Dubai – Oct 19th – The reigning UAE GT Champions are back to defend their title as the 2010/2011 CYTECH UAE GT Championship kicks off at the Dubai Autodrome this Friday (October 22nd).
The Dubai-based team has been extremely busy over the summer break to prepare their cars for the challenge of the new season’s regulations. Working hand-in-hand with Callaway Motorsports in Germany, HoP/TAM has upgraded their championship-winning Corvette. Karim Al Azhari took victory with the car in the top GTA class of racing last year, and the team has high hopes for the upcoming racing season.
‘The UAE GT Championship this season won’t be easy – it’ll be very interesting especially with the amendments to the rules and regulations such as extending the race period from 45 to 60 minutes,’ commented Motaz Abu Hijleh, team manager. ‘This has pushed us to work harder on the preparations. We are looking forward to the championship and we welcome any challenge. Bring it on, as our driver Karim Al Azhari likes to say!’
House of Portier / TAM Auto Engineering also has a surprise in store for the upcoming season. Alongside the GTA Championship-winning Corvette Z06R GT3, the team will also be entering a second Corvette – a C6 GT4 – to run in the GTB class. Lead driver in the GTB car will be 17-year old Emirati Mohammad Al Mutawaa, who is making his jump from the UAE Touring Cars into the GT Championship this year. Al Mutawaa’s drive in the GTB car is part of Hop/TAM’s wider strategy to develop and train UAE National drivers through motorsports.
Because of the arduous 60minute-long races, HoP/TAM will be supporting both Karim Al Azhari and Mohammed Al Mutawaa with second drivers who will share the driving duties. Names and details of the top talent that HoP/TAM are bringing in to drive is a closely guarded secret and will be revealed on race day.
Karim in action in season 2009 - Image Darren Rycroft at anysportphotos.com
After its successful inaugural season last year, the UAE GT Championship is shaping up to have a very healthy grid of cars in 2010/2011. Alongside UAE-based teams, it’s expected that international teams will be joining the field with the intention of taking away some silverware. Racing will take place between October 2010 and March 2011 at both FIA-accredited circuits in the UAE, the Dubai Autodrome and Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
Both HoP/TAM Corvettes completed initial shakedown testing at the iconic Hockenheim racetrack in Germany before being flown out to Dubai. After taking delivery, both cars have already completed some high-speed testing at the Dubai Autodrome before the first race of the UAE GT Championship this weekend.
