Dubai:Drama unfolds early during pre-race testing at Dubai Autodrome

Drama started early in the Cytech UAE GT Championship during the test day before Fridays UAE National Race Day at Dubai Autodrome.

Reigning UAE GT champion and preseason GTA Class favourite Karim Al Azhari was forced to rapidly evacuate his House of Portier Corvette after it caught fire on the main straight during the morning open practice session. Al Azhari told officials that he smelled fuel in the cockpit and pulled off to the side of the track upon which the rear of the Corvette ignited. No one was injured in the incident, but as a result Al Azhari and his co-driver Fabian Giroix will not be on the grid for the Cytech UAE GT season opening race.

The team’s woes did not end there as technical issues with the GTB Class Corvette which looks likely to render young Emirati ace Mohammed Al Mutawaa to spectator status on race day.

While bad luck dogged the champion team, their rivals were hard at work with final setup and preparations to their cars. The NFS Dodge Viper in the hands of Julian Griffin went fastest of all by the day’s end, with a best time of 1 minute 27.995 seconds. Next best were the pairing of Bassam Kronfli and Raed Hassan in their Ginetta G50Z.

Hassan said, “This is a great car. It is the fastest time I have ever set at the Dubai Autodrome National Circuit configuration. Bassam also had a good session, so things are looking good.”

Fastest in the GTB Class were the pairing of Jon Simmonds and Tarek Elgammal in the MSW Porsche GT3 Cup, while in the GTC Class Paul Denby and Harris Irfan in the ARM Porsche GT3 set the pace.

Also making a showing for the first time in local racing, in the GTC Class, were a pair of Maserati GranTurismos, run by GulfSport Racing, in the hands of David Field and Robert Cregan

The Cytech UAE GT race format for the 2010/2011 season is a one hour mini endure with teams required to make one pitstop during the race. Teams can run one driver or two drivers, thus driver swaps will take place during the pitstops.

Most of the Class 1 and Class 2 teams and drivers, competing in the Total UAE Touring Car Championship, present on the test day were out doing system checks and setup tweaks with no one really opting for hot laps. However at the end of the day it was rookie Andre Ramdhanny in the MSW Seat Supercopa who set the pace in Class 1, while reigning champion Umair Khan was tops in Class 2 at the wheel of the Lap57 Honda.

In the UAE Sportbike 1000 Class Abdulaziz Binadin, on a BMW S1000RR, showed his intent by setting the fastest times in all three sessions. Emirati rider Ahmed Al Lanjawi, on a Suzuki, shaded the Saudi pace setter all afternoon. Absent on the day was Yamaha rider Hussein Al Kooheji, while Kawasaki’s Hennie Sauerman was back in the saddle after injury forced him to miss the first round. Binladin and Al Kooheji shared a win apiece in the season opener earlier this month. Pascal Grosjean was fastest in the 600 Class.

Tomorrow (Friday, 22 October) practice starts at 9:00am with the first race to get underway at 13:30pm. Entrance and paddock access is free for race fans.

UAE National Race Day 22 October 2010

Provisional Timetable

9:00 – 9:20       TOTAL UAETCC

9:30 – 9:50       UAE Sportsbike Championship

10:00 – 10:20   CYTEC UAEGT Championship

10:30 – 10:50   TOTAL UAETCC – Qualifying 20min

11:00 – 11:20   UAE Sportsbike Championship – Qualifying 20min

11:30 – 12:00   CYTEC UAEGT Championship – Qualifying 30min

Lunch and Prayers Break

13:30               Race 1 TOTAL UAE TCC

Race 2            UAE Sports Bike Championship Race 1 12 Laps 30 14:00 14:30

Race 3            TOTAL UAE TCC – Race 2 12 Laps 30 14:30 15:00

Race 4            UAE Sports Bike Championship Race 2 12 Laps 30 15:00 15:30

Race 5            CYTEC UAE GT Championship 60min 70 15:30 16:30