2013/2014 NGK Racing Series. Rd 1, Yas Marina. New strengths?

And so it was that Rupesh Channake began his Class 2 championship defence with a now customary victory aboard the LAP57 Racing Honda Civic Type R. Solid albeit unspectacular running in qualifying though meant the Sri Lankan lined up behind three of the four Clios, a slow start in the opening race not making his life any easier.

Both Will Morrison and the returning Konstantinos Annivas (who hinted another race outing at the season finale in April) were despatched down the main straight as the field hit lap two, though former UAE Clio Cup champion Alexandros Annivas proved a tougher challenge. With the gap pegged at three seconds, a late race surge reduced the deficit to just seven-tenths of a second, but A Annivas had enough in-hand to hold on for both Class 2 and Clio Cup category victory. A stronger start to race two gave Channake the class lead early on, the Honda stretching its legs and opening up a five-second gap come the chequered flag. A delighted Annivas – demonstrated by a quick dance in the Phoenix Motorsport garage – followed home to take a second consecutive Clio Cup class victory and the standings lead.

Slightly less pleased with the afternoon was Jonathan Mullan, the pace of his Honda Integra – despite serious development during the off-season – still causing the Irishman problems. Vastly improved handling and power came to naught during qualifying, the Integra refusing to rev high enough and restricting his pace as a result. A clean run still brought a sixth and fourth place Class 2 finishes, though Mullan admitted more work was needed before round two at the Autodrome next month. Abdulhamid al Awadhi’s Spectrum Motorsport Honda Civic enjoyed a quiet afternoon to pick up one seventh and one fourth-place Class 2 finishes.

Few could separate the battling K Annivas and Morrison Renaults, less than a second covering the second and third-place Clio class finishers in race one. Only an early exit for the Brit in race two stopped their scrap going down to the wire. Thomas Sorenson meanwhile, having been plagued with transponder issues during race one (in which he was eventually finished 12^th) hit the showers early in race two after mechanical gremlins struck the AUH Motorsports Clio just one lap into the race.

Heads to be scratched and laurels to be sat on after round one of the 2013/2014 NGK Racing Series. And still a long way to go.

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