of a two-year process, including tireless effort.
Powell, who is signed to F1 team Mercedes-AMG, finished third in the second stage of the FIA European Karting Championship series held at the Circuito Internacional in Zuera Spain on Sunday. Powell, competing in the Original Karting (OK) Class, had crashed out of contention during the first-round event in Portugal.
Great Britain’s Joe Turney won the second stage ahead of France’s Enzo Deligny, completing a weekend in which he won the heats and the Super Heat before tasting overall victory. Powell had finished fifth in the Champions of the Future event in Zuera and he said that it was a relief to finally get a podium finish in his elevated category.
“(To) finally, to be on the podium in an FIA event, it feels super good. We have been working so, so hard for these past two years. It has taken me two years to be on the podium. To finally be on the podium, it feels amazing,” Powell told the RJRGLEANER Group.
It has been an up and down 2022 campaign so far for Powell, who did not finish the opening round in Portimao, Portugal, because of a crash in the final round and had mixed results in his other races.
However, Powell credited his team for getting him to a major milestone in his career which he says is a confidence boost for him and as well for his chances in the title race.
“It was all group work. I put in my side of it but also the rest of the team, especially my mechanic this weekend. To finally be on the podium in an FIA it’s very good for myself and also the championship side of it,” Powell said.
With his third-place finish, Powell is now in eighth place in the championship standings with 20 points.
Powell will have a chance to continue his march up the table when the series shifts to Kristianstad, Sweden, next month before going to Franciacorta, Italy, in July.