Dubai. The stage is set for an intriguing start to the 2011-12 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East at Dubai Autodrome this weekend, with the title race seemingly wide open.
Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal, looking to capture the drivers’ crown for the second time in three years, is aiming for a flying start to the season and targeting a double race win in Rounds 1 and 2 on Friday and Saturday.
Among those attempting to block his path to victory is Ahmad Al Harthy, Oman’s top racing driver, who makes his debut in the Porsche one-make series and wants to make an immediate impact.
So too does Saudi Bandar Alesayi, who recorded his first GT3 Cup victory last season on his way to fourth place overall, and has now set his sights much higher.
“This is my third season in the GT3 Cup Challenge, I’m feeling good and my target is to win the title,” said Alesayi, who underlined the point by setting the fastest lap time in the final pre-season test session at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, on Monday.
Also appearing in the GT3 Cup series for the first time is Al Nabooda Racing. With reigning UAE GT champion Karim Al Azhari and former Belgian Touring Car champion Stephane Lemere the two official drivers, the Dubai-based team has high expectations.
Austrians Clemens Schmid and Andreas Mayerl, both highly experienced Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup competitors, share the driving in another of the GT3 Cup cars, and it promises to be a fiercely competitive series from start to finish.
Veteran driver Sadoon Al Kuwari will become the first Qatari to compete in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East in Dubai.
Al Kuwari, who has had a long rally driving career and was twice Qatar National champion, has turned to circuit racing in recent times and is excited to be in the starting line-up for the first two rounds.
He was in action in a Porsche GT3 Cup car for the first time during official pre-season testing at Yas Marina Circuit on Monday and said: “The series is run very professionally and the GT3 Cup car is fantastic, so I’m looking forward to driving in the first two rounds. After that we will see what happens. I’m well behind the other drivers at the moment as I have had little time in the car, but I can catch up as I get used to it.”
Al Kuwari joins two other Doha-based drivers in Dubai. Dutchman Rob Frijns, the reigning Qatar National Road Racing champion, and Austrian Manfred Ender, have entered the series together and will share the driving in one of the GT3 Cup cars.
Following morning practice and qualifying sessions, Round 1 of the 2011-12 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East roars to life at 4.40pm on Friday, and it will be the first competitive appearance worldwide for the brand new 2012 edition GT3 Cup cars.
Captions:
1. Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal is aiming for a flying start.
2. Oman’s Ahmad Al Harthy plans to make an immediate impact on his debut in the Porsche one-make series.
3. Bandar Alesayi - setting his sights much higher