Five-time Sodi World Series (SWS) UAE champion Atef Al Barwani sped back into form on Monday night in round two of the Senior Cup at Dubai Kartdrome.
After an incredible run of five dominant years in the SWS ended in 2015, local karting legend Al Barwani had been out of the spotlight for the past year. Now it appears the Emirati is back on top form.
In race one, Al Barwani worked his way up to the leading pack, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
He said: “I was a bit lucky because two drivers in front were fighting so I said, ‘Let me just wait until the last lap because I know something is going to happen’.”
He took advantage of the scuffle to dive ahead on turn two, taking the lead and holding on until the chequered flag, just 0.652 seconds ahead of defending Ramadan Challenge champion Rami Azzam.
Race Two featured a reverse grid for the top 15 drivers of race one, which put Al Barwani and Azzam in the middle of the grid. This did little to deter either driver, as they picked their way through the field and toward the front.
Romaldo Labrooy also had a great run, moving from eighth on the grid and into the lead. He got clear of Azzam and Al Barwani and glided in for the race win, crossing the finish line 3.484 seconds in front of Azzam, with Al Barwani another 2.055 seconds back in third place.
After the points were tallied from both races, Al Barwani’s total of 73 points gave him a one-point victory over Azzam on 72 points. Labrooy earned third place with 67 points.
In the Masters category of the Senior Cup, Dario Rubio was outstanding in both races, finishing the night on 52 points to take top class honours, three points clear of Mohammed Ismail in second place with 49, with Gianluca Elmosi taking third on 44 points.
Competing against the top international junior racers at the 2017 SWS World Finals last month put Kamal Agha in top form for his return to Dubai. Despite a mediocre result in qualifying, Agha went two-for-two in the Junior Cup, taking both race wins on the night.
