SATURDAY FINALS
O
nce again Team UAE drivers stepped up to the
plate and delivered impressive performances
during the Finals day on, Saturday in Portugal.
Keanu Al Azhari crossed the finish line first in the Micro
MAX class, with Mini MAX duo Jamie Day and Theo
Kekati finishing second and fourth respectively at the
2017 Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals.
Al Azhari, who established himself as the driver to
beat in the Micro MAX class with pace setting displays
all week, started from the front row and made a great
start to take an early lead. But by half distance, without
the benefit of a slipstream, he was reeled in by the pack
and dropped a couple of places. But he kept his cool and
fought his way back to the front where he stayed all the
way to the chequered flag.
But after the race he was adjudged to have jumped
the start and race stewards handed him a ten seconds
penalty for the transgression, which turned what would
have been a well deserved victory into 11th place.
Al Azhari’s demotion promoted French champion
Louis Iglesias to the top step of the Micro MAX podium.
In the Mini MAX category Jamie Day started from
second place on the grid but was engulfed by the pack
as the field sped off the line, while teammate Theo
Kekati made a superb start from seventh to fourth at the
end of the first lap.
Kekati, who improved with every session during
the course of the week, was soon in second place and
set about pursuing the leader as Day picked his way
towards the front.
What followed was a four way battle for the lead with
drivers swapping positions on every lap. In the end it
was Frenchman Marcus Armand who managed to cling
on to take the victory, with Day tucked in behind him to
take second, ahead of Australian James Wharton in third
and Kekati in fourth - less than a second covering the top
four as they crossed the finish line nose to tail.