Over the years several Formula 1 drivers have tried their hand at rallying, think Kimi Raikkonen and Robert Kubica, who both enjoyed spells in the World Rally Championship in the last decade. But few drivers harbouring dreams of climbing the ladder to reach the pinnacle of motorsport have chosen to enhance their chances through rallying.
Step forward Red Bull F1 junior Zane Maloney. Simply known as the ‘The boy from Barbados’, the 19-year-old Formula 2 racer can lay claim to being the only driver in the world to take on the unusual F2 Monaco and Spanish rounds and Rally Barbados triple-header.
Last weekend is the second consecutive year he’s returned to his much loved Caribbean island home, famous for being a tourist hotspot, to swap the cut throat world of F2 for the challenging tarmac stages of Rally Barbados. It begs the question, why jump behind the wheel of a latest spec Skoda Fabia Rally2 car to take on the notoriously challenging world of rallying during an F2 campaign?
For Maloney, it’s a simple yet multi-faceted answer: “Why not?” Maloney, who sits ninth in the F2 standings, tells Autosport. “We have an amazing rally here in Barbados. I usually can’t do much rallying during the year because of my F2 season, but Rally Barbados always lines up perfectly and I’m able to do it. What is better than driving an R5 car around Barbados? It is loads of fun and it is good to get in another car to drive and learn new skills.
“I’m very fortunate to be here rallying in Barbados. My sponsors are amazing and they have allowed me to do this and any opportunity there is to jump in a car I will be there. I love racing. Racing is my passion, rallying is difficult and it is a different genre of motorsport, so it will be tough.”
To add some context to this F1 hopeful’s rallying adventure, the Maloney name in Barbados is synonymous in motorsport and rallying in particular. Zane’s uncles Mark and Stuart both compete regular in Skoda Rally2 cars in the national R5 Championship, and it was only in the last two years that his grandfather stopped competing. Motorsport is in the Maloney blood and it’s a passion that has swept the island.
From the outside Barbados has the reputation of being a picture postcard holiday paradise blessed with blazing sunshine, white sandy beaches and turquoise seas, but beyond that is a thriving motorsport community, with rallying at the heart of this love affair. This year marked the 33rd running of Rally Barbados and in that time is has welcomed a number of star studded names, and can count former WRC rally winner Kris Meeke among its previous winners (2008-2009). Its unique asphalt challenge mixed with the friendly, enthusiastic and passionate Caribbean vibe has ensured the rally has become a national sporting highlight that not only welcomes thousands of local spectators but many from abroad too.
Source: Autosport