Abu Dhabi: In contrast to the idyllic conditions of the previous two days, day three of the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals saw a much more ‘European’ ambience with overcast conditions and the ever-present threat of rain another factor for the 360 competitors to consider.
Following some mixed performances on the first day of official practice, Team UAE were looking to make progress in the last full day of practice before official Qualifying.
The circuit remained dry throughout the morning and into the early part of the afternoon as Micro MAX drivers, Oscar McElroy and Rashid Al Dhaheri, looked set to continue their impressive form from the previous day. McElroy was impeccable in both sessions, finishing ninth and 11th and giving himself an excellent platform for Qualifying. Al Dhaheri, however, was down on pace in both sessions after suffering with apparent technical issue. He improved dramatically in the final session but his technical support team will be looking to make advancements overnight ahead of Qualifying.
Ziggy Kermanshahchi shone in the Mini MAX category, topping the time sheets of the final session until a late charge from his rivals dropped him to third, albeit just 0.07s behind the fastest driver. It was a great end to the day for him but he will be wary that there is still much work to do before the real business of Qualifying gets under way.
Junior MAX drivers Tehmur Chohan and Lucas Petersson performed excellently. Chohan made it into the top 10 while Petersson’s 12th place was sensational given his struggle for pace on the previous day. Both will be confident of a solid Qualifying performance but with 60 drivers within 1 second, any mistake could be devastating.
Giulio Peroni and Pasqual Pook both improved their relative positions throughout the day in the MAX class although a light spattering of rain affected Peroni’s group slightly. The rain then became heavier, which played havoc with the DD2 Masters as, on slick tyres, grip levels were significantly reduced. Hussain Umid Ali chose to sit out the final session, knowing that driving in such conditions would likely not help his Qualifying preparation.
Anthony Hogg, however, performed relatively well in the difficult conditions and has certainly given himself the advantage of track knowledge if it rains in the elimination stages.
The rain abated in time for the DD2 class, who took to a dry track to make their final qualifying preparations. After struggling on the previous day, Taymour Kermanshahchi looked in good form in both sessions — 14th and 16th respectively, and much closer to the front-running pace of reigning World Champion, Ferenc Kancsar, who topped the time sheets. Edward Jones opted for a full wet set-up in final practice, not expecting the track to dry out. This compromised his run but he was happy with the package underneath him ahead of Qualifying.
Omani national, Abdullah Al Rawahi, trumped his 8th fastest time in the early session with a sensational 4th in the post-rain session, closing out an impressive day and allowing him to sleep soundly and with confidence.
Guy Sheffield, Team UAE manager, summed up the day: “We have a few issues to resolve before Qualifying tomorrow to help some of the team to show their true pace. But, overall, what a day for the younger members of the squad. Ziggy and Abdullah were brilliant, Tehmur and Lucas performed well in final practice and Oscar also stood out. We’re in good shape but the guys have to remember that this is only practice and we have a tough week ahead of us against the best drivers in the world. We have had great support from back home in UAE and we are hoping to do everyone proud.”
