Leclerc and Wurz shine in sensational racing weekend at YAS Marina Circuit
- 23 Feb 2022
Gulf Today, Staff Reporter
In an exhilarating grand slam weekend of season finales at Yas Marina Circuit, the exciting conclusions to the Formula Regional Asian Championship powered by Giti Tire, the Formula 4 UAE Championship and the Asian Le Mans series saw Arthur Leclerc, Charlie Wurz and Nielsen Racing clinch titles at the region’s home of motorsport on Sunday.
In the Formula Regional Asian Championship, Leclerc secured first place in the championship, adding a further race victory in Abu Dhabi to clinch the driver’s title. Leclerc’s team, the Mumbai Falcons, also claimed the constructor’s championship for the 2022 season. Pepe Marti and Isack Hadjar joined Leclerc on the podium, with the Pinnacle Motorsport and Hitech Grand Prix drivers finishing in second and third in the season standings.
On his championship victory, Leclerc said “I’m really happy to win it here in Abu Dhabi. We had a lot of focus to win this F3 season which was our target. I’ve driven on the track here at Yas Marina Circuit before the changes, but I really like the new layout with the high-speed corners. It’s great for the team to win here and kick off the new season with a positive start.”
The UAE’s very own home racing hero, Khaled Al Qubaisi, returned to Formula 3 this year and in doing so claimed the F3 Asian Championship Masters Trophy, awarded to the driver with the most points in the master’s category across the season. In a special moment, Al Qubaisi raced for Abu Dhabi Racing alongside his two daughters Amna and Hamda. Both up and coming drivers showed great promise throughout the season with Amna being the only female to score championship points during the first round at Yas Marina Circuit.
The future stars of motorsport were on display in the Formula 4 UAE championship, as Prema Racing’s Wurz secured the title following an incredible 16-race season which saw nine different race winners across the UAE. Wurz and his team, Prema Racing clinched the driver’s and team championships in Abu Dhabi following an impressive 2022 season. Wurz’ rookie teammate Rafael Camara was second in the championship standings, with Aiden Neate clinching third place ahead of Nikita Bedrin by a single point.
After receiving his F4 UAE championship, Wurz said “I’m so thankful to the team, and it’s really great to win the title here on such a famous circuit. It’s amazing to win it where F1 drivers fight and battle, they’re such sensational drivers and I hope to compete here one day at that level.”
To conclude the 2022 Asian Le Mans, following their clean-sweep of the 2-race series in Dubai it was Nielsen Racing who clinched the title in impressive style at Yas Marina Circuit with one race to spare. In the GT3 classes, Inception Racing and SPS Automotive held on following their strong drives in the opening rounds to stand atop the podium as winners in Abu Dhabi.
The victory in the 2022 Asian Le Mans championship also provides Nielsen with a highly coveted invitation to the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, which will see Rodrigo Sales, Matt Bell and Ben Hanley reunited in France to compete in one of the world’s most prestigious racing events.
Racing fans can look forward to a thrilling year of racing to come at Yas Marina Circuit, with the fourth and final round of Yas Racing Series takes place February 25-27th with the Gulf Radical Cup, the Emirates Drift Championship and the Yas Super Street Challenge set to continue at the region’s home of motorsport.
Giti Tire Group (headquartered in Singapore) has roots in the tire business going back to 1951 and is now one of the world’s largest tire companies. Giti Tire produces a broad range of tire products, serving major original equipment vehicle manufacturers, auto-service outlets, motorsports teams, tire dealers, and consumers in more than 130 countries worldwide. The company has eight production centers in three countries, including a newly opened tire factory in South Carolina, USA.
In addition to its wide network and motorsports presence, Giti Tire is also heavily focused on green production and community efforts, including participation in local education and environmental efforts to create a better society.