Dubai Autodrome releases dates for new championship season

UAE Touring cars

21 June 2010 – The DAMC, in consultation with the ATCUAE, has released sporting and technical regulations for three of the four UAE National Championships for the 2010/2011 motorsport season. The emphasis on the forthcoming season’s regulations has been to maintain stability, thus there are no major changes in any of the three main categories: UAE Touring Car Championship, UAE GT Championship and the UAE Sportbike Championship.

The new for 2010/2011 UAE Sportscar Championship regulations are in the throes of being finalised and are expected to be released in due course.

DAMC Championship manager Richard Birch said upon releasing the regulations, “The emphasis for 2010/2011 has been to create stability in the regulations as much as possible. The UAE Sportbikes Championship regulations remain the same which is due to the involvement of rider’s representatives providing constructive input last season. There are some minor changes to both the UAE Touring Car and UAE GT regulations which have been brought about on the behest of competitors. They amount to tweaks to the existing regulations as opposed to major changes.”

Unchanged for next season are rules and regulations for the UAE Sportbike Championship which will again feature two classes for 1000cc and 600cc production motorcycles. The formula for the series was derived with input from the riders committee and as a result has been straight forward to implement, monitor and carry forward from last season.

The UAE Touring Car Championship which last season attracted bumper fields, and much of the same is expected this year, will in future feature success ballast. This will further align the series with the flagship FIA World Touring Car series. However, new for 2010/2011 will be a horsepower cap for Class 2 cars which will further level the playing field and deliver closer racing in this the most popular class in local motorsport.

The UAE GT Championship, which was inaugurated at the start of last season, is also being brought up to FIA GT standards with the introduction of success penalties in the form added time during pit stops. The duration of each mini-enduro style race has been increased to 60 minutes, last year each race was 45 minutes. The power to weight limitations have been adjusted to more suit cars entered and to encourage closer racing throughout the field. The 2010/2011 championship will be awarded to drivers, as it was last year, but for the forthcoming season will also reward teams.

Birch concludes, “We have consulted with drivers and teams with regards to next year’s regulations and we are confident that the majority of competitors will welcome the early release of these regs and enable them to prepare for the season accordingly. We would like to thank the ATCUAE for their support and input in helping finalise these regulations.”

The 2010/2011 race dates provisional calendar has been released by the ATCUAE (see below) and DAMC are awaiting final race dates from Yas Marina Circuit before finalising the format of each of the designated race dates for the various UAE National Racing calendar.

Regulations and information pertaining to the forthcoming season are available from the Motorsport Club section of http://www.dubaiautodrome.com/

2010/2011 Provisional Race Dates

• Also set to feature UAE National Race Days are the FG1000 Championship series races and the Suzuki Swift Cup. Information available from organisers of the relevant series.

Final race dates for Yas marina to be announced in due course