SpeedBay, a part of the David Pieris Group of Companies, marked the arrival of the world-class SODIKART brand in Sri Lanka for the very first time with an exclusivelaunch at Waters Edge on Thursday, 11 September 2025.

This marks the beginning of a new era in motorsports entertainment in Sri Lanka. SODIKART,a French manufacturer established in 1981 by Gildas Mérian in Sautron near Nantes, is theglobal leader in both leisure and competition karting. Since moving its production to apurpose-built factory in Couëron in 1998, all SODI chassis have been designed and built thereto exacting standards.SODI offers a wide array of products and services, including SODI rental karts for leisure and

SODI racing chassis for competitions, accessories and parts under the Tekneex and MEKAONE brands, driver gear (helmets, suits, gloves, etc.) from Box’s, all retailed through theITAKA shop network and online sales. It also organises key karting events via 3MK Events,notably the Sodi World Series (SWS) and the Challenge Rotax series in France, all reinforcingSODIKART’s global reputation for innovation, technical excellence, safety, and customersatisfaction on five continents.

For the first time, Sri Lankan drivers and motorsport enthusiasts will have the opportunity toexperience karts that are faster, more modern, and engineered with cutting-edge technologyto deliver world-class performance. These karts feature fully adjustable seats and pedals,allowing every driver to achieve a perfect ergonomic fit without the need for additionalmodifications, while maintaining the highest levels of safety and comfort.With this upgrade, all vehicles at SpeedBay Bandaragama Circuit will now be SODIKARTs,and every driver will also be provided with race suits and gear, standardising the experienceand raising the professionalism of karting in Sri Lanka.

Importantly, all participants via SpeedBay will now be eligible to internationally compete inthe Sodi World Series (SWS), one of the world’s largest karting competitions, placing them onthe same global leaderboard as drivers from over 40 countries.

The unveiling of the SODIKARTs was led by Mr. David Pieris, President of the David PierisGroup of Companies, Mr. Rohana Dissanayake, Group Chairman and Managing Director of theDavid Pieris Group of Companies, Mr. Eshan Pieris, Chairman of David Pieris Racing & Leisure(Pvt) Ltd and David Pieris City Developments (Pvt) Ltd, and Mr. Alex Tawil, Director of Sodikart Asia.

Mr. Alex Tawil, Director of SODIKART Asia, commented, “We are thrilled to bring SODIKARTto Sri Lanka in collaboration with SpeedBay and the David Pieris Group. What excited us aboutthis partnership is the clear growth we see in motorsports in Sri Lanka, the appetite forinternational-standard experiences, and the professionalism SpeedBay brings to the table.This shows a huge opportunity, and we believe our karts will help define the standard here.”Mr. Eshan Pieris, Chairman of David Pieris Racing & Leisure (Pvt) Ltd, added, “Motorsport hasalways been close to my heart, and introducing the SODI brand to Sri Lanka is a key milestone.

This launch is not only about the improved specifications of the karts but also about givingevery driver the chance to compete at a world-class level. With this initiative, we are placingSri Lanka firmly on the global karting map.”Having hosted international-standard events such as the IAME Series Sri Lanka and the 12-Hour Endurance Karting Championship, SpeedBay’s debut with SODIKART is the next step inSri Lanka’s growth towards world-class motorsports, bringing a professional, high-performance karting experience closer to local enthusiasts.