15 November 2019
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Round 3 of the UAE Rotax MAX Challenge (RMC) 2019-20 takes place at Al Ain Raceway on Friday and Saturday, 15-16 November, under the auspices of Abu Dhabi Sports Council.
Competitors will do battle again in the region's premier and oldest karting series in the wake of the 20th anniversary of the RMC Grand Finals in Naples last month, where Team UAE drivers endured a week of highs and lows during an action-packed event.
Perhaps the biggest high for the Team was Lachlan Robinson in the Senior MAX class. The Dubai-based schoolboy finished fifth, within 1 second of the newly-crowned World Champion, after an epic drive. He returns to action on home soil brimming with confidence and will be the man to beat.
Robinson trails championship leader Theo Kekati by two points after two rounds, with Khaled Saab ten adrift of the top spot, the latter no doubt keen to capitalise on the experience he gained at the Grand Finals.
The Junior MAX class boasts the biggest field of the weekend with Georgie Zouein leading the standings ahead of round three by 17 points over Anshul Gandhi, followed by Kayne Cherian in third and Round 1 winner Kamal Agha fourth in the standings.
Also capable of upsetting the form book are Keanu Al Azhari and Alex Renner in what is likely to be one of the most competitive classes this season.
In the premier DD2 Class, Kyle Kumaran delivered an impressive performance in his first visit to the RMC Grand Finals, where he finished 18th overall.
At home, Kumaran leads the DD2 standings on 180 points after a couple of rounds and will be looking to carry his obvious pace and Grand Finals momentum to this weekend's races at Al Ain Raceway, which enjoys similar characteristics to the fast, flowing Circuito Internazionale di Napoli.
DD2 veteran, Tony Hogg, lies second overall to Kumaran by five points but leads the DD2 Masters Championship by 17 points from Dario Rubio.
Others to watch in the combined classes include the likes of Constantin Reisch, Lukas Randerath, Nadim Khneisser and Marcus Marker in DD2; Gianluca Elmosi and Greg Watt in DD2 Masters.
Harry Hannam returns back to Mini MAX action after his adventures in Naples and will be looking to turn the experience into results on Saturday. He trails Ryan Nagle by five points, followed by Krishna Shankar who is three points adrift of Hannam.
Only two points separate Micro MAX championship leader Benjamin Wade from Seb Murray with the pair emerging as the pacesetters in a hugely competitive class.
Adam Al Azhari, also returning from his Italian escapades, will be one to watch as well as the likes of Shivali Sinha, Zain Elhommossany and Max Murray.
Speaking ahead of the third round this Saturday, Championship Director Guy Sheffield said: "It's always interesting when our drivers return from the Grand Finals. There tends to be a spring in the step of those who competed at the highest level. Even those having disappointing world championship campaigns often seem to raise their game at home, with a steely determination to return next year for another shot.
"Similarly, those who failed to make the trip this year will be doing their utmost to upset the form book and earn a ticket for next year's Grand Finals. We are expecting close racing this weekend in all the classes, with three or four drivers in each category capable of snatching a win and the championships starting to get serious," added Sheffield.
Track action at Al Ain Raceway starts on Friday with five practice sessions for each class, beginning at 10:15 am and scheduled to end at 4:00pm.
Qualifying takes place on Saturday morning, followed by a Heat Race, a Pre-Final and Final for each category. The day is scheduled to end after the 5:00 pm podium ceremonies and trophy presentations.
Useful Links:
UAE Rotax MAX ChallengeWebsite: http://www.alainraceway.com/uaermc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialuaermcpage/
UAE RMC 2019 Race Calendar: http://www.alainraceway.com/uaermc/race-calender
Race Results: http://www.alainraceway.com/uaermc/race-results
Championship Standings: http://www.alainraceway.com/uaermc/championship-standings
