Preview: First MENA Karting Championship Nations Cup and UAE RMC at Muscat Speedway in Oman

13 February 2020

Preview: First MENA Karting Championship Nations Cup and UAE RMC at Muscat Speedway in Oman

Muscat Speedway this weekend will be the centre of karting in the Middle East as drivers from over a dozen countries compete for the inaugural MENA Karting Championship Nations Cup combined with the sixth round of the UAE Rotax Max Challenge Championship (RMC).

Exclusively for racers native to the 20 countries that fall within the FIA MENA zone, the region’s best will compete for top honours in the Nations Cup – an exciting new initiative under the auspices of the FIA Sport Grant Programme.

At the same time, UAE RMC competitors will also be in the mix in what is a championship-within-a-championship, with over 100 drivers in contention during the four days of practice, Heats and Finals to follow.

Nations Cup drivers have earned the all-expenses-paid right to contest the MENA championship with state-of-the-art Rotax-powered racing karts supplied by Birel Art.

Also on the card will be RD1 Elite Sprint races and RD1 Elite Endurance races for MENA nationals and residents.

Although only a small field has assembled for the Micro MAX category, fireworks can be expected with rising Lebanese star Christopher El Feghali joining Omani youngsters, Abdul Wahab Al Habsi and Adam Awan, in taking on Championship leader Benjamin Wade and leading protagonists Shivali Sinha and Zain Elhommossany.

A strong field of 15 Mini MAX drivers is likely to be one of the closest contests on the weekend with UAE schoolboy Harry Hannam the driver on form and raising the bar against his rivals. Fahad Al Rawahi will lead the charge for the home nation while Bertie Gibbons and Sofia Necchi look to continue their run of strong performances.

The Junior MAX class is arguably the most explosive of the Rotax categories, with several drivers quite capable of taking top honours in any given session. A particularly potent UAE contingent including Georgie Zouein, Kamal Agha, Alex Renner and William Wade will face off against a strong MENA line-up headed by Moroccan duo Ismail El Marnissi and Suleimane Zanfari.

There is always very little to separate the Senior MAX contenders. Theo Kekati and Khaled Ray Saab lead the charge for the UAE-based representation but, with a season-high 17 drivers in action, they are sure to face a stern challenge from the best drivers from Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon.

An impressive field of 24 drivers will contest the premier DD2 class where UAE RMC championship leader Kyle Kumaran is the driver to beat. Having set the pace all year in the UAE, the Dubai student will be looking to make another statement on a bigger stage.

Most likely to give him a run for his money are Nadim Khneisser, Constantin Reisch, Marcus Marker and veteran Anthony Hogg. They will all have to contend with local hero Abdullah Al Rawahi who will be looking for victory on home soil as well as the Njeim brothers from Lebanon who are among the world’s best in the category.

The RD1 ELITE Sprint was limited to 20 drivers, with a strong contingent from the UAE and Oman making up half the field. A strong Qatari entourage are also likely to feature.

Veteran Al Ain based racer Hussain Umid Ali is likely to be among the pacesetters as is UAE based Mohammed Ismail and Mohammed Al Shamsi. All experienced campaigners who face a number of unknown quantities on the varied grid.

Also on the RD1 ELITE bill is the 2 hour endurance race featuring 15 teams representing Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Qatar and Tunisia.

UAE RMC Championship Director Guy Sheffield said after the first day of free practice, " The MENA Karting Championship Nations Cup is a superb initiative from the FIA Sport Grant Programme and Oman Automobile Association. Our own UAE RMC championship, run under the auspices of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, is privileged to provide the platform for this unique event which is bringing drivers together from all over the region.

"It will be great to see large grids which promote increased competition and experience. Track action should be very close with a number of countries nominating strong line-ups with International pedigree. These should provide a stiff test for our existing competitors although the UAE-based drivers should be quietly confident, such is the high standard of our National Championship.

"One of the great things about this is that countries with limited facilities have the opportunity to experience a professionally organised event at a fantastic circuit with drivers who are already at a very high level. This should dramatically improve their understanding, knowledge and experience and align the whole region in terms of standards, regulations and event operation.

This is the start of an important chapter of karting history in this region and we are proud to be part of it," concluded Sheffield.

Useful Links:

MENA Nations Cup

Official Website: http://omanauto.org/events/mena-karting-championship-nation-cup-2020/