With 31 sponsor prizes on offer, 101 local and international drivers were enticed to contest the 2017 Dubai O Plate Karting Championship at Dubai Kartdrome.
Top karters battled it out over two days to determine O Plate champions in nine categories, including Bambino, Rotax Max Micro, Rotax Max Mini, IAME X30 Cadet, IAME X30 Junior, IAME X30 Senior, IAME X30 Masters, IAME X30 Shifter and IAME X30 Shifter Veterans.
IAME X30 Senior
F4 UAE driver Sean Babingtonmade a great getaway to start the Final Race and looked set to run away with it until a collision in the backfield halted the race with a red flag. When racing resumed, Babington came under great pressure and almost gave up the lead on several corners. Once he fought off the challengers and regained control, Babington sailed in for the victory, 0.901 seconds ahead of Abdullah Al Rawahi. Mauricio Hernandez claimed third.
IAME X30 Masters
Reigning champ Ali Al Najjar took top honours for the second year running. Dario Rubio settled for second place silverware while Nadia Khan earned third.
IAME X30 Cadet
Young Emirati karting icon Rashid Al Dhaheri earned pole position and went on to demolish the field in the Final Race, taking the chequered flag almost eight seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Ahmed Al Saadi, for second and Mohammed Al Habsi in third. Al Dhaheri also set a Dubai O Plate record, taking top honours on the podium four years in a row.
IAME X30 Junior
In a hard fought Junior class Manaf Jaafar Hijjawi crossed the finish line first, just 0.249 seconds ahead of Vaskelis Kasparas, who was closely tailed by Denis Bahar to take third.
Rotax Max Micro
Diaraf Keinde nabbing the lead in the final two laps and hanging on for the win by just 0.949 seconds over Finn Morton. Alexander Renner trailed in for third.
Rotax Max Mini
Theo Kekati, with DR Racing Kart, took the lead and the victory. Kamal Agha and Ali Al Shamsi also benefitted, seizing second and third respectively.
IAME X30 Shifter - IAME X30 Shifter Veterans
A ten second penalty on race leader Tom Bale allowed Formula K driver Frederic Op de Beeck to take victory over Bale. Matteo Orengo got third. Alexandros Annivas survived the opening lap skirmish to bring home his Techno Kart for the IAME X30 Shifter Veterans O Plate.