Downing triumph in Karting Cuppers
Downing has won the Cambridge University Automobile Club’s annual Cuppers competition in karting.
The team of Han Gu (2024), Bertie Pain (2024), and Rahul Sharan (2024) finished in first place out of 11 karts competing in the final, which took place at the Rye House karting track.
The CUAC’s Cuppers competition is an endurance race, with teams aiming to complete as many laps as they can in the allotted time.
After getting through a qualifier, the triumphant Downing team won the final by 37 seconds, completing 102 laps in a time of 1:18:09, lapping all but one of their competitors in the process.
The three took two turns each behind the wheel, with the aim being for each to maximise their time on the track. Bertie led the Downing team out of the blocks, with Han racing the middle sections and Rahul bringing the team home.
While Rahul, who is studying for an MBA, has raced professionally, undergraduates Bertie and Han are relatively new to competitive karting.
Han said: “At my high school, I co-founded a motorsports-related club and started organising a few events. I joined CUAC at the start of the year and it’s been exciting to get the chance to sit in a kart and test myself. It’s been very competitive and has driven me forward to improve.”
“I’ve done occasional karting over the years. Whenever I do it, I love it. I joined the Automobile Club at the Freshers’ Fair this year. It’s been great fun and it’s always great to see your improvement,” said Bertie.
“I had never won a race before this, so it was great to finally have that experience.”
Rahul admitted that they’d all been surprised by their victory, as they were competing against a lot of teams with very experienced drivers.
He said: “It’s great to be back racing after almost an eight-year hiatus. The CUAC has done a great job hosting these events and making it accessible for all its members.
“The team did a phenomenal job. It was great working with Bertie and Han; they exceeded expectations in every way. Hopefully our win makes Downing proud.”
Published 6 March 2025