Dubai: UAE-based karters Paul Chatenay and Atef Al Barwani gave standout performances on the final day of the Sodi World Series (SWS) Grand Finals in Paris on Sunday.
Chatenay finished third in the World Masters Super Final and Al Barwani won the World Masters Two Final.
Chatenay, who finished second in the 2013 edition of this race, was the only UAE-based driver to qualify for the main event. He started from fifth on the grid and took the lead before allowing Simon Delvenne and Kevin Caprasse to pass on the final lap. Just 0.135 separated the trio as they crossed the line.
“It is a bittersweet result,” said the Abu Dhabi-based Frenchman. “But of course I am happy to be third, but in my heart I know I could have won the World Masters Super Final.”
Al Barwani meanwhile, fought from sixth on the grid to win his event.
“In the end I am happy with the result,” said the Dubai-based Emirati. “Bringing home a trophy was one of my objectives and this I achieved with the win in the World Masters 2 final. Mission accomplished.”
Other UAE based drivers who flew home with silverware in their luggage included: Maz Nawaz, Abdullah Al Ali, Craig Shenton and Alexandre Silanine, while Hussain Umid Ali and Sam Zian - constant front runners in Dubai - returned home empty handed as luck and circumstances conspired against them during the course of the event.
In total there were 60 sessions of practice, qualifying and racing for the 75 finalists with points being scored for all races to determine the final rankings. Chatenay was the top-scoring UAE-based driver in sixth place, followed by Al Barwani 24th, Zian 29th, Umid Ali 49th, Silanine 51st, Al Ali 59th, Nawaz 60th and Shenton 63rd.
Representing the SWS Juniors for the UAE were Alex Connor and Oliver Walton. Connor made it all the way to the World Masters Super Final (Juniors) where he started seventh and ran with the leaders until he span and dropped to the back of the field, eventually fighting back to finish 14th. In the SWS Junior rankings Connor finished ninth and Walton 27th.
