No one from Bangladesh has ever made a name for himself on the international stage by competing in racing competitions until recently. Despite the fact that Bangladesh’s youth are passionate about Formula 1 (the most prestigious car racing tournament), the country lacks a dedicated racing track. Therefore, Bangladesh’s talented racing drivers are rarely seen competing on the world stage. Avik Anwar is an exception in this case; despite the challenges, he has managed to represent Bangladesh in the international arena on his own initiative. Let’s look at a few of Avik Anwar’s international achievements.
What motivated Avik Anwar to car racing?
Avik Anwar has been fascinated by Formula One racing since he was a kid. Avik’s father connected the cable TV at home so that he could watch Formula 1 racing regularly. Two of the greatest Formula One drivers, Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen inspired Avik immensely. By seeing their car race, he quickly realized that one day he will be a racing car driver, bringing Bangladesh honor.
Avik Anwar was always encouraged by his family, even if he did not get financial support initially. Besides, he has come this far with complete mental courage. Avik moved to Canada in 2006 and practiced track driving for a few years. He afterward moved to Bangladesh, where he began his racing career by winning the Rail Cross Championship three years in a row from 2014 to 2016.
Avik Anwar’s International motorsport career
Avik Anwar first gained attention in 2019 when he won the Volkswagen Amio Cup, an international racing tournament held in India. He became the first Bangladeshi to win an international racing competition with this victory.
Avik finished third in the Malaysian racing circuit the same year. He had to go through so many crashes in that race. Subsequently, he became the first Bangladeshi to qualify for FIA-recognized P1 and P3 races in the UAE as a result of his accomplishments.
Despite the fact that several international automobile races were scheduled for 2020, most of them were canceled or postponed owing to the global coronavirus outbreak. However, Avik has had an extremely active year in 2021. In fact, he has had a lot of success in international motorsports this year.
Avik Anwar fulfilled his dream of driving a Formula 1 racing circuit for the first time in February 2021 at Yas Marina in Dubai. This Formula One track in Abu Dhabi is well-known among car racing enthusiasts. There are 16 turns in this 5.261 km track. He was the first Bangladeshi to finish third in the UAE Pro Car Championship in that event. By finishing on the podium, Avik paid tribute to the language martyrs.
He was successful in the United Arab Emirates once more in April. Avik Anwar and Affan Sadat represented Bangladesh this time. They took first place in the two-hour endurance event. Avik came out victorious three races in a row.
Anwar’s most recent triumph was in November. He took the first position in the NGK Pro Car Championship at the Yas Marina Formula 1 track in the UAE with the Toyota GT86 Model Car, edging out Helal Almazrouei and Fahad Alzaabi.
Avik had previously finished first in qualifying and the grid 1 and grid 2 races. It was his most consistent effort, which came after a lot of hard work and dedication. Avik has a plan to participate in a 24-hour motor race in Thailand in December of this year.
Bottom Line
Avik Anwar is regarded as a pioneer in the field of automobile racing in Bangladesh. Therefore, he has a lot of challenges ahead of him. Despite the fact that car racing is popular among some groups of young people, it is impossible to promote it in Bangladesh owing to a lack of adequate infrastructure.
Motorsport needs sponsorship and distinct tracks. So that regular car racing events may be held and prospective motorsports drivers can be identified. Avik Anwar is one of the many racing talents that can represent Bangladesh in the future and bring honor to the country.
Source: United News of Bangladesh