CG Racing, a UAE-based karting team, finished second in the the Sodi World Finals at the brand new Alain Prost Kart Circuit in Le Mans, France on the weekend.
The Dubai outfit narrowly lost first place to the French Ask Performance 360. It also proved to be a good race for the Dubai Falcon Racing Team, who placed 10th.
Four teams, who contested and excelled in the 2013 Dubai Kartdrome Endurance Championship driven by Mini, qualified for the 500 Miles Endurance Cup World Final race.
Throughout the race a dozen teams were always within a lap or two of the leaders and in among them were all the Dubai Kartdrome championship contenders, and when the chequered flag fell to end the race it was Ask Performance 360 who clinched victory by a mere 3.140 seconds from second placed CG Racing, CER Karting from France taking the final podium spot in third.
Fourth went to Batelco Racing from Bahrain, who currently lead the 2014 series in Dubai. Dubai Falcon Racing Team ended in 38th position.
The only downside for the Dubai contingent was that being used in the Sodi World Finals for the first time were the GT Max Sodi kart, powered by a Rotax max engine delivering twice the power they have been used to in the UAE based series, while most of their rivals were familiar with the new machines.
Flying the UAE flag were reigning Kartdrome SWS Sprint champion Atef Al Barwani, Ali Al Mansoori, Abdullah Al Ali, Sam Zian and wildcard Moeen al Sarraj who all enjoyed races where they won or were at the sharp end of proceedings. Collectively, on day one, they bagged five podium finishes despite their lack of experience in the karts being used.
Dubai schoolgirl Logan Hannah and schoolboy Mansour Al Sarraj (younger brother of Moeen Al Sarraj) represented the UAE in the Sodi World Finals Junior Grand Prix, where they lined up alongside 20 of the best SWS juniors from around the globe.
Ryan Trutch, the Kartdrome manager, summed up the 2014 SWS World Finals, saying: “Once again our teams and drivers did the UAE proud as they proved that the local scene is on an international level. Particularly impressive was our performances in the Endurance format where teams contesting the Kartdrome Endurance Championship by Mini were excellent. The GT Max Sodi karts, which none of our drivers had ever used, proved to be a challenge, but I was impressed by how our drivers adapted and were impressive throughout the weekend.”
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