Norwegian Bjorn Gjelsten together with Britain's Steve Curtis win Dubai Grand Prix.
Norwegian Bjorn Gjelsten together with Britain’s Steve Curtis produced the perfect performance to win the Dubai Grand Prix on Saturday, the final race of the season. The result secured Spirit of Norway‘s fifth consecutive World Championship, their sixth as a pairing and a record eighth for Curtis.
Victory 77‘s Mohammed Al Marri and Jean Marc Sanchez finished second to take the runners-up spot in the championship for a second year with Norwegians, Jorn Tandberg and Christian Zaborowski aboard Jotun third.
For Spirit of Norway and Victory 77 it was a winner-takes-all scenario with just one point separating them. Qatar 96 led from the start in pouring rain but it was Spirit of Norway that grabbed the early advantage, running in second place with their title rivals sixth at the end of the opening lap. On the tenth lap Gjelsten and Curtis made their move and passed a slowing Qatar 96. Taking the lead, they completed the 21-lap, 95Nm course in 54mins 32.90secs to return a winning average of 183.76kmh/114.20secs, finishing 11 secconds ahead of the remaining fleet.
Victory 77‘s hopes of ending Spirit of Norway‘s reign were all but extinguished on the opening lap after a poor start, and despite a valiant effort by Al Marri and Sanchez, fighting back from sixth to second place, the pace of their rivals putting the championship beyond their grasp.
Third place for Tandberg and Zaborowski, their fourth podium of the year, moved Jotun into fourth place in the championship, behind Qatar 95 who finished fourth ahead Victory 7 and Ceramiche Flaminia sixth.
This 30th career win for Gjelsten and Curtis, their fourth of the year, caps a remarkable season for the Anglo-Norwegian pairing who completed a clean sweep of titles, winning the Class 1 World, European, Middle East and Pole Position Championships.
DUBAI GRAND PRIX – RESULTS
1. Spirit of Norway – Gjelsten (NOR)/Curtis (GB) 20pts
2. Victory 77 – Al Marri (UAE)/Sanchez (FR) 15pts
3. Jotun – Tandberg (NOR)/Zaborowski (NOR) 12pts
4. Qatar 95 – Al Sulaiti (QAT)/Di Biase (ITA) 9pts
5. Victory 7 – Hendi (UAE)/Al Suwaidi (UAE) 7pts
6. Ceramiche Flaminia – Chillocci (ITA)/Leppala (FIN) 5pts
7. Qatar 96 – Al Thani (QAT)/Nicolini (ITA) 4pts
8. SeveneleveN – Giorgi (ITA)/Nilsen (NOR) 3pts
King of Shaves – Parsonage (GB)/Sheppard (GB) DNF
Foresti & Suardi-Roscioli Hotels – Montavoci (ITA)/Cirilli (ESP) DNF
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS – after round eight of eight
1. Spirit of Norway – Gjelsten (NOR)/Curtis (GB) 122pts
2. Victory 77 – Al Marri (UAE)/Sanchez (FR) 120pts
3. Qatar 95 – Al Sulaiti (QAT)/Di Biase (ITA) 88pts
4. Jotun – Tandberg (NOR)/Zaborowski (NOR) 81pts
5. Qatar 96 – Al Thani (QAT)/Nicolini (ITA) 78pts
6. Foresti & Suardi-Roscioli Hotels – Montavoci (ITA)/Cirilli (ESP) 56pts
7. Victory 7 – Hendi (UAE)/Al Suwaidi (UAE) 49pts
8. Ceramiche Flaminia – Chillocci (ITA)/Leppala (ITA) 36pts
9. King of Shaves – Parsonage (GB)/Sheppard (GB) 35pts
10. SeveneleveN – Giorgi (ITA)/Nilsen (NOR) 30pts
MIDDLE EAST CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS – after round four of four
1. Spirit of Norway – Gjelsten (NOR)/Curtis (GB) 56pts (2 wins)
2. Victory 77 – Al Marri (UAE)/Sanchez (FR) 56pts (1 win)
3. Qatar 96 – Al Thani (QAT)/Nicolini (ITA) 54pts
4. Qatar 95 – Al Sulaiti (QAT)/Di Biase (ITA) 49.5pts
5. Jotun – Tandberg (NOR)/Zaborowski (NOR) 28.5pts
6. King of Shaves – Parsonage (GB)/Sheppard (GB) 26pts
7. Victory 7 – Hendi (UAE)/Al Suwaidi (UAE) 25pts
8. Ceramiche Flaminia – Chillocci (ITA)/Leppala (ITA) 21pts
9. SeveneleveN – Giorgi (ITA)/Nilsen (NOR) 17.5pts
10. Foresti & Suardi-Roscioli Hotels – Montavoci (ITA)/Cirilli (ESP) 12pts
