Battery 24 Hours at the Dubai Kartdrome Round 1,
9 Apr 2010 - 16:00
Dubai
The Battery 24 Horus Endurance Championship gets underway this weekend at Dubai Kartdrome
Apr.7 (Dubai) What does Kimi Raikkonen and Dubai Kartdrome 24 Hours have in common?
Answer: Battery energy drink
Action form the 2009 Dubai Kartdrome 24 Hours
The 2010 Dubai Kartdrome 24 Hour Endurance Championship has a new title sponsor in the form of Battery energy drink, who sponsored the 2007 Formula 1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen when “the Iceman” was making his way to the top in karting.
This weekend at the Kartdrome the first of three rounds of the 2010 edition the Battery 24 Hour Endurance Championship takes place. An all new series, new teams, new drivers, new sponsors for the same tried and tested 24 hours endurance karting which is now a mainstay on Dubai’s prestigious sporting calendar.
24 Hours of extreme endurance
On track the competition will be fiercer than ever, with the demise of the all conquering NFM Professionals, a host of new teams with top name drivers will line-up on the grid this Friday. From the drop of the UAE national flag at 2pm the race will be up for grabs without any real pre-race favourite emerging as yet.
Of the top guns Bahraini squad Batelco, former winners, look formidable on paper with the likes of Ramez Azzam and Christophe Hissette being drafted in to team up with Bahrain’s fastest drivers.
Of the local contingent the Liqui Molly Speedsters, who were second in the 2009 Championship, have a strong line-up which includes UAE Champion karter Scott Latham and touring car ace Sam Zian. They will be out to take the title this year to impress their new sponsor Liqui Molly.
Top drivers and top teams will be in action
Perennial front runner and “the UAE’s favourite racing driver” Sheikh Hasher Al Maktoum leads the potent Santos Motors team with the world’s top female karter Fabien Lanz in the team. Lanz shocked everyone in the final race of 2009 when she qualified on pole. The team also includes the cream of young UAE racing drivers Saeed Al Mehairi and Haytham Al Ali Sultan. Others to look out include are: Ocean Rubber with experienced karters Paul Chatenay and Karan Rallan in their midst; the Mike Baldock led Western Union team.
In the highly competitive corporate category, a race within a race, Battery Forum Racing who won the 2009 Corporate Challenge will be out to defend their title against the likes of Cegelec, OMD and MBC will be slugging it out for top honours.
Team work is a vital aspect of the 24 hours
The likes of Battery Forum Racing are also capable of challenging for top honours. While the battle among the media “giants” MediaBoltz, Media Agents and The National newspaper will provide an intriguing sideshow.
On the day, the build-up to and start of the Battery 24 Hours at the Dubai Kartdrome is always packed with excitement and anticipation, making it a worthwhile spectacle to witness. Fans are welcome and will have plenty to enjoy off track and on track. At 2pm the UAE national flag will drop and 24 hours later, on Saturday at 2 pm the chequered flag will drop on the winning team.
Dubai Autodrome Chairman Saeed Khalfan concludes, “I welcome our new partner Battery energy drinks, salute all the new teams and drivers who are brave enough to take on the challenge of the Battery 24 Hours at the Dubai Kartdrome event. Good luck to all teams competing this weekend and may the best team win!”
