David Field on his way to his first podium finish of the season

Dubai, 25th February 2011– Gentleman racing driver, David Field, earned his best result yet in the UAE GT Championship as he battled hard in his Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeo to finish in third place in Round 6. Action out on track was intense during the hour-long mini-endurance race held at the Dubai Autodrome, but Field held his nerve and moved into third place in the closing stages of the last lap and secured his first podium of the season.

Field was extremely pleased with his result; especially after the bad luck he’s had in the previous rounds of the championship.

“It was hard work today – very hard work. I grained the tyres badly after 20 minutes and then I was going backwards – everybody was coming past me. I stopped for the mandatory pit stop during which time the tyres cooled down a little, and they came good again.”

“I found myself swapping places back and forth for a few laps, and then on the last lap I out dragged the Duel Racing SEAT at the hairpin and then defended my position until the chequered flag.”

Third place in round 6 of the UAE GT Championship gives Field valuable points and moves him up to fifth overall in the driver ranking. Championship leader Robert Cregan retains his place at the top of the table with three wins to his name, however retired from this race after 40 minutes of action.

Cregan, also driving a Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeo, qualified in a strong second position and got the jump on his closest rival – the Porsche 911 driven by Paul Denby and Harris Irfan – at the start of the race.

The 22 year-old driver from Dublin was happy with his performance during the day, though bitterly disappointed to not finish the race.

Robert Cregan (Maserati) enjoyed his close racing with the Porsche

“The start of the race was excellent and I had some really good tustles with the 911. But four laps after my pit stop, I had a problem with my brakes.

“I was on the back straight when the No1 House of Portier Corvette came past to lap me, so I tucked in behind him through the next corner. He went onto the brakes, as did I, but mine didn’t work so I moved off the track round the outside of him to scrub off some speed and then nursed the car back to the pits.”

The Maserati GranTurismo MC Trofeos return to the Dubai Autodrome on Friday March 11th for Round 7 of the Cytech UAE GT Championship.

Report submitted by Maserati Media