Race winner Jonathan Mullan leads Rupesh Channake in the NGK Racing Series race

Dubai Autodrome, Feb 15th 2015– Day two of the Dubai Motorsport Festival on Saturday, 15 February, was an all action affair with championship races for NGK Racing Series, UAE Sportbikes, Formula Gulf 1000, Radical Middle East Cup and Porsche GT3 Cup Middle East.

Guillaume Simonnet, driving a SEAT, made it two out of two by winning the NGK Racing Series race, making the most of Costas Paptnonis’ absence and taking maximum points in Class 1 for the weekend. Marcel Kusin was second in the BMW.
Jonathan Mullan scored an impressive win in Class 2 after a race long duel with fellow Honda driver Rupesh Channake, who had to settle for second best by the narrowest of margins in the wake of his win on the first day.
Mullan said, “It was a good race, we came from the back as we got a slow start. But once we got motoring it was particularly nice. We finished second yesterday [Friday], so we knew what was needed to win. I’m very happy with the outcome.”
Alexandros Annivas in the Gulf Petrochem Renault took the fight to the Hondas in Class 2, but in the end crossed the line in third which was enough to give him top spot in the Clio Cup race-within-a-race. Peter England was second in his Clio.
Annivas said of his day’s work, “It was a nice one. I stayed back on the start because I could not see the lights. I managed some nice passes on the first lap, made a large margin on the other Class 2 cars. But the Hondas were faster than us, they got by on the fourth or fifth lap and that was it. But maximum points for Clio Cup is good and we also lead Class 2, so a good weekend for me and my sponsors Gulf Petrochem.”

UAE Sportbikes

Race winner Abdulaziz leads Mahmoud Tannir in the UAE Sportbikes Championship race

After a DNF on the opening day of the Dubai Motorsport Festival, Liberty Kawasaki rider Abdulaziz Binladen bounced back in fine style to score a dominant win in the UAE Sportbikes 600 Class. He powered through the field after starting from the back of the grid on his way to the top step of the podium.
Binladen reflected afterwards, “A big thank you to my team and my sponsors Liberty Kawasaki and Saudi Falcons. The guys worked really hard all night and into the morning to fix my bike after our DNF yesterday. So yes it feels good to bounce back with a win and limit the damage in the championship.”
Mahmoud Tannir finished second on his Triumph ahead of visiting Swedish veteran Magnus Mossberg on a Yamaha who finished third after a race long duel with Michael Collins, also on a Yamaha. Nevertheless fourth in the 600 Class for Collins was enough to take top honours in the Rookie Cup.
Nasser Al Shaiba won the non-championship 1000 Class on his BMW, with Ducati mounted Damien van Blerk in second.
In other races on the day Kuwati driver Zaid Ashkanani won a hard fought Porsche GT3 Cup Middle East race, after a frenetic battle with young Saudi ace Fahad Al Gosaibi. Emirati driver Sheikh Hasher Al Maktoum was third and with it winning the Rookie Cup award. It was his second Porsche Cup podium of his maiden season, and his first on home soil.
Emirati youngster Saeed Bintouq won the Formula Gulf 1000 race, with Dubai schoolboy Tom Bale second and Abbdullah Kabbani in third.
Kuwaiti brothers Mohammed and Salem Al Nusif triumphed in the Radical Middle East Cup, with Amro Al Hamad and Salman Khatter second and Saud Al Saud taking third place.
The next UAE National Race Day takes place at Dubai Autodrome on 7 March.