Wednesday Report from 2022 Rotax MAX Grand Finals in Portugal

23 Nov, 2022

The 2022 Rotax MAX Grand Finals at Kartdromo do Algarve in Portimao stepped up a gear on Wednesday, getting to the ‘business’ side of the event with the first Heat races of the week, in which Team UAE performed with mixed results.

After two days of practice, in tricky conditions, the wet weather stayed away on Wednesday for the first batch of Heat races on the day for the 394 competitors from the 60 nations, that took to the Kartdromo do Algarve, in the various classes that make up the Grand Finals.

This is how Team UAE drivers fared on day one of the Heat races in Portugal:

Micro MAX: Maxim Bobreshov started P8 in an ultra-competitive field of 36 of the youngest drivers in action this week, within a few laps he made his way to the front, leading with the finish line in sight, but a last-lap attack by his challengers saw him drop back down to eighth with only a few corners to go.

Mini MAX: Zain Elhommossany was caught up in a Turn 1, first lap melee which involved a dozen drivers, but he delivered a gutsy fight back to recover some places to P24.
Junior MAX: Filippo Parmeggiani started from P28 and managed to convert that into P20 when the chequered wave; the Dubai schoolboy will be looking to make more progress in the days to come in a field of 72 drivers all itching for the top prize on Saturday.
Senior MAX: Theo Kekati started P32 knowing he had work to do in one of the most competitive 72-kart fields, in a class where the top fifty are separated by less than a second. Driving intelligently and with the kind of pace that saw him power through the field to cross the finish line 10th, but a five seconds bumper penalty dropped him 14 places.
DD2 Masters: Tony Hogg started P31, making his way to P27, and has work to do in the forthcoming heats to better his starting position for the Pre-Final on Friday.
DD2: Kayne Cherian started from P28 and was unlucky to be punted from the back during the early stages of the race which resulted in a DNF.
DD2: Kyle Kumaran turned a 14th-place start into a P11 finish in what is regarded as the premier Rotax class, and this week boasts former Formula 1 driver Rubens Barrichello in the field. Kumaran showed strong pace with the leaders well within his sights, suggesting he has what it takes to be in the mix.

Summing up the day, Al Ain Raceway and Team UAE Manager, Guy Sheffield reflected: “As always at the Rotax MAX Grand Finals, the competition is extremely high as the best of the best compete to be the number one RMC driver in the world. Thus no surprise there were no gifts on the day.

“P10 was denied Theo due to the bumper penalty but he showed he has what it takes to be at the sharp end; likewise Kyle and Maxim look to be in a good place on a day of highs and lows for Team UAE, with our drivers all having work to do in the days ahead,” concluded Sheffield.

Heat races will continue through Thursday as drivers accumulate points for the Pre-Finals on Friday.

End.

Schedule: https://grandfinals.rotax-kart.com/time-schedule

Live Stream: https://grandfinals.rotax-kart.com/livestream

Live Timing: https://grandfinals.rotax-kart.com/livetiming

UAE RMC Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/officialuaermcpage/

RMC Website: https://www.alainraceway.com/uaermc/