Dubai. Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal is again the driver the rest have to catch as the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East heads for a big race weekend in Abu Dhabi.
With a near perfect start to the new season at Dubai Autodrome, the 2009-10 champion underlined how badly he wants to win back the GT3 Cup title, and he is determined to build on his early championship lead at Yas Marina Circuit on Saturday and Sunday.
The Porsche one-make series is again on the race support programme for the 2011 Formula 1TM Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and Prince Abdulaziz wants to at least match his display on the same weekend last year when he followed second place with victory 24 hours later.
His win in Round 2 of the 2011-12 season in Dubai last Saturday gave him a four-point lead in the title race, after a momentary lapse of concentration in Round 1 had allowed Austrian Clemens Schmid to beat him to the chequered flag.
Judging from events in Dubai last weekend, however, rather than this season being dominated by one driver, it could develop into the most competitive GT3 Cup series yet in the Middle East.
Bandar Alsesayi said during pre-season testing at Yas Marina that, with two seasons behind him, he felt good about his chances of challenging for the title. He followed up his third place in Round 1 by going one better 24 hours later to move second in the championship.
He has a new confidence about him which suggests his second win in a GT3 Cup car may be just around the corner, and he goes back to Abu Dhabi with high hopes.
So do two of the newcomers to the series this season, Belgian driver Stephane Lemeret who made his debut for Dubai-based Al Nabooda Racing last weekend, and Omani Ahmad AlHarthy, both of whom will be looking to build on their solid starts.
After just missing out on a podium place in the opening round, Lemeret thought he had claimed second spot in Round 2, but finished the race to discover he had collected a time penalty for an infringement on the starting grid and was dropped to fourth position.
He shares third place in the championship with Al Harthy who improved from fifth in Round 1 to third the following day, and both will be expecting to improve and increase their challenge with the benefit of more time behind the wheel of their new Porsche GT3 Cup cars.
Saudi Saeed Al Mouri, team-mate of Prince Abdulaziz, will be thinking along the same lines after impressing in Dubai to go fifth in the championship.
After winning the Mobil 1 Trophy for drivers over the age of 45 in both races last weekend, Qatar’s Sadoon Al Kuwari will be aiming for more of the same at Yas Marina Circuit
Captions:
1. Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal – had a near perfect start to the season.
2. Bandar Alesayi has a new confidence.
3. Stephane Lemeret – looking to build on his solid start with Al Nabooda Racing.
4. Oman’s Ahmad Al Harthy is looking to step up his challenge in Abu Dhabi.
Championship positions after Round 2
1. Abdulaziz Al Faisal (KSA) Saudi Falcons 38pts
2. Bandar Alesayi (KSA) Alesayi Racing 34pts
3. Stephane Lemeret (BEL) Al Nabooda Racing 28pts
3. Ahmad Al Harthy (OM) Oman Air Racing 28pts
5. Saeed Al Mouri KSA) Saudi Falcons 22pts
6. Clemens Schmid (AUT) 20pts
7. Mark Thomas (CAN) 18pts
8. Sadoon Al Kuwari (QA) 16pts
9. Hannes Waimer (GER) 14pts
10. Hans Guido Riegel (GER) Haribo Racing 10pts
10. Fawaz Algosaibi (KSA) ClassicArabia Racing 10pts
10. Andreas Mayerl (AUT) 10pts
Mobil 1 Trophy