Omani motor racing star Ahmad Al Harthy will make his 2012 debut at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar this weekend, during the fifth event of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East.
Rounds nine and ten of the tournament will take place on Friday and Saturday and 30-year-old Ahmad is delighted to be getting behind the wheel again.
“I’m really looking forward to being back on the grid in the Middle East series as it is very important to race in the region whenever we can”, Ahmad said.
“Thank you to my fantastic sponsors for making this possible. It will be my first time racing in Qatar and my first ever night race as well so I really can’t wait to enjoy the whole experience.”
Ahmad has taken part in six of the eight races completed so far and is aiming to make an impression with his first races back – with hopes of a podium position.
“Hopefully we can sign off our time in the Middle East series with two more podiums at least,” he added.
Al Harthy finished third overall in Pro-Am 1 last year and recorded 12 podium finishes from 19 races, making 2011 his best season yet.
This weekend’s Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East event in Qatar is a particularly notable one as it marks the first night race in the series, made possible by the permanent outdoor lighting available at Losail.
There is also a guaranteed line up of at least 18 cars, making it the biggest event since the Middle East version of the Porsche GT3 Cup series was launched in December 2009.
“All of the drivers, and everyone else connected with the Porsche GT3 Cup series, are genuinely excited about our first visit to Qatar,” Walter Lechner, owner of Lechner Racing, who run the championship on behalf of Porsche Middle East and Africa, told the Gulf Times.
7days
Follow us on our social media channels:
@ILQlive
@ILQlive
@ILoveQtr
ILoveQatar
