SHENZHEN, CHINA // Team Abu Dhabi's Thani al Qamzi and Ahmed al Hameli will be going all out to close the gap on Jay Price, at the top of the UIM World Championship standings when take part in this weekend's Grand Prix of China in Shenzhen.
Al Qamzi's second position was all that Team Abu Dhabi had to show for their efforts in Liuzhou, China, last Sunday and the Abu Dhabi driver arrives in Shenzhen in a three-way tie for second place in the championship.
He shares second with the Italian racers Alex Carella, of the Mad Croc team, and Francesco Cantando, of Singha F1 Racing, but the trio are nine points adrift of Price at the halfway point of the eight-race season.
Al Hameli claimed an excellent pole position for the Liuzhou race, but engine problems cost him a place in the top three in the grand prix and he arrives in southern China in seventh place in the series, 19 points behind his teammate and 28 adrift of Price, the Qatar Team driver.
The Team Abu Dhabi pair endured mixed fortunes in the two Shenzhen races last season.
Al Hameli finished sixth in the first race - which was won by Italy's Guido Cappelini - and al Qamzi finished seventh in race one and fifth in the second race where victory went to Finland's Sami Selio.
Both Emirati racers have shown this season that they are among the four fastest drivers in the championship and al Hameli continues to lead the UIM F1 Pole Position Championship by nine points from Selio, with Price in third place. Al Qamzi is down in seventh in the Pole Position standings, but both the UAE drivers will be hoping for a change of fortune on Saturday and Sunday.
The weekend will also mark the third race outing for the new F4 runners.
Rashid al Tayer represented Team Abu Dhabi in Liuzhou and earned fourth and fifth places in the two 20-minute races.
He looks set to share the driving responsibilities this weekend with Majed al Mansoori and the latter is likely to make his first grand prix start on Saturday afternoon.
Al Tayer currently holds fourth position in the Eurofin Trophy F4 points' standings after two races.
The Team Abu Dhabi boats will pass through technical scrutineering and documentation today, before the first free practice session and time trials take place tomorrow.
Crews will be permitted a second free practice session on Sunday morning and the Grand Prix of China gets underway at 4pm local time (noon in the UAE).
There will be also be two 20-minute F4 races - one prior to the F1 time trials on Saturday and the second one before the main grand prix race on Sunday afternoon.