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MB Partners are delighted to announce that Kanato Le will make his much-anticipated car racing debut in 2022 as he steps up to the Ginetta Junior Championship with Elite Motorsport.
The reigning IAME Euro Series X30 Junior champion, Kanato enjoyed a breakout year in 2021 taking the continent by storm with five victories and nine podium finishes. He also took Vice-Champion status in the IAME Winter Cup at the start of 2021.
Leaving his childhood home to move to the UK alone at the age of 12 to pursue his racing ambitions, Kanato makes the biggest leap of his fledgling career so far, as he steps up from karting and into the Ginetta Junior Championship - one of the UK’s premier junior racing series.
The 14-year-old partners with Elite Motorsport, one of the championship’s most successful entrants. Taking a commanding hold of the series, the team have powered their drivers to championship glory in four consecutive seasons from 2017 to 2020.
A proving ground for the most talented young drivers, the Ginetta Junior Championship marks the first step from karting to car racing for many drivers. Boasting alumni such as F1's Lando Norris, the championship has an established record for uncovering the racing stars of the future.
Reaching almost 20 million viewers, the Ginetta Junior Championship enjoys national television coverage of all nine meetings on ITV4 including live coverage of the final race on Sunday and a round-up of the week's action in ITV4's weekly Motorsport UK highlights show.
Taking command of the Ginetta G40 Junior, featuring a 1.8-litre engine with a top speed of 120mph, Kanato will race in close combat around some of British motorsport's most iconic circuits - including Silverstone and Brands Hatch.
Kanato is excited to get the 25-race season started and begin the next chapter of his exciting journey - with the championship getting underway at Donington Park on April 23-24 in support of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.
“I’m really looking forward to making this step,” Kanato said. “I’ve worked very hard to reach this point and I’m fully prepared for the challenge ahead. I believe I’m in the best place with the team at Elite Motorsport and I can’t wait to get the season started. It’ll be my first time racing on circuits and experiencing all there is about the TOCA package - including all of the fans and television coverage that goes with it. I’d like to say a very big thank you to my family and friends for their support, and to everyone at MB Partners and Elite Motorsport for helping to make this happen.”
Mark Blundell, CEO of MB Partners, is equally excited about Kanato’s exciting new challenge:
“I’m thrilled for Kanato that he’s making this very much deserved step up in his career. He has worked incredibly hard and devoted all of his time into taking this next leap forward. A tenacious racer, Kanato put his talent on full display last year to claim his first European championship and this is the perfect natural progression for him. All of the team at MB Partners are very excited to continue supporting him this year.”
Eddie Ives, Team Owner & Manager of Elite Motorsport added:
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Kanato to the team ahead of his debut season in car racing. Elite Motorsport is renowned for bringing out the best in the young drivers it supports and we’re looking forward to working with Kanato on his first step into car racing. We were very impressed with Kanato’s karting career and similarly impressed with his attitude and dedication.”
2022 CALENDAR
Rounds 1,2,3 - Donington Park - 23/24 April Rounds 4,5,6 - Brands Hatch (Indy) - 14/15 May Rounds 7,8 - Thruxton - 28/29 May Rounds 9,10 - Croft - 25/26 June Rounds 11,12,13 - Knockhill - 30/31 July Rounds 14,15,16 - Snetterton - 13/14 August Rounds 17,18,19 - Thruxton - 27/28 August Rounds 20,21,22 - Silverstone - 24/25 September Rounds 23,24,25 - Brands Hatch (GP) - 08/09 October