Dubai: Matrax Dojomoto Racing from Portugal held off a strong competition from international teams to reign supreme in this year’s Dubai Kartdrome 24 Hours endurance race, the fourth and final race of the Dubai Kartdrome Endurance Championship. The team also had a weekend to remember, sealing the overall championship.
Dubai Kartdrome, welcomed 43 teams in the event’s most diverse field with teams from China, India, Portugal, Switzerland, Russia, Germany, France and Lebanon joining the UAE on the track. Matrax Dojomoto did enough and produced an impressive performance to stand at the top of the podium following a marathon battle. Superdryver Maffi Racing of Belgium finished second while UAE-based Menkor Racing EGKC took third position.
The overall championship was sealed by Matrax Dojomoto of Portugal after a dominant campaign that saw them win three out of the four races. They finished ahead of runners-up Menkor Racing EGKC and third-placed Oraken.
Rapid growth
The annual competition also featured other categories with Matrax Dojomoto Racing and LD Russia winning the Nations and Corporate races, respectively as drivers hailing from the UAE and around the world including France, Spain, Belgium, Australia, UK and Saudi Arabia lined up on the grid for the fourth and final time in 2023.
Since launching in 2005, the Dubai Kartdrome Endurance Championship has grown rapidly and is part of Dubai Kartdrome’s on-going efforts to nurture young talent and provide a platform for aspiring motorsport drivers to get competitive experience as part of their development. It is now established as one of the best endurance karting championships in the region attracting more international teams every year.
Dubai Kartdrome manager, David Bright, said: “Every season, the Dubai Kartdrome Endurance Championship has produced some incredible races and this year was no different with the standard of the highest quality. It also shows the growth of the sport in the region with the biggest grid ever of international and local drivers taking part in the 24H.
“The fact that we have attracted 43 teams from around the world, shows you how highly regarded this event is around the world and this is evident by the number of teams that have competed in the Nations, GCC and Corporate categories.”
Record grid
Faisal Al Sahlawi, general manager of Dubai Autodrome, said: “The Dubai Kartdrome 24 Hours is an event that never disappoints, and this year was no exception as we witnessed a record grid of over 217 drivers in 43 karts, completing 1,096 laps and over 1,315 kilometres of racing.
“It is a great feeling to see such a large international contingent which is a testament to not only the event itself in attracting the best drivers and teams but also our goal to position ourselves as a leading motorsport venue in the region.
“Karting is an important part of our mission in producing future champions and we look forward to staging an even better competition in 2024.”
