Robinson wins X30 Senior trophy in last corner thriller
Dubai, UAE, 5 November 2016: The Iame X30 Challenge came to the Dubai Kartdrome for the first time in its history on Friday 4 November, and was welcomed with a record grid of 29 karts in the X30 Senior category.
There was no mistaking when the Seniors took to the track, as 29 Iame engines fired up in concert and rumbled through the turns and tunnel at the outdoor circuit of the Dubai Kartdrome.
During the initial heats three drivers moved the top of the standings of X30 Seniors: Mauricio Hernandez, Jakob Robinson and Amna Al Qubaisi, with their best lap times all within half a second of each other.
Over the next two races a battle developed between Hernandez and Robinson going wheel to wheel for the lead. During the Pre-Final, Mauricio made a brilliant pass on the last lap of the race to steal the front-runner position and cross the finish line in first place. Robinson trailed in just 1.836 seconds later.
In the Final Race Hernandez roared off the line from pole position and into the lead with Robinson hot on his tail. When Mauricio slid wide on a bend, Jakob shot into the gap and out in front. However, Hernandez would not give up so easily and he stuck himself right on Robinson’s back bumper waiting for an opportunity to pounce.
Just as in the Pre-Finals, that opportunity came in the last lap on the final corner, but this time Hernandez couldn’t make the move stick; he attempted to dive inside Robinson and was too late, missing the pass and spinning his kart sideways.
With a fist in the air of celebration, Robinson was first across the finish line, with Enzo Fontanella and Alexandre Silanine taking advantage of the failed pass to sneak in with second and third place respectively. It was heartbreak for Hernandez, who went from challenging for the win down to seventh place in just one corner.
In the Masters sub-category of X30 Senior, for drivers 30 years and older, it was Craig Shenton who triumphed over Kyle Blockley for the top step of the podium, while Hussain Umid Ali secured third.
The X30 Cadet class, for drivers aged eight to 12, was less complicated to sort out. Rashid Al Dhaheri dominated the field throughout Heats, Pre-Final and Final, earning him a comfortable victory on the day and a first place trophy. Saood Variawa was best-of-the-rest, with Mohammed Al Habsi netting a close third.
There were more skirmishes in the X30 Junior class, drivers aged 12 to 15, as at least four different drivers were in contention to win it all. Jamie Day and Manaf Hijjawi controlled the early Heats while Lachlan Robinson took over later on and finished out with victories in the Pre-Final and Final. He brought home the first place trophy while Jamie Day received second place silverware and Ali Akabi got third.
The fastest karts on the day belonged to the X30 Shifter/Veteran class, with lap times approaching a blistering 56 seconds. The drivers were incredibly consistent, with the top three racers finishing the same throughout the Heats, Pre-Final and Final. At the end of the day Tom Bale was unsurpassed on his way to the top step of the podium. Silvio Musso challenged him very closely but had to settle for second, while Fraser Rose locked up third.
After the races David Bright of Dubai Kartdrome commented, “I’m impressed with the Iame organization; they’ve done a great job developing and promoting the X30 Challenge. It was rewarding to see a record 29 karts line up for the X30 Senior grid, which reveals the growing popularity of the series and the Dubai Kartdrome venue.”
Round Three of the Iame X30 Challenge will take place on 2 December, 2016 at Rak Track, Ras Al-Khaimah.