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Άντε και του χρόνου!!!!
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A Quick Chat With…The Champs // Dubai, UAE
We’ve seen a lot of ups, downs and a few bumps and bruises on the road to this year’s UAE Touring Car Championship, and the final round of the season produced easily the most nail-biting finish we’ve seen in a while.
As ever, crankandpiston was on-hand at the Autodrome to scope the news and check out the form, and try not to trip over any loose wires. This gave us plenty of time – when the dust had settled – to grab a quick chat with this year’s Class Champions.
Alexandros Annivas: UAE Renault Clio Cup Champion
Even though this year ultimately resulted in a Championship Alexandros, it’s not been the easiest of seasons for you has it?
“It was hard, especially in the second half of the season. Too many problems, and too many gremlins, especially electrical problems. And these were problems that were very difficult to find, isolate and fix. Round five or six, I think it was, at 11.30pm I had to go and buy one extra car in order to race the next day! And that brought more issues: it was new, it was out of setup, we didn’t have the time to bring it to my driving style. Then the next day, we had – let’s say – a difference of opinion with the stewards and I got excluded! That was a hectic period.“Finally I just said, ‘I don’t want the podiums, I just want to finish’, and since I had no nerves and no pressure, I just came, drove, had fun, and it’s resulted in a Championship!”
How do you feel those issues early on helped you develop as a driver?
“Through the first half of the season, I developed a lot. The second half, with all the problems, I started thinking it was down to my driving, and that I just wasn’t quick enough. Also during the second half of the season I didn’t get too much time off work, even though my employers – Gulf Petrochem – as my sponsors were very supportive. I don’t really know what it was. But next year I hope to have more time to practice, have less technical problems, and develop more and more as a driver.”
You’ve had a lot of support this year from your team obviously, but your family has played a bit role too…
“Yes, very much. My father is also racing in the series, and from the early karting days onwards, he was my mentor. He was my trainer. So I have a figure to look up to. It’s the first championship in the UAE that I’ve won, my father has won four or five, so I want to keep on racing and, who knows, one day race against each other again, like we used to do in the Suzuki Swift Championship. That was great fun!”
How does it feel knowing you are the reigning Champion?
“It feels very nice! It’s always good to get one Championship under your belt, and it’s good that all your efforts throughout the season have been rewarded. That’s the biggest prize!” >>>
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Λοιπον και επισημως ξεκιναμε την σεζον του 2012-2013.
Χ8ες ειχαμε το launch της καινουριας season με δοκιμες και media/passenger rides.
11 October 2012
Ready to rumble after preseason test day at Dubai Autodrome
The DAMC Test Day at Dubai Autodrome today (Thursday, 11 October) provided teams and drivers competing in the NGK Racing Series incorporating the Total UAE Touring Cars along with UAE Radical Cup competitors the opportunity to shake down their cars and get back into ‘the zone’ ahead of the season opening race at Yas Marina Circuit next weekend.
Heading the Total UAE Touring Car entries was reigning Clio Cup champion Alex Annivas who was out in his title winning Renault Clio, prepared by Phoenix Motorsports. He ended the day after a number of trouble free runs and commented, “It is really hot out there, but it was a good session and helped me to get back into the groove before the start of the season. I must thank my sponsors Gulf Petrochem who not only support our team as sponsors but also are involved at every race meeting. The aim is to win both the championships again.”
Annivas referring to the fact that his father multiple UAE champion Costas Papantonis, who was not present at the test day, but will be competing in the Total UAE Touring Car Championship starting next week.
To make it an out and out family affair, a third member of the family will be campaigning the forthcoming season with Constantinos Annivas also competing in select rounds of the Clio Cup, which means that father and two sons will line up on the grid for the NGK Racing Series.
Yas Marina Circuit hosts the first round of the championship featuring DAMC Racing Series incorporating Total UAE Touring Cars and will share the bill with UAE Radical Cup on the day
http://www.dubaiautodrome.com/tracktalk ... autodrome/
http://gulfnews.com/sport/motorsport/fa ... -1.1088118
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http://www.dubaiautodrome.com/tracktalk ... autodrome/
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NGK Racing Series report from Round 9 and Round 10 at Dubai Autodrome ■Double wins for Costas Papantonis and Alex Annivas
■Clio Cup delivers closest racing of the seasonCostas Papantonis was untouchable in the NGK Racing Series at Dubai Autodrome on Friday (22 February) as he powered to two victories unchallenged, but the action was behind him as the Clio Cup drivers slugged it out for top honours and delivered a feast of close racing in the process.
Papantonis in the Gulf Petrochem SEAT lamented the lack of challengers as he romped to overall and class wins in both races, but was nevertheless satisfied with his day, “We had some problems with the car last time we raced. So it was good to sort these out and prove the car can win again. But it is a shame there is no one to compete against in my class at the moment. Hopefully more drivers will return in the future.”
“For us it was a good opportunity to work on developing the car. To test some different engine and setup options. So in the end it was a productive day,” said the multiple UAE touring car champion.
With Rupesh Channake sidelined in the Lap57 Honda it was up to Jonathan Mullan, in the sole remaining Honda, to fend off a gang of Renault Clio’s all intent on Class 2 and, the ‘race within a race’, Clio Cup honours.
