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2013 Dubai Kartdrome Endurance Championship Driven By MINI
The first round of the 2013 Dubai Kartdrome Endurance Championship driven by MINI takes place at the country's most popular karting venue, on Friday, 15 and 16 March 2013. This edition is a twelve-hour race which starts at 14:00 on Friday and ends at 02:00 the following morning.
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Big news ahead of the season opener is that MINI has renewed its partnership with the Kartdrome and will be the title sponsor for a second year running. The brand’s presence adds to the prestige of the series which has been running since 2004. Once again, MINI will be adding value for participants and fans by providing an opportunity to test drive their range of cars throughout each of the endurance events at the Kartdrome.
“This sponsorship is the perfect fit for MINI and AGMC,” says Mr. Stathis I Stathis, Managing Director of AGMC, the MINI Importer for Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates: “Like the Dubai Kartdrome Endurance Championship, MINI prides itself on being unconventional, powerful and action-packed. Together they make an impressive team.”
On track – during the course of all four championship rounds this season - we can expect a massive battle for top honours, with reigning champions Batelco opting not to compete this year, the stage is set for a hard fought battle to claim the vacant title.
A host of new teams will be on the grid Friday, but the one which has grabbed attention is the CG Pro team led by former world karting champion and FIA GT champion David Terrien partnered with Alban Varruti, the Azzam brothers Rami and Ramez and ace junior karter Piers Pakenham-Walsh. On paper they are hot contenders for the top step of the podium despite never having raced together as a team.
They face severe pressure from a host of teams also targeting the big prize. The all Emirati Dubai Falcons Racing team will once again be led by Sheikh Hasher Al maktoum with Saeed Al Mehairi and Mohammed Al Mutawaa on duty for a squad who know their way around the Kartdrome and were always the ready to challenge Batelco's dominance. They will feel that the title is theirs by right and will go all out to claim it.
Also impressive since their inception is the Paul Chatenay led Timeless Events team with Philippe Valenza, James Bean and Steve Lyall.
Coupled to these obvious challengers are a host of teams who arrive at the season opener as unknown quantities, but determined to shift the balance of power.
The Corporate Category - a race within a race - has attracted the most teams ever thanks to a concerted effort by the organisers to attract company teams to an event which is ideal for team building and providing a competitive environment for employees to excel as a group.
For some years CG Racing have been the team to beat, having raised the bar on the way to a first ever 1-2 in last year's corporate championship they are defending their title again with their two potent teams out to do the business.
Team Manager Habib Chouery said ahead of the first round, "Our goal is simple. We want to win the Professional category, defend our title and again score a 1-2 in the Corporate category and also want to take home the Nations Cup. I believe we have a good line-up of drivers, which combined with our support team makes this a realistic target."
MBC Action are likely to challenge the corporate champions with the likes of Audi Middle East, AGMC MINI Racing Team, Team Desert Group, PGK Racing, Team Emirates all wanting to have a say in the final outcome.
Dubai Autodrome chairman Ali Fardan Al Fardan said, "I look forward to seeing the battle develop between the leading teams to become champions this year. It is going to be a tough contest as the standard among the teams and drivers is higher than has ever been, with the talent spread across the top teams. I wish all the teams and their drivers the best of luck, and may the best teams win when the chequered flag drops."
The scene is set for a tough contest in the Professional, Corporate and Nations Cup categories, not only at the season opening race on Friday but also for the entire four rounds of the 2013 Dubai Kartdrome Endurance Championship driven by MINI.
On track action at the Kartdrome on Friday starts at 11.40 am with Free Practice, followed by Qualifying at 12.55 pm, with the UAE national flag set to wave off the field at 14.00 pm. At 2.00 am on Saturday morning the chequered flag will drop to bring the race to an end.
Spectators are welcome with free entry and easy access throughout the twelve hours, with food and refreshments available at the Kartdrome, or across the road at a myriad of eateries on the MotorCity Bouelvard.
PaddockTalk Perspective
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