UAE motorsport season 2011-12 gets underway

After a six-month break it is back to business for local motorsport as the 2011/2012 season gets underway at the Dubai Autodrome on Friday.

The first National Race Day will feature the Total UAE Touring Cars, UAE Sportbikes, the Radical Cup and the inaugural Formula Gulf 1000 (FG1000), with the Touring Cars kicking off the qualifying at 9am.

“After a long off-season – where we have been very busy behind the scenes – we are all looking forward to the sound of racing engines and for the chequered flag to start waving. In recent years we have seen unprecedented growth in motorsport in the UAE despite the global economic climate.”

Total UAE Touring Car Championship – the premier touring cars series in the region - has grown from strength to strength over the years, and this season will be no exception.

Class 1 sees the return of two former UAE champions with Mohammed Al Owais doing battle in the Lap57 Racing Team Seat and Fujairah-based Costas Papantonis at the wheel of the Gulf Petrochem-backed Mouhritsa Racing Seat - both formidable competitors capable of winning every time out.

Boasting British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) pedigree the Phoenix Motorsport Vauxhaul Astra’s look set to take the battle to the Seat brigade who have dominated tin-top racing in the UAE, with Martin Johnson and Brian McGinley spearheading the team’s double pronged attack on the title.

Close racing is guaranteed in Class 2 where defending champion Umair Khan in the Lap57 Racing Team Honda faces a host of top drivers out to dethrone him, including former champion Spencer Vanderpal.

As for the UAE Sportbikes, the two-wheel series is going through something of a revolution this year, with hardly any dealer support, it is a full blown contest between self-funded privateers with both reigning champions Jason Burnside (600 Class) and Abdulaziz Binladin (1000 Class) not racing in the season opener.

The biggest factor in this year’s championship is the influx of newcomers to the series and thus, for those who have never raced before, there will be the Rookie Cup to aspire to with several riders in the hunt.

Meanwhile, the new look Radical Cup is one of the most anticipated series after it’s been revitalized to offer affordable mini-enduro racing in Le Mans-style prototypes – fast, safe, reliable, purpose-built race cars.

Perhaps inspired by the success of former Radical driver Humaid Al Masaood in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) a big field is expected on opening day of the season.

The man to beat over the past few seasons has been Jordan Grogor and again this year he will be out to add another title to his collection, this year in the SR8 Class.

Brand new series, FG1000 is the first for single-seaters in the UAE and the first aimed specifically as a stepping stone out of karting for young drivers.

The inaugural race has attracted an impressive line-up of youngsters including two Emirati hopefuls Mohamed Al Mutawaa and Mohammed Al Dhaheri who both have emerged through the local karting scene.

Series principal Barry Hope said: “With five kart and two race circuits in the UAE we are seeing some very talented young drivers coming through the system.

“The FG1000 initiative is designed to provide the next step on the racing ladder for them and addresses several key issues. Firstly, it avoids the high cost of doing this in Europe, and secondly, it provides the highest levels of safety. It also demonstrates that the UAE is serious about its motor racing ambitions.”

UAE National Race Day schedule for Friday, Oct. 6th

09:00 - 09:20 Total UAE Touring Cars Qualifying
09:30 - 09:40 Motorcity UAE Sportbikes Warm Up
09:50 - 10:10 GulfSport FG1000 Qualifying
10:20 - 10:55 Centro Hotels by Rotana UAE Radicals Qualifying
11:05 - 11:20 Motorcity UAE Sportbikes Qualifying
11:30 Race 1 GulfSport FG1000 - Race 1 14 Laps
Prayers & Lunch Break
13:15 Race 2 Centro Hotels by Rotana UAE Radicals - Race 1 45min
14:15 Race 3 Motorcity UAE Sportbikes - Race 1 14 Laps
14:50 R ace 4 Total UAE Touring Cars - Race 1 14 Laps
15:25 Race 5 GulfSport FG1000 - Race 2 14 Laps
16:00 Race 6 Centro Hotels by Rotana UAE Radicals - Race 2 45min
17:00 Race 7 Motorcity UAE Sportbikes - Race 2 14 Laps
17:35 Race 8 TOTAL UAE Touring Cars - Race 2 14 Laps