After waiting five years for their first world title, Team Abu Dhabi believe they have a fighting chance of making it two – helped by a big performance in the penultimate round of the 2015 UIM XCAT World Series in Dubai this weekend.

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Rashid Al-Tayer and Faleh Al-Mansoori know they will have to be at their best, and get some outside assistance, if they are to wipe out the 23-point championship lead held by XDubai’s Arif Saif Al-Zafeen and Nadir bin Hendi with two rounds remaining.

But Al-Tayer refuses to concede defeat in the title race, which moves quickly on from Dubai this weekend to its conclusion a week later at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

He has first set his sights on maximum bonus points in tomorrow’s Speed Cat Run, the drag race style event now a big part of any XCAT World Series weekend, and wants to follow up with victory in the Dubai Grand Prix 24 hours later.

“We have put a lot of effort into getting our set-up right for the drag race because we want those bonus points,” he said. “Then we will be going all out to win on Saturday.

“XDubai will be tough to beat on their home waters, but that’s what we’re hoping to do. There are some other very good teams, and if we can get out in front and some of them get between us and XDubai that could make a big difference in the points.”

Among their other main rivals will be the vastly experienced Ital- ian duo of Matteo Nicolini and Tomaso Polli who are just five points adrift in third position in the championship.

Practice is 15:00 today at the Dubai International Marine Club at Mina Seyahi. The Pole Positon race gets underway at 11:00 on Friday, followed by the afternoon Speed Cat Run 15:00. The Dubai Grand Prix starts at 14:00 on Saturday.