Jefferies in sponsorship limbo

19-year-old UK-based driver was recently invited to join the Caterham Racing Team following the decision by the world’s motorsport governing body, FIA, to terminate Formula Two racing this year.

Jefferies last year made his debut appearance in the F2 series, which is one rung behind the world popular Formula One racing, and was looking at competing in this competition for the second time this year before moving into Formula 1 in 2014.

But in late December last year, MotorSport Vision (MSV), the operators of the FIA Formula 2 Championship, agreed with the FIA not to continue to run the series this year for what would have been the fifth and final year of its contract with the FIA.

And soon after the two parties agreed to scrap the F2 series from the 2013 calendar, Malaysia’s Caterham Racing Team, came to Jefferies’ rescue when they invited him to join them for this season.
Caterham Racing Team,  through their team manager Phill Spencer, indicated last month that they would like Jefferies to race for their GP2 Team this season with the aim of grooming him to race in F1 next year.

But young Jefferies’ dreams of racing for the Caterham Racing GP2 Team might be shattered as he is struggling to find local and international sponsors who will back him financially during his one-year stint with the Malaysian team.

Jefferies said yesterday that his plea for sponsorship has so far fell into deaf ears and this might jeopardise his chances of racing for the Caterham Racing GP2 Team this season. “(I’m) really disappointed for Zimbabwe and myself, as we have not been able to secure sponsorship to compete this year. We will keep fighting and God willing, something will happen,” Jefferies wrote on his Facebook wall yesterday.

Last year, Jefferies was sponsored by Afri-Hype, an Africa focused private equity company which is based here in Zimbabwe, but the young driver’s father and manager, Suhail, told The Herald yesterday that they (Afri-Hype) have pulled out of the deal.

“They just pulled out without giving us any notice!!! Obviously GP2 is more expensive than F2, but races are at F1 events with world media attention. Zimbabwe and corporates are missing the big picture . . . We are so close. But lack of sponsorship might see Axcil losing the offer of being an F1 development driver etc . . . This is so sad.

“I have worked so hard for this and the Zimbabwean public want to see us there. This is not about Axcil but Zimbabwe,” Suhail Jefferies said from his base in the UK.

The sponsorship Axcil is looking for will mainly help him in meeting some of his expenses, which includes airfares, during his stint with the Caterham  Racing GP2 Team this season.

Meanwhile, Temba Mazvimbakupa of the Zimbabwe Motorsport Federation, yesterday called upon the local corporate world to come to young Jefferies’ rescue as he fights to save his promising motor racing career.

“Axcil is one the verge of making history for both himself and the country because competing for the Caterham Racing GP2 Team will help him become the first and only Zimbabwean to compete in Formula One racing in the history of this tough competition.

“And he can only realise his dream of becoming a Formula One driver with the help of the whole nation, including the Government. So, I would like to plead with the corporate world in Zimbabwe to come to young Axcil’s rescue and help him to compete for the Caterham Racing GP2 Team this year.

“Axcil is already a brand and a true sporting ambassador for this country. This young man has got the potential of becoming a world Formula One champion and he needs the support of all Zimbabweans . . . We all have to pull our resources together and make sure that this talented, young driver gets his chance of racing overseas where he will also be carrying the country’s flag,” Mazvimbakupa said.

Towards the end of last year, Axcil visited Zimbabwe and paid a courtesy call on Vice President Joice Mujuru who commended the young motor racing hot­shot for flying the Zim­babwean flag high on the international stage. Vice President Mujuru said she was impressed with the impact the young driver has made around the world, not only as a driver, but also as an ambassador for Zim­babwe.

Two years ago, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority appointed Axcil as one of their sporting ambassadors and have been using him to promote the country as a safe tourism destination during his races overseas. But despite all his popularity, especially here in Zimbabwe, Axcil has been struggling to get the necessary financial support from the corporate world, forcing him to go around with a begging bowl everytime he prepares to take part in major international races overseas.