Jul 20th 2022 –
The Clio Cup Middle East, the first edition of the only series officially supported by a car manufacturer in the Middle East, will kick off this coming October. Today, Alpine Racing unveiled all the information that the teams and drivers in the Middle East and in all four corners of the world were waiting for to plan their season. It will, in fact, be a double season!
The Super Season will consist of six meetings divided equally between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while the last three in January will form the Winter Cup. As announced the format and the regulations are modelled on the Clio Cup Series that the European competitors all love. They are a guarantee of professionalism, a level playing field and competitiveness!
The car: Priced at 46,400 Euro, is the Clio V powered by the 1330 cc 4-cylinder turbocharged engine developing 200 bhp for a weight of 1030 kg equipped with a 5-speed sequential Sadev gearbox and Michelin tyres. It costs 46.400 € (tax not included) ready to race and can be bought from GP Extreme, the official distributor for the Middle East. The technical regulations are the same as those in Europe.
The calendar: it begins with the official test day and includes six race meetings, three on the Dubai Autodrome and three on the Yas Marina Circuit, which hosts the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix every year.
8 October: Official Test Day, Dubai
14-16 October: Abu Dhabi, Yas Racing Weekend (Super Season)
4-6 November: Dubai (Super Season)
9-11 December: Dubai (Super Season)
6-8 January: Abu Dhabi, Yas Racing Weekend (Super Season + Winter Cup)
13-15 January: Dubai 24 Hours, 24H Series (Super Season + Winter Cup)
20-22 January: 6H Abu Dhabi, 24H Series (Super Season + Winter Cup)
The format: each weekend consists of two 30-minute practice sessions on Friday followed on Saturday and on Sunday by a 20-minute qualifying session and a 25-minute + 1 lap race. Thus, competitors who take part in the six meetings will contest 12 qualifying sessions and as many races.
The championships: the Super Season regroups the six meetings and 12 races on the schedule, but only 10 results will be counted for the allocation of points. The Winter Cup is ideal for drivers who want to finish their championship in the context of the Clio Cup Series, whose final race in Europe is scheduled on 12 – 13 November, before starting preparation for the following season. It includes the last three meetings over three consecutive weekends in January with six races. Only the five best race results will be counted towards the final rankings. This is an ideal arrangement in terms of logistics! The Super Season and the Winter Cup will each award three titles, Overall, Challengers Cup and Gentlemen Drivers Cup winner, depending on the age (from 15 years old upwards) and the experience of each driver (consult the eligibility criteria in the Guideline documents). A bonus system is currently under discussion.
Tarik Ait Said, Alpine Racing: “Through its five generations, the Clio Cup has democratised motor sport in the four corners of the world. We’re fully involved in the Clio Cup Middle East with our privileged partner GPX Events whose expertise and experience are real benchmarks in this region of the world. Their teams have our full support in this project that aims to attract many competitors, young and experienced, local and international, to offer the perfect complement to our European series. With each passing week we’re becoming more and more impatient to attend the start of the first official Clio Cup in the Middle East!”
Vincent Espinosa, manager of the Clio Cup Middle East at GPX Events, the promoter of the series, will be the liaison officer with the competitors before and during the season: “We’re really enthusiastic about the idea of launching this new series in the Middle East. We’ve been working hand in hand with the Alpine Racing teams for several months now to ensure the success of this new championship. The alliance of the expertise of our two groups is a real bonus for the development of the series. The Clio Cup is a formula that allows the greatest number of people to access motor racing. And in a context in which its appeal is growing in the Middle East I’m convinced that this new promotional formula will quickly become a key series in the region.”
About the Clio Cup:
Since the launch of the R8 Gordini Cup in 1966, Renault has maintained a continuous presence on circuits around the world. Several thousand Clio Cups have been sold since 1991, and all five generations have been recognised for their performance, reliability and affordability. With its experience in promotional formulas and one-make series, Renault provides its savoir-faire and expertise to professionals and amateurs by offering a modern product adapted to their needs. In 2022, the Clio Cup will be in action in the Clio Cup Europe but also in Clio Cup France, Clio Cup Spain, Clio Cup Italia and Clio Cup Eastern Europe, thanks to an innovative calendar opening up numerous opportunities for competitors from all backgrounds: experienced drivers, Challengers and Gentlemen Drivers!
Interested Parties contact –
Contact Clio Cup Middle East: Vincent Espinosa (Team Relations)
Mobile: +33 6 70 92 17 85 – Email: vincent@gpextreme.com