After an outstanding first time out in the Super Eco Class of the Thailand Super Series in May where he clinched two class wins and finished second overall in one of the two races, 16-year-old Aaron Haikal is looking at the daunting task of taking on his first ever street race when the series moves to the Bangsaen Street Circuit for Round 2 from 3-7 June 2024.
“At the same time, I’m very excited because this will be my first racing experience on a street circuit. For sure it’s going to be difficult because there is next to no run off areas and it will be critical to be precise every single step of the race,” said Aaron.
Driving for Pipekids Racing, the team that had propelled his brother Hayden to third overall in the same class last year, has been a smooth transition for Aaron who proved competitive from the get go when the season got underway at the Chang International Racing Circuit. He has also kept himself occupied with trying to get as much seat time as possible competing in local racing events.
“My preparation for the race emphasizes on endurance training. It is important that I build up my stamina for street circuit racing. My focus going into the race will be to learn as much as possible and to set-up the vehicle in the limited time we have. It may be my first time but I am optimistic, and I will certainly give my best to deliver a good result for the team.”
Meanwhile, elder brother Hayden who may have already enjoyed a degree of success at 3.7km Bangsaen Streeet Circuit, will also be confronted with driving a more powerful Mercedes-Benz AMG GT4 in the TSS The Super Series GT4 this time round. It will also be double duty for Hayden who is also signed up to compete in the Super Eco Class alongside Aaron but with rival team V-Are Pro Garage Racing Team.
“This will be my third year racing in Bagsaen and to a certain degree I feel more confident around the track. At the same time, I am also a bit nervous because I will be driving a higher horsepower car this time. The GT4 is still something new to me and because Bangsaen is very different and technical I expect the race to be every bit challenging,” said Hayden who raced to his maiden GT4 victory in Round 1 with newly-formed and Malaysian team Racing Aurora.
