Dubai, UAE, November 15th, 2006: The FIA GT race teams arrived in town Wednesday, two days before the start of practice and qualifying for the final race of the 2006 Championship that will take place on November 18. The MotorCity GT 500 race, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, will start at 2:30pm on Saturday and finish at 5:30pm.

Dubai will see a full and varied grid of up to 28 cars. Larbre Competition, whose driver Gabriele Gardel is the outgoing Champion, will return for the first time this season, with a Ferrari 550 Maranello with the new Care Racing Development engine. In GT2, Spyker Squadron will enter two Spyker C8 Spyder cars, with a high-powered line-up including Jeroen Bleekemolen, Jonny Kane, Peter Dumbreck and Peter Kox. Three cars will run in the G3 category; two Aston Martin DBRS9 entered by BMS Scuderia Italia, and a JMB Racing Ferrari 430 GT3 Challenge, as well as the sole G2 Gillet Vertigo.

Having sealed the GT1 Teams title in Budapest and the Drivers title in Adria, Andrea Bertolini and Michael Bartels will compete in Dubai without any pressure. However, they have no plans on taking things easy! "This is my third time in Dubai,"; Michael Bartels explained. “We were fourth in 2004 with the Saleen, but third in GT1 due to the Maserati, then second last year with the Maserati. So this year I will aim to win, to make it three-two-one!"

However, their task will be made slightly more complicated by having three drivers in each car. “We took the opportunity to give something back to our Spa drivers,” Michael carried on. Eric van de Poele will therefore be back in the nr 1 Maserati MC 12, with Vincent Vosse in the nr 2 with Thomas Biagi and Jamie Davies. “They will take time to get used to the cars again, so we’ll have to see what is possible.”

The event takes place over two days, with support races including the MotorCity Cup for UAE National Superstock Bike Trophy and the MotorCity Cup for Motorworks GTI Cup Trophy, as well as plenty of on and off-track entertainment. A thrilling way to end the season.

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