Georgetown GP: Emma Vieira looking to master race craft

By Avenash Ramzan

Emma Vieira has been busy whipping her kart into peak condition and brainstorming ideas with her father, the champion Group Four race car driver Mark Vieira, as she prepares to compete at the Georgetown Grand Prix this weekend (July 8).

In an exclusive interview with News Room Sport, a confident Emma spoke of the areas she needs to master in order to better her performance from the last time.

“My biggest problem last time was mostly race craft- passing and stuff- and I mean having a race car driver and a champion driver for a father (Mark Vieira) really helps in that aspect,” Emma said.

She continued, “So I’ve been working with him, doing a lot of four-stroke work before I get back into my own kart because he wants me to learn to drive a little smoother and get out of the corners faster. That’s what I’ve been working on and I hope it will be enough to take a race win; at least one on the night.”

Emma believes getting a good spot up front on the grid and a good start are the “most important parts” of coming out on top.

“Because what happens when we get puddled up on that start and everybody in this class is amazing, so once they get off on that start it’s really hard for me or anybody else to make it up. So what I would hope for is first or third (on the grid) because that’s directly on the race line so soon we start it would be fine to get up there,” she explained.

Emma has been racing among the boys in the 125cc Senior category, but she is keen on having more girls in the sport.

“Paige Mendonca drives in the Sun Burst Kids Cup (and) she amazing; she started much younger than me and she is already driving so good…so it’s really good to have more girls because in a sport like this, like I have told everyone who ask this question I’ve never felt put out of this sport because father never told me ‘oh you’re going to drive among the girls and beat them’…it was always about just do your best, and when he saw that I could drive with the boys I think it was so much bigger for him. Now he fixes the karts, he always there to ensure everything is great. So one race you should come and see is the Kids Cup race, even more than my own race, just come and see Paige drive,” Emma related.

The young driver envisions an exciting night of racing, as according to her, it’s a bit difficult to predict a winner for each category.

“None of the races is set in stone like we have seen; we’ve always had out favourites and it turns out a different way and all the races are so close its excitement around every turn and every corner of the track so that’s why you guys some should; it’s a lot of fun,” Emma pointed out. 

The Georgetown Grand Prix will start at 19:00h or 7pm. Tickets cost $1,000 for adults, while children under 12 is $500 and VIP $4,000. It is organised by GT Motorsports in partnership with a number of sponsors.