Media

October 17th 2019

Team UAE will field a strong and ambitious team for the  20th anniversary of the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals at the Circuito Internazionale di Napoli in Sarno, Italy, from 19 to 26 October.

The annual Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals attract the best drivers from around the globe to compete in a well-established event which is regarded as the benchmark for international one-make engine karting championships and a mainstay of the UAE grassroots karting scene for the past two decades

Team UAE drivers:

MICRO MAX                               MINI MAX                           JUNIOR MAX

Adam Al Azhari                           Harry Hannam                     Khaled Saab            

                                                                                                Georgie Zouein

 

SENIOR MAX                             DD2                                      DD2 MASTER                          

Lachlan Robinson                       Jakob Robinson                   Tony Hogg

                                                    Kyle Kumaran                      Hussain Umid Ali

                                                                                                 Gianluca Elmosi

 

Team UAE line-up features drivers that have become Champions or impressed in the 2018/2019 UAE Rotax MAX Challenge organised by Al Ain Raceway, who will lead the squad of locally-based drivers to the Finals

A trio of DD2 Masters drivers consisting of veterans Tony Hogg, Hussain Umid Ali and Gianluca Elmosi will be making the trip along with Jakob Robinson and Kyle Kumaran in the DD2 class, Lachlan Robinson in Senior Max, Khaled Saab and Georgie Zouein lining up in Junior Max, Harry Hannam in Mini Max and Adam Al Azhari in the Micro MAX class.

Team manager Guy Sheffield said ahead of the team departing to Italy: "We have a good balance of drivers with experience which should serve the team well as peaking at the right time is crucial.

"We head to Italy quietly confident, knowing that the nature of the event is such that everyone has the opportunity to win, and we have some drivers that have impressed on the world stage before. The aim is to deliver the best we can as a collective and see where we stand by the time the Pre-Finals and Finals take place at the end of next week.

"The UAE series has developed to the point that home-grown drivers can now go and compete with the best in the world and this is only possible through the efforts of the organising team and our partners. In particular, we want to thank Abu Dhabi Sports Council for their support in recognising the importance of grassroots motorsport in the region and helping to make this trip possible.”

Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals week is always a busy period, as 370 drivers, champions from their respective countries, descend on Sarno with mechanics, family and support crew.

Driver registration and personal equipment scrutineering take place on Friday and Saturday followed on Sunday (20 October) by the kart raffle draw - all drivers are provided with a brand new kart, including engine, tyres, wheels etc.

Sunday afternoon is dedicated to driver briefings for all classes.

Track action begins on Monday with unofficial practice which runs through to Tuesday, followed by qualifying heats on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Pre-Finals take place on Friday followed by the Finals on Saturday, 26 October to determine the Best of the Best in the world of Rotax MAX karting.

Circuito Internazionale Napoli karting track is located about 40 km southeast from Naples and opened in the 1990′s. It has since held several World Karting Championship events and the European Kart Championships.

The likes of Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Charles Leclerc, Sebastian Vettel are among many of top Formula 1 drivers who have at some point in their careers raced at the venue.

In 2016 the track was refurbished but the majority of Sarno's iconic straights and corners were retained in the new layout. The circuit length is 1,547 metres, with nine straights, 13 corners with different radius and a small chicane between the two segments of the Sarno's long main straight.

The track is well known for producing close racing with handy overtaking opportunities, at the same time providing interesting challenges for drivers and teams alike as they search for the optimum set up and form for the five days of track action.

Schedule: https://www.rotax-kart.com/upload/files/5459.pdf

Live Stream: https://www.rotax-kart.com/en/Max-Challenge/Grand-Finals/Grand-Finals-2019/LIVESTREAM

Live Timing: https://www.rotax-kart.com/en/Max-Challenge/Grand-Finals/Grand-Finals-2019/LIVE-TIMING

UAE RMC Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/officialuaermcpage/

Al Ain Raceway: https://www.alainraceway.com

Paul Velasco