Only a short two week break since the last Gulf Radical Cup event and it was back to business at the Yas Marina Circuit again.
Again, testing took place on the Thursday with three hours of open pitlane running with a GRC only test later that afternoon, and it was there James Edmeades set a new “un-official” lap record (series now running on Hankook tyres) of 2:15.700, certainly setting the pace for the weekend to come.
The next morning it was actually new comer, but very experienced racer Alex Khateeb (sharing with Johnny Khazzoum) who took the pole with a 2:16.881.
The race got underway with good start for Khateeb taking the lead with Hjerppe chasing hard, but Khateeb held good pace to keep the lead when handing the car over to his team mate. Curtis who had a spin on the opening lap and dropping to the back was able to get back up to 4th when he handed the car his team make Edmeades. Khazoom tried his hardest to keep up the blistering pace of his team mate to keep Hjerppe behind him, but it wasn’t enough and Hjerppe passed to take the win. Also showing great pace was Nicolas Francis who was able to snatch second place in the closing laps. Edmeades had managed to get to the back of Khazoom, but threw the car off on the last lap trying to make a last map manoeuvre for 3rd!
The next day is was Edmeades on pole. However at the start there was contact between Edmeades, Hjerppe and Francis. The stewards decided that the contact had originated from Francis, and the damage at the front of his car certainly seemed to confirm that. He was handed a drive through penalty. Meanwhile Sean Simpson got his head down and lead from the front, putting in a string of consistent laps. Edmeades and Hjerppe were charging hard to get back as far up the field as they could.
Steve Adams and Amir Feyzulin were nose to tale with Feyzulin taking advantage of a slow get away for Adams to get ahead in the pits stops, however Adams was able to pass Feyzulin on track going into turn 8. The move seemed to get the attention of race control initially, but was later deemed and legal overtaking move! However Adams had the charging Francis on his tale but was able to keep him behind all the way to the end of the race.
It was indeed Simpson who took a well deserved win, running a faultless race! Hjerppe had made it back to second and Curtis continued the good work of his team mate Edmeades to take third.
