05 November 2017
Sunday, 5 November 2017 - Portimao, Portugal
Eleven drivers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have arrived in the seaside town of Portimao, in Portugal, for the Rotax MAX Grand Finals which takes place at the Kartdromo Internacional do Algarve from 5 to 11 November 2017.
The team consists of the UAE's best Rotax MAX drivers from the 2016/2017 season, among them several champions, who will come up against the best drivers in the world in this series of karting.
The group join 360 drivers, from 60 nations, competing in this prestigious karting event to determine who will be this year's Rotax MAX world champions.
Day one, Sunday, saw organisers distribute 360 karts to the contestants and their mechanics, which prompted a frenzy of activity in the paddock as teams prepared the karts for the six days of track action starting on Monday with practice, followed by qualifying and heats on the days therefter. The pre-finals and finals are scheduled for Friday and Saturday respectively.
Team UAE consists of Emirati racer Amna Al Qubaisi in the MAX category, father and son Kevin and Jamie Day in the DD2 Masters and Mini MAX respectively, brothers Jakob and Lachlan Robinson in DD2 and Junior MAX, DD2 Masters Tony Hogg and Kyle Blockley, Lucas Petersson in DD2, Liam Crystal in Junior MAX, Theo Kekati in Mini MAX and Keanu Al Azhari, son of multiple UAE racing champion Karim Al Azhari, in the Micro MAX class.
Travelling with Team UAE is Omani DD2 driver Abdullah Al Rawahi as well as Bahraini champion Khaled Al Saei in the MAX Class.
The first Rotax MAX Grand Finals were held in 2000 in Puerto Rico and since then has become a regular fixture on the international karting calendar. Dubai based Sean Babington won the DD2 title in 2014 as part of Team UAE.
Speaking ahead of the first day of practice UAE team manager Guy Sheffield said, "The UAE have had a presence in the Rotax MAX Grand Finals since 2005 and it is always a privilege for our drivers to go up against the best in the world. This year we have a strong team, balanced with drivers who have experienced Grand Finals action and other who have not. We are confident that all the drivers will represent the UAE in the best way possible."
"As a team we will savour the experience as being here is a reward for drivers who have excelled in our domestic series. Being here means that anything is possible," added Sheffield.
Useful links:
Official UAE Rotax Max Challenge Facebook Page for updates>>>
