09/10 UAE Race Day 4

Khalid Al Mutawaa leads Jonathan Simmonds

31 January 2010

After over a month’s layoff UAE National racing resumed, with the second half of the 2009/2010 Championship this Friday (29 January 2010) at Dubai Autodrome. Close racing, with a tinge of controversy, were the order of the day.

Total UAE GT Championship

There was much hype going into the Total UAE GT Championship race as number of potent new and improved entries were taking to the track, especially in the GTA Class.

Raed Hassan was out in a Ginetta, Andrew Donladson was a new addition to the grid in the Muhlner Motorsport prepared Cytech Porsche GT3 Cup S, Khaleji Motorsport had taken delivery of another Porsche GT3 Cup S and DXB Racing had found some more pace in their constantly developing Dodge Viper.

All were out to dethrone series leader Karim Al Azhari in the House of Portier Corvette. Al Azhari grinned at the prospect and merely said, ‘Bring it on….’

By the time the flag dropped, on an admittedly uneventful race, it was Al Azhari in the immaculately, TAM Auto Engineering, prepared Corvette who again took top honours for fourth time in a row this season.

Behind him the DXB Racing Dodge Viper, which goes from strength to strength, was expertly driven to second place overall despite a drive through penalty. Saif Al Assam (Porsche GT3) drove a solid race to take third and hence scoring his best result to date. Ibrahim Salloum (Porsche GT3) was equally impressive on his way to fourth, also his best result in the series.

Donaldson, who finished second on track, was gutted when it was found that the Cytech Porsche failed the minimum ride height and was subsequently disqualified after a strong debut showing. It was also disappointment for Cabell Fisher and Tarek Elgammal in the Khaleji Porsche which developed fuel problems and recorded their first DNF.

Al Azhari was clearly satisfied with the result, ‘The Total UAE GT Championship gets stronger and stronger every time with five or six really strong entries battling in the GTA Class and this is great for the sport. Despite this House of Portier and TAM Auto Engineering again gave me a fantastic car and winning for them is a pleasure, as it is the result of hard work and team work.’

In the GTB Class Martin Hope and Robert Cregan, sharing the GulfSport Ginetta, took a comfortable win over Paul Denby (Porsche) and second placed Frederic Gaillard (DXB Racing Aston Martin). Privateer Harris Irfan in the ARM prepared Porsche was fourth ahead of Rafael Unzurrunzaga who was making his debut at the wheel of a Renault Megane.

During the course of the 45 mini-enduro race three drivers were given drive through penalties for misjudging their pit stop limit times, these were Griffin, Irfan and Unzurrunzaga.

Click next below to read about the UAE Touring Car Championship and GulfSport Radical Cup races

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