Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/651042
22 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 9 MARCH 2016 Sport MOTORSPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIO MICALLEF Joseph Scicluna wins his second ASMK Enduro THE Assocjazzjoni Sport Muturi u Karozzi is this Sunday to con- tinue with the Motorsport activi- ties with the Trials Championship sponsored by ASMK - Pasta POI- ATTI 2015/2016. This event will be held at the quarry named ix- Xaghra tal-Qaduma in the limits of Mosta. Thanks for this to Cen- tral Asphalt Ltd. who enabled us to use this area for these kinds of events which is scheduled to start at 9: 00am. Meanwhile last Sunday the asso- ciation was committed at Ta' Qali Sports Complex where it organ- ized the fifth event of the ASMK National Enduro Championship sponsored by Pasta POIATTI and Dunlop Tyres. A look at the day's event at- tracted 22 competitors for this event which is divided into two main classes. The course was a little more than two kilometres long where several natural obsta- cles as well as built-up obstacles by the ASMK officers were laid on track. Despite the hot and dry day at this time of year every driver had to face a number of obsta- cles including custom-built water pools which challenged all riders to prove their abilities more than usual. During the competition and at the Pole Position runs in Overall situation we saw brothers Ian and Joseph Scicluna who both ride KTM motorcycles, dominate the pole followed close by Matthew Gauci on a Sherco and James Zah- ra on a Yamaha. During the first heat the situation changed where Zahra managed to beat both Sci- cluna brothers with a timed run of 3 minutes 57.99 seconds followed by Gauci who also managed to beat Scicluna brothers with a best lap of 4 minutes 4.17 seconds. During the second heat Joseph Scicluna was seen to enter in ac- tion as he immediately responded to the challenge by Gauci and Zahra. Scicluna Joseph managed to improve on his timed Lap time to record a Lap of 3 minutes 54.36 seconds when he beat both Gauci and Zahra's best recorded Lap Times. This resulted in Joseph Scicluna being declared Overall Winner of the Day as well as the winner of the Enduro Class B for the second time this season. Sci- cluna proved that he has reached a level to ride with the very best competitors as he won over Gauci and Zahra who also were battling together for the lead. Zahra placed 2nd in Class with his best timed Lap of 3 minutes and 57.99 sec- onds while Gauci had to content himself with winning third place with a best time of 4 minutes 4.17 seconds . In Class A where Enduro motor- cycles with engines up to 250 cyl- inder capacity compete, Terence Azzopardi on a Kawasaki domi- nated and won this class with his best time of 4 minutes 29.96 sec- onds. Azzopardi was always followed by Andrea Scicluna on a KTM who closed the day in second place with his best Lap Time of 4 minutes 45.93 seconds. Third place was won by Elvin Debono also on a KTM who closed the day with a best lap time of 4 minutes 49.06 seconds. Meanwhile, the Association an- nounced that the next Enduro event will be held on Sunday 10th April 2016 at Mqabba. More de- tails regarding the exact location will be announced soon. Further information can be found on the ASMK website www.asmk.org. mt or Facebook pages named A.S.M.K. Malta or Association Sport Motorcycles and Cars. One can make contact by email info@ asmk.org.mt Ecclestone eyes Ferrari title challenge FORMULA 1 supremo Bernie Ec- clestone says he hopes Ferrari will be able to challenge Mercedes for the world championship this sea- son, following two years of domi- nance by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Mercedes has taken 32 victo- ries in 38 races since 1.6 litre V6 power units were introduced into the sport in 2014, with Hamilton and Rosberg finishing first and second in the title race across the last two years. Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel claimed three victories in 2015 to emerge a distant second to Mercedes, but Ecclestone is confident that the outfit can challenge the reigning champi- ons. "I'm hoping upon hope that Ferrari will get back to where it should be, which will be chal- lenging for the world champi- onship, and the same with Red Bull," he told the official Aus- tralian Grand Prix podcast. "I think if they really don't sort of show that they can win the championship we're go- ing to unfortunately, or fortu- nately depending on where you are, have Mercedes dominating again. "But having said that Nico – after three wins at the end of last year – maybe he's going to be in form. "If those two [Rosberg and Hamilton] are challenging each other it would be good. "Maybe he's [Rosberg] got a bit more confidence in him- self, let's see. I haven't got any predications, a lot of hopes, but I wouldn't like to put my money on who's going to do what." Ecclestone also added that he hopes to see the Formula 1 cal- endar expand further, despite this year's roster encompassing a record 21 events. "A few years ago I thought 16 was too many so we've grown into this, and we've got some- thing I'd like to do in South Af- rica," he commented.