UAE National Racing: Local motorsport getting more competative and stronger every year

GulfSports new Maserati wowed the crowds - Image Darren Rycroft anysportphotos.com

Sep 30, Dubai– The prelude to the 2010/2011 race season was held at the Dubai Autodrome to welcome Teams, Drivers, friends as well as numerous TV stations and journalists from all over the region. After a long hot summer break, all were eager to catch up, check on rivals and just have a general gathering before the start of the start of the National racing season next weekend on Oct 7^th.

New for the 2010/2011 season is the UAE Sportscar Championship. In 2006 Gulf Sport Racing started the one-make race series for owners of Radical sportscars, and the series has now been upgraded to include other manufacturers such as Juno, Lotus, Caterham, Ariel and KTM, additionally the Championship is to be re-named the UAE Sportscar Championship. Radical SR8 owners will be eligible to race but not score points, in the championship rules this season. Bassam Kronfli and Team NFS are set to take the wheel of the Juno for the first time as well as campaigning the Ginetta Zytek with Raed Hassan in the GT series. A new KTM XBow GT4 spec, will be campaigned by Saad Salman, he will enter his Team Sayel Racing, who have already completed intensive testing of the car with KTM in Austria.

Also in the lineup this season, making their debut on the national racing stage, will be the Suzuki Swift Cup and Formula Gulf 1000 Series due to start later in the year. The FG1000 series is the first open wheel type racing to be launched in the UAE and is aimed at young entry level graduates direct from karting.

Barry Hope and his team at Gulf Sport Racing will have their hands full running the UAE Sportscars Championship, the FG1000 and customer cars in the GT Series.

In a new Endurance Race, the FunCup, was introduced by Tony Burton who hopes to entice drivers in teams to enter his 6 hour endurance races in the Gulf region starting with Dubai Autodrome on January 26^th.

 Listen here for Mahmoud Tannirs comments on his first days practice. [audio:http://circuitprodigital.com/wp-content/uploads/Mahmoud-Tannir-Media-launch-day-30-sep-2010.mp3|titles=Mahmoud Tannir comments on his first days practice”]

The UAE Sportbike Championship, remains relatively unchanged and will again feature two classes for 1000cc and 600cc production bikes. Conspicious by his absence in the Sportbikes garage was ‘Papa’ Rod Scott, the hearty Scotsman had sent his well wishes by email addressed to all his friends wishing them good luck for a great season ahead. Rod crashed badly during the final round of last year’s championship and has since retired himself from the UAE Sportbike racing scene, his big smile and happy banter will be missed by everyone this year.

Hussain Al Kooheji,  who finished third overall in last years championship will race his Yamaha R1 primarily in the Qatar Road Racing Championship, with some appearances in the UAE during the season. “In Qatar they are running more FIM International standards close to Superbikes and it will give me a chance to develop my bike and my skill level, and of course a chance to get to know the great Losail track a bit better.” commented Khooheji.

Buoyed by their last minute sponsorship deal, the Vendetta Racing team with Alan Boyter and Mahmoud Tannir were in high spirits as they set tongues wagging by wearing full Yas Marina Circuit colors to the Media conference. Although Yas Marina currently doesn’t hold any National rounds of the UAE Bike Championship, they are interested to develop a connection with all types of the sport.

Nick McElwee, Yas Marina Marketing Director commented, “It is an important step for us to help embrace all types of motorsport and we think bike racing is really growing in the region, and we are very excited to help support the team and tap into this important community”

The UAE Touring Car Championship has a new title sponsor in the form of Total Lubricants. The series features three classes of vehicles, with bumper fields expected again this year. Reigning Touring Car Champion Jon Simmonds, and his MSW Team were unavailable due to commitments to race in UK at Silverstone Britcar 24hrs this coming weekend.  

New for the 2010/2011 season is the introduction of success ballast which, coupled to a horsepower cap for Class 2 cars, will level the playing field and deliver closer racing. The changes are implemented in a bit to align the series with the FIA World Touring Car Series.

CyTech International has been announced as the Title Sponsors of the GT Series this coming season. The series, inaugurated at the start of last year 2009, is being re-vampted to incorporate broad line FIA GT standards, with the introduction of a success ballast penalty, and the addition of extra time during pit stops, it offers drivers a chance to change drivers after the first 25minutes of the race, if required. There remains no re-fueling and no tire changing. The race format has also been lengthened from 45 minutes to 60 minutes and the power-to-weight limitations have been adjusted to better suit the cars entered and to encourage closer racing throughout the field. It will run in three classes: GTA, GTB and GTC with the addition of a Teams Championship trophy within the series.

GulfSport Racing has announced it will be fielding two Maserati GranTourismo MCs this year, one driver confirmed is Robert Cregan, other is yet to be announced. TAM Auto Engineering will be fielding two Corvettes Z06R GT3s, with reigning GT champ Karim Al-Azhari and graduating from the Touring Cars will be Mohamed Al Mutawaa.

Dubai Autodrome Chairman Saeed Khalfan speaking at the press conference on the day concluded, “Under the auspices of the ATCUAE, national level motorsport in the UAE continues to defy global trends and grows from strength to strength.  After last year’s bumper grids and close racing, the 2010/2011 season promises to be another action packed affair featuring the region’s top drivers and teams. I am expecting a year filled with great action and exciting competition.”

Regulations and information about the forthcoming season are available at www.dubaiautodrome.com