Alistair Blick is on a clear path to continuing the family’s legacy in Ugandan motorsport after adding motor rallying to his motorsport resume.
The 18-year-old is the newest addition to the co-driving fraternity.
He has partnered with his father; Arthur Blick Jr who is the 2015 National rally champion.
The duo has since become a formidable combination after two rounds of the rally season this year.
Alistar’s first event was the season-opening event in Mbarara last January.
“I was so excited to know that I was going to navigate dad. But when I went for my first recce, the excitement lowered a bit on realizing the real work that awaits me, the technicality was too much.
“I was so nervous. It was terrible and scary. The stages were long, slippery. I was just trying to do my best and I must admit I made many errors like reading too late or too early.
“But my father guided me,” says the young co-driver.
Alistair’s debut however ended on a disappointing note. The Blick crew dropped out on day two with mechanical trouble.
But with the season’s rallies coming fast, Alistair jumped right back into the co-driver role in March. He hoped for the best this time round.
A third-place finish in the Kaliro EMC Rally was good enough for the weekend’s work.
Alistar also became the youngest co-driver in Uganda to land a podium finish.
“I have started to love it, the speeds really excite me, the corners all look different as when I was a spectator before,” says Alistair.
“I am here to help my father win another championship. But also I am using this as an opportunity to set myself in the right position to become a good driver.”
Just like his father, Alistair is crossing from motocross where he has registered several championships to his name.
“I am still going to do motocross just like my father does it. The fact is I am more passionate about MX but it seems co-driving is taking over. I am now at cross crossroads. But MX will always be in line for me whenever time favors me.
“And besides, MX will usually help me with my reflexes and instincts, making me react instantly in case something happens while on a route. So MX helps to tighten my senses and skills to control myself.”
Alistar’s father says he is more proud now of his son about the progress they are making.
“He is now of age and there was no better way for him to get the experience than to actually be in the actual situation.
“Also with the older generation, we don’t have a big future ahead in the sport. And I am happy to introduce him as the youngest co-driver,” says Arthur Blick Jr.
He confesses that Alistair is already showing signs of a good driver.
“There is a way this young generation can grasp things easily. On his second event, Alistar had started realizing my mistakes and telling me how I should have done it. To me, that was amazing. He is going exactly where I want him to be.”
The father-son combination will be back into the championship fray when they take on the Pearl of Africa rally in May.
Alistar says it will be a dream come true to win it alongside his father.