The Audi Quattro S1 rally car driven by the current FIA European Hillclimb Cup Champion Nikolay Zlatkov as well as the Toyota TS030 24 hours Le Mans hybrid car will be just a few of the several attractions during this year's edition of PaqpaqliGhall-Istrina 2014 to be held on 7 December 2014 within the grounds of the Malta International Airport and Lufthansa Technik.
In its ninth year, PaqpaqliGħall-Istrina is organised by a team on behalf of The Malta Community Chest Fund together with TonioDarmanin and the Malta Motorsport Federation. The aim of this event is to raise funds for L-Istrina.
Among the attractions, the public will be able to drive supercars, book dream rides, follow live action and stunts on three different circuits and admire luxury and classic vehicles on display in this year's Paqpaqli Għall-Istrina. Over 1,000 vehicles from 35 local automotive clubs are expected to participate.
This year will feature one of the largest gatherings of Porsche cars with over 60 Porsches on display and some others available from drives or rides.
Owners of fast cars and bikes will be able to push their vehicles to the limit in what is potentially the longest and most secure straight piece of tarmac in Malta. This event continues to be among the most popular activities as drivers eagerly line up in pairs and speeding along the taxi way in an attempt to reach their vehicle's top speed.
Audi Quattro S1 rally car
The key attraction this year will be the Audi Quattro S1 rally car built by Prospeed Motorsport and driven by the 2014 FIA European Hillclimb Cup Champion Nikolay Zlatkov, of Bulgaria, who will be entertaining the crowds during this year's edition of PaqpaqliGhall-Istrina. Zlatkov will be performing his rally circuit run four times during the day.
The Audi Quattro S1 was a very popular rally car which competed in the 1980s WRC championships. It also sold as a production car in limited numbers. In road-going form, the engine was capable of producing 302 bhp with the competition cars initially producing around 444 bhp. The Prospeed Audi S1 produced 770bhp.
Toyota TS030 Hybrid Le Mans
Another attraction will be the Le Mans supercar, the Toyota TS030. The car ran at the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans, with two cars having entered the LMP1 category, and became the first petrol-powered hybrid car to take part in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The supercar won a number of events including the 6 hours of Sao Paolo, Fuji, Shanghai, Fuji and Bahrain with renowned F1 drivers such as Sebastien Buemi, Alexander Wurz and Kazuki Nakajima.
The Toyota TS030 boasts a 530bhp 3.4-litre normally aspirated V8 engine coupled with a 300bhp super capacitor-based electric motor.
Live shows
One of the key successes of the event has been the live show that is put together for the thousands who flock to the event. This year's main show, which will take place twice, will feature the Police, Civil Protection Department as well as Armed Forces of Malta combined stunt show with two police cars chasing a getaway car in a very dramatic fashion, and which will include a number of surprises.
The show section will include also Malta's own Team Maximum Lock, which will include a number of drifting and stunts performances. Team Maximum Lock has performed abroad in the UK and Bahrain, amongst other countries. The team is accepting passenger rides during its performances against a donation towards l-Istrina.
The live show will also feature the Maltese Stunt Bikers featuring four motorcycles as well as the aforementioned Audi Quattro S1 Rally performance.
Porsche, Nissan and Radical driving experience
One important element of PaqpaqliGhall-Istrina is the opportunity given to the public to drive some of the fastest supercars, as well as the opportunity to get a ride in one such car. This year, motoring enthusiasts will have the opportunity to drive/ride a range of Porsche, Nissan and Radical cars, against a donation.
The latest Porsche's road/track car, the 991 GT3 as well as the latest Carrera 4S and the most powerful Macan, the Macan Turbo will all be available for visitors to drive, against a donation. A professional Porsche instructor will be flown in from Porsche for Paqpaqligħall-Istrina to advise people how to experience the performance of the GT3 at its full potential. Local Porsche owners are invited to take advantage and receive driving instructions on their own vehicles the day before the event at the Paqpaqli venue. This year will feature one of the largest gathering of Porsche cars with over 60 Porsches on display and some others available from drives or rides.
Two Nissan GT-Rs will be available for people to take a ride in. The Porsches and the Nissans will be driven on a circuit which will include a sprint on the taxiway and chicanes to get the best out of the performance vehicles.
In addition the local motorsport Camilleri family featuring Hubert and his children Kurt and Keith - the latter forming part of Malta Formula Racing - will be driving the two Radical Prosport cars and will be accepting passenger rides as well.
Soapbox competition
One of the "lightest" attractions for this year's edition will be the Soapbox car competition, which will see a purposely-built Soapboax start and finish track for participants to run their ingenious 4-wheel creations. A total of 17 teams will be participating and are building their unique vehicles which will see the light of day on 7 December.
Static Display
The Lufthansa Apron will be a super car paddock with the international attractions among the local Ferrari, Porsches, new car industry, exotic, prestige and modified cars. All local clubs will be participating and more than 1,000 vehicles are expected to be on display.
Drifting circuit and AWDC
Paqpaqli Għall-Istrina 2014 will feature, for the second year, an ICC 'time attack' challenge where 100 cars will battle for the best time of the day around a technically designed circuit that allows for interesting speeds and fast cornering in a safe environment. Members of the All-Wheel Drive Club will test their skills in a rock crawling activity as Malta's top offroad vehicles compete against man-made obstacles in a specially designed offroad track. A drifting arena is also being organised by the Malta Drifting Association on Park 3 and people can take drift rides all day long. The performance circuit (ICC) will be on Apron 4. The off-road course (AWDC) will be on the grass next to the Lufthansa Gate.
Attractions for families and kids
The event is also a fun day out for families and kids with entertainment all day long and children activities. A Police dog show, the kids area featuring the Fun Bus and animators are just some of the other attractions that have been included in this year's programme. Ample parking spaces will be available and visitors will also able to utilize a shuttle bus service from park and ride facilities.
Details of this year's edition were given recently during a media launch presided by The President of Malta Marie Louise ColeiroPreca and the organising team. She said the event has been a great success over the years and has attracted thousands of people, while raising funds for l-Istrina.
"Paqpaqli Għall-Istrina is a great event which brings together families, motoring enthusiasts and fans, and the public in general to admire their dream cars all in one venue. I wholeheartedly thank the organising team as well as the various participants for making this event possible. I look forward to being there on 7 December together with the thousands of visitors that will be turning up on the day," said the President of Malta, HE Marie-Louise ColeiroPreca.
OrganiserTonioDarmanin said: "Start your engines! PaqpaqliGhall-Istrina has become one of the highlights of Malta's motoring calendar and a key contributor towards funds for L-Istrina and The Malta Community Chest Fund. From its humble origins nine years ago, this event has become a massive gathering with hundreds of local car enthusiasts and clubs participating, and thousands of Maltese attending to raise funds towards this noble cause."
Paqpaqli Għall-Istrina has become one of the highlights of Malta's motoring calendar and a key contributor towards L-Istrina and The Malta Community Chest Fund. Malta's annual popular motoring event is organised by a team of volunteers on behalf of The Malta Community Chest Fund.