MANAMA: The Bahrain International Circuit will once again play host to the region’s top drivers from Thursday, with expectations high that the penultimate round of Season 8 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East could be the make or break weekend in the battle for the championship title.
Omani driver Al Faisal al Zubair will be returning to the Bahrain International Circuit after achieving some great results here in the very first round. Al Zubair made a determined start to Season 8 after securing a seventh place finish in Race 1 and an eighth place finish in Race 2 of the opening round, securing second place in the silver category standings early on. Al Zubair has gone on to deliver some fine performances in all three rounds within the UAE, reaching the overall podium twice and finishing on the podium in his category in every race this season.
Ahead of qualifying for Race 1 of Round 5, Al Faisal al Zubair said; “These two final rounds are vital for me. I started in this championship here in Bahrain for the first time last year, and since then have worked hard to achieve some great results. I’ve set the bar high from the very first race and to be in 4th position in the overall standings going into the last 4 races, and leading the silver category is something that I am very excited about and not prepared to give up.”
“I will continue to do what I’ve been doing in each round so far, take each race as it comes and focus on my individual performance. There are so many drivers wanting the same results in the races, and if you focus on what they are doing rather than yourself then you can lose concentration on what’s important. I have silverware in my sights and I am very excited for the next two rounds, starting with this weekend!”
Tight competition has always been a hallmark of the region’s most professional series but rarely are the standings so close where any of the top eight drivers could mathematically secure the overall championship in the last quarter of the season. From the opening turn of Race 1 back in November last year, a precedent for Season 8 was set and new local talent, seasoned drivers and international racers from Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Europe have kept Middle Eastern racing fans on the edges of
their seats with closely fought races in every round.
Round 5 is lining up to be no different with pressure mounting on top of the table Ryan Cullen (188) who boasts a moderate 23 point lead over second placed Charlie Frijns of Qatar (165). Cullen’s seven podium finishes across the season so far have been the difference when compared to Frijns’ six but both drivers have recorded a win in Bahrain this year. With 100 points on offer over the four remaining races, all to take place at Bahrain International Circuit, expectations are for another thrilling conclusion to what has already been a sensational season of competition.
It’s a similar story in the silver category where new regional talent Al Faisal al Zubair (131) of Oman has come from nowhere to the top of the standings in his debut year. He’s not had it all his own way though, with veteran Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East racer Bandar Alesayi (125) of Saudi Arabia staying close to his new rival.
It’s much of the same in the bronze category where just 22 points separates Magnus Ohman (92), Isa S al Khalifa (82) and Christoffer Bergström (70), further showcasing the depth of close competition of Season 8. It’s these close rivalries that have in fact defined the series, one which takes huge pride in developing the region’s drivers through a highly competitive formula backed by elite engineers, race technicians and driver coaches who have helped train many of the Middle East’s best known racers.
Following Round 1 in Bahrain, Rounds 2 and 3 in Dubai, and Round 4 in Abu Dhabi, Rounds 5 and 6 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East will take place at the Bahrain International Circuit once more. Round 5 will take place on March 10 and 11.
Races 1 and 2 of Round 6 of Season 8 will be as support races to the 2017 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.
Championship standings after Round 4 of 6
Name, country, category, points
1. Ryan Cullen (IRE), Gold, 188
2. Charlie Frijns (QAT), Gold, 165
3. Tom Oliphant (GBR), Gold, 152
4. Al Faisal al Zubair (OMA), Silver, 131
5. Dylan Pereira (LUX), Gold, 129
6. Bander Alesayi (KSA), Silver, 125
GCC Rookie Championship standings after Round 4 of 6
1. Al Faisal al Zubair (OMA), Silver, 131
2. Isa S al Khalifa (BAH), Bronze, 82
3. Isa A al Khalifa (BAH), Silver, 53
4. Mohammad al Saud (KSA), Bronze, 36
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
