Dubai, UAE, November 18th, 2006: Aston Martin DBR9 drivers, Piccini and Deletraz won the MotorCity GT 500, the tenth and final round of the MotorCity GT 500 yesterday, in a heated competition that left the packed grandstand and amphitheatre audience breathless and on the edge of their seats.

The day started with a warm up session where the drivers had only 15 minutes to do their last fine tuning before the race starts. The MotorCity GT 500 started at 2:30pm with Makowiecki starting on pole. The first lap saw a fierce competition as all the drivers tried to overtake to gain positions. Piccini and Deletraz from GT1 who started from the 7th position lead the race after one hour and maintained their position till the end of the race. The Ferrari 430 drivers, Niarchos and Mullen from GT2 finished the race with a best lap of 2:01.387 while Vilander and Melo finished 2nd and Salo and Aguas rounded up the podium.

There was an air of anticipation and excitement throughout the race.

Year after year the Motorcity GT 500 race has become more and more popular in Dubai. Motor sport fans from all around U.A.E gathered in all areas at the Dubai Autodrome to watch the three hours race. More than 15,000 spectators attended the 2 days event. Increased participation and better performance from the teams and their pit stop crews ensured a thrilling event that surpassed the audience expectations.

Apart from the main GT 500 race, the spectators were enthralled by a never-ending array of activities and programmes meticulously prepared by the organisers. MotorCity Trophy Race for the UAE National Superstock Bikes where Johnnie Piennar managed to finish the race first. He was followed by Grant Yake, the reigning champion in Superstock Championship.

The demonstration laps were from the Bartercard Gulf Radical Cup and, Single Seater race and drifting from the Autodrome Race School. The gathered enthusiastic crowd was treated to Red Bull motorcycle stunt displays with acrobatic stunts and eye-popping mountain bike skills. Later, FIA GT drivers paraded in Classic Cars around the track. VIP guests were also seen milling around the pit road and talking with the drivers. The crowd were also treated to a delightful parade from Porsche, Corvette and Harley Davidson. The UAE National parachute team too displayed their skills with the canopy as they dotted the skies before landing softly near the racing track much to the delight of the crowd.

Sheikh Hasher AL Maktoum wins 2nd MotorCity Trophy: Sheikh Hasher Al Maktoum and Faisal Al Redha from the HSBC Racing Academy managed to get the audience on their feet as both drivers went head to head fighting for the top spot.

The two drivers exchanged the lead many times but in the fifth lap, Yazan Rijleh managed to overtake the HSBC Racing Academy duo but very soon he was involved in an accident that forced him retire. Al Redha was then able to take the lead but he ran wide in the penultimate lap. This allowed Sheikh Hasher Al Maktoum to overtake him and take the chequered flag.

HSBC Racing Academy: Final 3 Drivers: The HSBC Racing Academy held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council announced today at the Dubai Autodrome the names of the three final selected drivers following an intensive selection process of four phases. The selected drivers are: Mohammed Al Abdooli, Khaled Al Mutawaa and Thani Al Falasi.

HSBC and Dubai Autodrome have joined forces to find and groom UAE's next generation of young racing drivers. The selected 3 drivers of the HSBC Racing Academy will go through an advanced motor racing training program at Dubai Autodrome and three scholarship places at La Filliere Racing School in France with a full season of racing competition at the Formula Campus Championship. Niall Booker, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Bank Middle East Limited said: “The HSBC Racing Academy has proved to be very exciting and successful initiative at its inaugural year. With the announcement of the three drivers today, we are one step closer to the goal of one day producing a UAE national driver good enough to compete at the Formula One Level. I wish Mohammed, Khaled and Thani the best of luck in what will be a very exciting year for them and look forward to monitoring their progress in France throughout 2007.”

“We are proud to have entered into a long term partnership with HSBC as we aim to support those who want to further their motor sport passion. We will definitely be able to achieve this with the directions of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan and the partnership with HSBC,” said Saeed Khalfan Chairman of the Dubai Autodrome.

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