Victory and Chaudron The Teams to Beat in Season Finale
Friday, 5 December, Abu Dhabi, UAE: Dubai’s Victory Team will go for a 14th World title in the final race of the season this afternoon with Arif Al Zaffain and Nadir Bin Hendi starting from pole position after going quickest in this morning’s qualifying session in a time 4:45.11.
Al Zaffain and Bin Hendi top the standings with a seemingly unbeatable 19 points advantage over their only remaining title rival Relekta-Zabo-Isiklar, and barring any form of disaster just need to finish too lift the title.
A forty-second career win for Al Zaffain will equal the number of race victories currently held by Briton Steve Curtis, and a seventh World title will make Al Zaffain the most successful racer of the modern era.
Gary Ballough and John Tomlinson continued to improve and impress for Team Abu Dhabi posting their best qualifying time in their four outings in the new MTI, going second quickest and just under four seconds of the pole time, with Italy’s Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella in third.
In the race for the V1 title the overnight DQ of Bernico-New Star from race 1 for an inadvertent weight infringement has closed the points gap between Chaudron’s Aaron Ciantar and Dominique Martini who lead with 67 points, and Aquasport’s Daniel Cramphorn and Nico Huybens on 58 and Stefano Bonanno and Maurizio Schepici on 54 in Tommy One.
In qualifying Aquasport upped the ante by posting the fastest time, 5:05.00, with Chaudron 1.2 seconds adrift in second, with Bernico-New Star third quickest.
The final race of the season starts at 15.30hrs and with the weather conditions easing overnight, race officials have given the green light for teams to run the full course around Lulu Island.
For further Championship information, timings and results visit; class-1.com
