Team Abu Dhabi’s Alex Carella and Thani Al-Qamzi are in Liuzhou for Friday’s Grand Prix of China acutely aware that podium finishes are necessary for them to keep their title challenges alive.

With just three races to run in this year’s six-round calendar, the pair now hold sixth and 11th places in the drivers’ points standings after finishing third and sixth at the last race in Portugal in August.

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With 20 points available to the winner of the Chinese race, Carella knows that nothing short of a win, or at least a podium finish, will be sufficient if he is to close the gap on series leader Shaun Torrente and defending World Champion Philippe Chiappe. Carella is currently 17 points behind the leading American and 16 adrift of Chiappe, the winner in Portugal.

Al-Qamzi rejoined the team in Porto after missing the first two races of the season in Qatar and France and is tied with Sweden’s Jesper Forss on five points.

Carella, who won the Liuzhou race for three successive years while driving for the former Qatar Team, said: “I’ve got to go out there and focus purely on this race and achieving the win.

“There are only three races left and time is running out. I need the points on the board. I love this circuit. It’s just something about the surroundings that make this such a great place for me. 

“My only mishap came in 2011, when I qualified second, was forced to start at the end of the dock because of engine problems and still finished fifth.

“I can’t afford any more hiccups or my dreams of another title will go straight out of the window.”