The Yas Marina Circuit played host to five championship rounds over the weekend, with Karim Al Azhari winning back-to-back races in Round 3 of the TRD 86 Cup series.
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Al Azhari won Race 1 in 20min 37.786sec, nosing ahead of Sam Tehari by a mere 0.539sec while Ahmed Al Melaihi finished third in a time of 20min 39.706sec.
In Race 2, Al Azhari clocked 20min 03.951sec to be on the top step of the podium with Al Melaihi second in a time of 20min 15.118sec while Shibin Yousef (20min 20.871sec) was classified third.
Al Azhari said: “Today actually produced the toughest racing of the championship; the whole grid is getting stronger.
“I’m the experienced driver on the track and there’s nothing left between me and the competition. I have won all my races so far but I’m not sure how much longer I can hang on.”
Following the weekend’s racing, Al Azhari remains at the top of the TRD 86 Cup leaderboard with three more rounds still to go this season. In the NGK Racing Series, Gulf Petrochem drivers Costas Papantonis and Alex Annivas dominated proceedings.
Things are gearing up for today’s #TRD86Cup races! Karim Al Azhari takes pole in qualifying. #YasRacingSeries pic.twitter.com/TtK7ROVHon
— Yas Marina Circuit (@ymcofficial) March 13, 2015
In both races on the day, Papantonis was untouchable at the wheel of his SEAT, powering to two victories and setting the fastest lap in the process, while behind him his son Annivas took honours in his Renault Clio to take full points in Class 2 and also claim UAE Clio Cup honours in the process.
Renault Clio driver Will Morrison was third overall and second in Class 2, with Meisam Taheri fourth overall in his Toyota.
In addition to these two championships, the weekend also included the Formula Gulf 1000 as well as the UAE Time Attack and the Radical Middle East Cup rounds.
Ahmad Al Ghanem took top honours in the FG 1000 championship, taking the chequered flag in Race 1 in a time of 22min 10.255sec, beating Yousaf Al Bader by a mere 0.479sec.
Race 2 saw Al Ghanem storm to victory once again in a time of 20min 01.012sec with Al Bader having to contend with the runner-up spot again.
What a race! Karim Al Azhari takes the first win of the day at the #TRD86Cup Race 1 #YasRacingSeries pic.twitter.com/6G1f5NCCPD
— Yas Marina Circuit (@ymcofficial) March 13, 2015
Meanwhile, the return of UAE Time Attack saw three heats across the A, B, C and D categories.
The fastest group lap times were as follows: In Heat 1 Final (Groups C&D) the fastest lap was recorded by Ahmed Gamal at 1min 10.527sec; Heat 1 Final (Groups A&B) saw Ahmad Arafat clock 1min 5.253sec.
Gamal and Arafat again triumphed in Heat 2 Final, with the former topping Groups C&D, lapping 1min 11.356sec, and Ahmad topping Groups A&B in a time of 1min 5.526sec.
The Heat 3 Finals didn’t provide any surprises, with Groups C&D once more claimed by Gamal in 1min 9.801sec, while Groups A&B were won by Arafat, who was quickest in a time of 1 min 4.293sec.
The Radical Middle East Cup saw Tony Wells clock 45min 54.754sec with Romaine Lutter (46min 12.229sec) in second place. Race 2 produced another win for Wells (45min 50:035sec) and Lutter (46min 00:573sec) again took second place.
