Dubai: Abdul Aziz Bin Laden won both of his 600 Class races comfortably in the NGK Racing Series and UAE Sportbikes at the Dubai autodrome on Friday.
“It was a tough day in terms of conditions,” said Bin Laden, who set the race’s fastest lap time, which was over a second faster than his closest rival, on his Liberty Kawasaki.
“The heat really impacted our pace but in the end, two wins is good points to go home with at this stage of the championship.”
Costas Papantonis, meanwhile, returned to winning ways in the NGK Racing Series.
Best of the rest in the 600 Class was reigning champion Mahmoud Tannir on the Honda, which he was racing for the first time, taking second place in both races.
“The Honda was really good and I managed a personal best today so the bike is good,” Tanvir said. “We have just received it so there is still work to do to get top speed and performance out of it. But for a first competitive outing this is a great result.”
Yamaha rider Michael Collins was third in the first race to take top honours in the Rookie Cup. In race two Yamaha rider Ahmad Khammas scored his maiden Rookie Cup win, on his way to third overall.
Alan Boyter won both non-championship 1000 Class races on his Kawasaki, with Nasser Al Shaiba on the BMW in second and Steve Blackney, making his race debut on a KTM, finishing third.
After missing the previous round due to illness, multiple UAE champion Papantonis — at the wheel of the Gulf Petrochem Seat — came back in the best way possible, taking two wins and in the process setting a personal-best time and breaking the lap record on the National circuit.
Papantonis said: “It was good to come back and win both races, and also satisfying I was able to beat my personal best around this circuit. Thanks to my sponsors Gulf Petrochem for their support and of course my crew who did a good job. We go home happy with two trophies.”