Action started early as newcomer Guillaume Simonnet crashed in Turn 3, of the Dubai Autodrome International Circuit, during qualifying, and was unable to make it on to the grid due to damage sustained by his Clio. A shame for the impressive rookie who would have started third had he not had the mishap.
An indication of how close things are at the front in the Clio Cup, was apparent as the top five drivers were separated by less than a second in qualifying, thus setting the stage for some very close racing on the day
Reigning Clio Cup champion Alex Annivas qualified fastest of the Renault brigade and set the pace from the moment the lights went out at the start of race one. He was pursued relentlessly by the Moutran brothers Sami and Ramzi, with Will Morrison also in the mix.
Annivas was forced to use all his race craft and more to keep Ramzi Moutran in check. This allowed Morrison to close in on the leaders, and when it mattered he pounced to take second place, trailing winner Annivas by a mere 0.179 seconds as they crossed the finish line side by side, with Ramzi Moutran having to settle for third and Sami Moutran fourth. Mullan was fifth in the sole Honda.
Race two was a similar story with Papantonis racing off into the distance unchallenged, and behind him a hardcore battle between the Clio Cup pace setters ensued again, with Annivas fending off the attentions of the Morrison and the Moutran brothers.
It was nail biting stuff, side by side racing, bumper to bumper, door handle to door handle – all the cliches rolled into one race. In the end Annivas made it two out of two in what will go down as the closest race so far this season in the NGK Racing Series.
Ramzi Moutran bounced back to take second and Morrison third – the pace setting trio separated by 0.663 seconds as they crossed the line three abreast.
Next up was Sami Moutran who was challenging Annivas for the class lead early in the race, when he ran out of grip and had to go wide off track, this cost him time which he tried gamely to make up but had to settle for fourth in the end. Mullan was again fifth in class.
Annivas summed up his day, “This was one of the toughest races we have had in a long time. It was hard work to get both wins with such a good group of drivers. I was defending, attacking, holding station – doing whatever it took to hang on to the lead. In the end it was enough, but it was very close. It feels like I did half a season of racing in one day!”
Ramzi Moutran said, “It was hard day’s work in the cockpit. Really close racing, bumper to bumper stuff. But today Alex was on the boil and hard to beat. Well done to him.”
Round 11 and Round 12 of the 2012-2013 NGK Racing Series will take place at Dubai Autodrome on 8 March.
http://www.dubaiautodrome.com/tracktalk ... ound-9-10/
Race 1
Race 2
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ωραιος!(και οι 2 βασικά!)
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Nice Job there Alex!
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Eυχαριστω πολυ.
Καταφερα και περασα μπροστα στην βαθμολογια κατα 6 βαθμους που ειναι πταισμα με το βαθμολογικο συστημα που εχουμε και τους 2 τελευταιους αγωνες της χρονιας να μετρανε για διπλους βαθμους. Ηδη απο τον προηγουενο αγωνα ο αντιπαλος ξεκινησε τα παιχνιδια τακτικης ριχνοντας στην μαχη τον ενα απο τους δυο αδερφους του μπας και μου κοψει βαθμους (τελικα δεν το καταφερε γιατι δεν ηταν δηλωμενος on time στο πρωταθλημα οποτε δεν βαθμολογειται) αλλα μπορει να μου κοψει ρυθμο. Ετσι αυτη την Παρασκευη που εχουμε αγωνα κατεβαινει απο Ελλαδα και το δικο μου αδερφακι να τρεξει το 2ο Clio (της ομαδας μας) που καθοταν κλεισμενο στο γκαραζ και εκανε καμμια βολτα τους σπονσορες σε track days ή πηγαινε απο εκθεση σε εκθεση για τα promotion του σπονσορα. Δεν τους χαλασε οταν ειδαν 3 ελληνικες συμμετοχες στο entry list.....
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Upadate
Την Παρασκευη ηταν ο 6ος γυρος του πρωταθληματος. Διστυχως δεν πηγαν ολα as planned και ειχα δυο 2ες θεσεις στο Clio Cup, μια 2η στα διλιτρα και μια 3η στα διλιτρα. Στον πρωτο αγωνα της ημερας με κα8υστερησαν αρκετα τα Honda οποτε ο αντιπαλος μου ανοιξε μια διαφορα 11 δευτερολεπτων την οποια εκλεισα στα 7 μεχρι το τελος αλλα σε εννιαιο διστυχως τετοιες διαφορες δεν κλεινουν ευκολα οποτε.....Στον δευτερο αγωνα πηγαιναε λες και ημουνα δεμενος πανω του αλλα δεν μπορεσα να βρω αυτο το κατι παραπανω και διστυχως μετα απο 20λεπτα παρεμεινα 2ος.
Αυτο σημανει οτι αυτη την στιγμη 1&2 ειμαστε ισα. Οταν λεω ισα πιο ισα δεν γινεται. σε 1ες, 2ες, 3ες θεσεις και βαθμολογια. Τοσο ισα που αμα τελειωνε την παρασκευη το πρωταθλημα θα επρεπε το κυπελο να το κοψουμε στην μεση και να ειμαστε και οι δυο πρωταθλητες....Το VNR του αγωνα απο τους διοργανωτες
Race 1
Race 2
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ωραία πράματα
Έλληνες στο εξωτερικό