Union Properties (UP) announced that they will be promoters of a team of two drivers for the coming 2008 Speedcar Series with two cars. French sportscar ace David Terrien will team-up with UAE national Sheikh Hasher Al Maktoum to form this formidable UP team.
The pair has been announced as the latest driving team partnership in the Pan-Asian and Middle Eastern championships, which kicks-off at the Dubai Autodrome circuit, MotorCity, on January 26th 2008.
Sh. Hasher al Maktoum is 22 years old, and is the first Emirati confirmed as a Speedcar driver, and is set to be an enormous hit with fans in the region. He is the current UAE Karting Champion, has competed in Formula Renault Campus, and will drive Speedcar number 85 carrying the name of MotorCity.
David Terrien, 31, will pilot Speedcar number 20 carrying the name of Union Properties. He is a former multiple-time karting champion, French Formula Ford and Eurocup champion, winner of the Sports Car World Cup and the FIA N-GT World Championship. He has also taken part in the Le Mans 24 Hours, and is part of the management team at Dubai Autodrome.
The UP team is backed by Union Properties PJSC (UP), one of the United Arab Emirates leading property investment developers. UP delivers a comprehensive range of superior developments with more than 20 years of attention to detail with a portfolio of some of the most iconic landmarks in commercial, residential and leisure developments, including MotorCity, F1 Theme Park, Dubai Autodrome, Uptown and Green Community.
Sheikh Hasher Al Maktoum said, "Motorsport is constantly growing in profile and popularity in Asia and the Middle East, and for this reason I am looking forward with great anticipation to getting out on the track in front of the local fans especially as a UAE driver and enjoying the competition with so many well-known and well-established drivers. As an Emirati it is fantastic that our promoters, UP, are a UAE company too".
David said, "It is a fantastic to finally be able to announce that I am returning to the track in the Speedcar Series, which I am very grateful to UP for the confidence they have placed in me." Terrien added, "The championship has grown throughout 2007 and I know that my fellow competitors and I cannot wait for the first race of the season in Dubai.
Together with Sh. Hasher, my team-mate, we have an invaluable blend of experience and youth which I am sure will be a vital factor in our challenge for the first ever Speedcar title".
The UP team will be one of nine pioneering teams taking part in the inaugural Speedcar Series. Six additional cars will be run centrally by championship organisers.
About Speedcar Series
The Speedcar Series is a one-make stockcar-style championship featuring 24-identical 620bhp cars. The championship is based in Dubai, and will take place across Asia and the Middle East.
The series will feature a mix of ex-Formula One and international drivers, with Jean Alesi, Johnny Herbert, Stefan Johansson, Narain Karthikeyan, Ukyo Katayama, Gianni Morbidelli and many more. A prize-fund of USD 3 million will be distributed to drivers at the end of the season, with the eventual champion receiving USD 600,000.
About Grand Racing:
Beginning 2008, with strong partnerships in promoting the championship, Speedcar Series will be jointly collaborating with GP2 Asia in 5 races this season as 'Grand Racing' event. Two of which, will be coinciding with F1 in Malaysia and Bahrain.
www.speedcarseries.com
