Close contest in the offing between Mondini, Sharp

The Dubai Autodrome will host the final round of the 2004 Formula Renault V6 Eurocup Championship and it is hard to imagine a more exciting finale.

A maximum of 64 points are available from the two heats giving four drivers a chance to claim top honours.

Italy's Giorgio Mondini enters the final round in Dubai with a narrow points advantage over his nearest rival having scored six podium finishes, two of which were outright wins.

The EuroInternational driver has had a late season surge, which was only blighted by a non-finish at the very last race at Oschersleben where he crashed out of the race.

Mondini's bad luck played into the hands of his closest rival Briton Ryan Sharp, who closed the gap at the top of the championship table to two points thus setting the scene for a dramatic climax to the title chase at the Dubai Autodrome.

Sharp could easily be dubbed 'Mr Consistency' having finished in the points in all races bar two. Consistency and avoiding on track trouble will to be crucial elements in bagging the title.

Third candidate for the title is Italian Andrea Belicchi, who at 28 years of age could be considered a veteran in a series of drivers several years younger than him.

With three wins under his belt and a strong performance in the latter part of the season the AFC Motorsport driver cannot be discounted as a title contender despite trailing the championship leader by 35 points.

With Mondini and Sharp certain to be at each other's throats throughout the weekend the possibility of the two ending up in a gravel trap is high and this would benefit Belicchi.

The final protagonist for top honours in the title race is Swiss driver Neel Jani, who more than anyone would need the help of lady luck. He trails Mondini by a hefty 42 points despite being the only driver to win four races this year.

However, the DAMS team driver will be brimming with confidence after a fine win in the last round of the series at Oschersleben where he controlled the race like a master.

It is no surprise that the 21-year-old has caught the eye of Formula One team principal Peter Sauber and is one of Red Bull Sauber-Petronas test drivers.

The Formula Renault V6 single seater series is designed to prepare young drivers, team managers and mechanics for an entry into Formula One.

Current McLaren Mercedes F1 star Finland's Kimi Raikkonen is the best-known graduate of the series.