More than 100 drivers are set to be in action at Dubai Kartdrome on Friday and Saturday in the latest rounds of the UAE Rotax Max Challenge and SWS Sprint races.
The concept of two-day events was tried out for the first time last season and proved to be a success, and hence the format has been retained, with 19 races each day.
Ryan Trutch, the Kartdrome manager, said: “The double-header gives the event a festival feel, with just about every kart driver in the UAE in action during the course of the weekend.”
In the Rotax Max series, the action is in the DD2 series, where Maurits Knopjes will be looking to repeat his success at the opening round in Al Ain earlier this month.
The 125 Max category field this weekend has been boosted by the attendance of Sean Babington, the British and European champion, and he is expected to fight for victory with the championship leader Patrick Hannah.
Ten Junior Max drivers are expected on the grid and the reigning champion Pasqual Pook, who is representing the UAE at the Rotax Grand Finals in the United States next month, will be looking to extend his slender lead over Taymour Kermanshahchi and Giulio Peroni.
The reigning Mini Max champion Tehmur Chohan failed to score points in Al Ain and will be looking to bounce back at his local circuit, while in the Micro Max series the Omani driver Shehab Al Habsi will look to make it two out of two after winning the first round in Al Ain.
The Bambino series will run alongside the Rotax series for the first time in Dubai.
The Bambino drivers are ages five to eight years and take to the track in a time-trial format.
Saqir Al Qassemi, the Ras Al Khaimah-based driver, set the pace in Al Ain and he is favourite to repeat the feat and will be anxious to take home some silverware as the series visits the circuit he is most familiar with.
Meanwhile, there will be rounds of the 2013 SWS Sprint Series where the country’s top leisure karters are set to resume the annual battle for the honour of competing in the Sodi W-Series Grand Finals in France next year.
Youngsters will be in action in the SWS Junior LR4 category, with more experienced and seasoned campaigners in the SWS RX7 category.
Expected to line up on the SWS RX7 grid are Atef Al Barwani, Hadi Al Blouishi, Rami Joudi, Sam Zian and Hussain Umid Ali.
The SWS series in the UAE has been the domain of male drivers, but this is set to change as the Dubai-based schoolgirl Abi Birch will make her debut on the day.
sports@thenational.ae
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Quick facts on cancer
- Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases
- About one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer in their lifetime
- By 2040, global cancer cases are on track to reach 30 million
- 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries
- This rate is expected to increase to 75 per cent by 2030
- At least one third of common cancers are preventable
- Genetic mutations play a role in 5 per cent to 10 per cent of cancers
- Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved annually by implementing the right health
strategies
- The total annual economic cost of cancer is $1.16 trillion
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
The specs
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Transmission: eight-speed auto
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ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY
Starting at 10am:
Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang
Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)
Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)
Donna Vekic (16) v Bernarda Pera
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
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Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
