Friday, 8 February 2008 ushers in a new era for kart racing in the UAE as the ATCUAE, Dubai Autodrome and Al Ain Raceway join forces to cater for the needs of karters through the DAMC Club Championship and the Rotax Max Challenge.

ATCUAE Sporting and Events Manager Matthew Norman stated, “In light of recent events at the National Kart Championship the ATC UAE the Governing body of Motorsport, and the sole FIA / CIK representative for the UAE concluded that the sport of Karting needed to be freshened up to give the competitor a clear and precise direction with regards to rules and regulations, which was not happening. Now we enter a new era with the series becoming a Club Championship and for the first time offering two top class tracks as part of the series. We are delighted with the co-operation of both the venues, the engine suppliers and our main common goal is to encourage more drivers into the sport by offering a positive future.”Adam Reeve in TAG Class action

Rotax Max Challenge promoter Tony Kekati said, “We are pleased about the direction taken to ensure that karters can race in a fair and well controlled environment. It is very constructive to have a close relationship between the Kartdrome at Dubai Autodrome and Al Ain Raceway. Together we can make the sport grow and give the competitors what they want.”

This Friday the Kartdrome will host Cadet and Tag Classes as part of the DAMC Karting Championship while the Rotax Max Challenge will cater for Max Junior, Max, Max Master and DD2. Practice at the venue will start at 9am with the first qualifying sessions scheduled for 10.50am. The first race of the day will start at 11.55am with the final flag off at 4pm. Each class will contest a heat followed by a pre-final and a final at the end.

The short notice period of the new Championship has made it difficult to accurately ascertain which drivers will be contesting in the various classes, nevertheless organisers expect a good field as a show of support from the competitors who have been calling for changes since the first race of the season last year. The foundation for Karting to grow has been laid, as stability in regulations and implementation thereof has been addressed, which will benefit the competitors who have for the past few months griped about the inconsistency of the rules.

The Rotax Max Challenge is likely to attract a top quality field as this first race counts towards the championship which rewards winners with a trip to the World Finals at the end of the year. Sheikh Hasher Al Maktoum, who has been the pace setter in the Max class, will be absent due to his Speedcar commitments in Indonesia. This will provide the stage for a battle that is likely to include the Azzam brothers Ramez and Rami, with the likes Scott Latham, Howie Cracknell and Thani Al Thani challenging for podium positions.Preview Cadet action

In the Max Junior Class young Cadet Class ace Riccardo Curatola is reputed to be joining the fray and could find tough competition from the likes of Edward Jones, Elliot Patrick, Grace Brownlee and Wafic Abla.

The TAG Class is now an established format of Karting in the UAE and is likely to feature some tough racing as drivers compete with different engines. Power plants for the series include: Biland, Parilla, Vampire and Rotax. Tim Murdoch has been the man to beat in the previous rounds of this series but will not have it all his own way with a formidable field chasing him to the flag. Drivers to watch out for include Adam Reeve, Ian Presswick and Fadi El Aswad.

In the Cadet Class Tom Bale will be the “kid to beat” as Curatola is expected to move up to the Junior Max class while the Schoeller brothers Phillip and Patrick are abroad attending school. Nevertheless this class is constantly attracting new blood and Friday could see the emergence of a new challenger.

The drivers mentioned above are all provisional and a clearer picture of who will be racing what will emerge on race day this Friday. The one thing that is assured is that on track action will be tough while drivers are assured that rules and regulations will be enforced, providing a level playing field for all entrants.