Chennai: Mick Schumacher, who currently leads the MRF Challenge 2016, will look to consolidate his position at the Dubai Autodrome, where the next rounds will be held from December 8 to 10. The FIA sanctioned championship will return to Dubai for the second consecutive year at the challenging 5.39km circuit.
Schumacher had won Races 2 & 4 at the action-packed season opener in Bahrain, with Ralf Aron taking Race 3. Challenging them will be Harrison Newey, who had qualified on pole position and won comfortably in Race 1.
Indian driver Parth Ghorpade will also return to the series for the first time in two years. This year the grid has yet another promising line-up.
German F4 Champion Joey Mawson, 2015 Italian F4 Champion and F3 race winner Ralf Aron, Japanese F3 Champion (National Class) Yoshiaki Katayama and Manuel Maldonado, cousin of former F1 race winner Pastor Maldonado, will also be looking to make their mark.
In its fifth year, the MRF Challenge will feature MRF Formula 2000 race cars, which have been made in India by JA Motorsport, based in Coimbatore. The Formula 3 style car has been built by JA Motorsport in technical collaboration with Dallara, and is considered to be the fastest of its kind in Asia. The new car is powered by a 2-litre Mountune Duratec engine with max power of 230 bhp and shod on MRF Z.L.O. tyres. The car will also feature advanced aerodynamics with underbody diffuser and a Hewland 6-speed sequential gearbox.
Free Practice 1 & 2 will take place on Thursday while the Qualifying and Race 1 & 2 will be held on Friday, with Race 3 & 4 taking place on Saturday.
