PORTIMAO, Portugal: Multiple GT endurance racing champion Ahmad al Harthy is targeting a successful conclusion to his maiden season in the prestigious European Le Mans Series during the final event of the campaign in Portugal this weekend, October 15 and 16.
In what has been a very strong, and also at times frustrating, season in the ELMS, Al Harthy and his Oman Racing team go into the sixth race of the championship determined to return to the LMGTE podium with the No 69 Aston Martin Vantage GTE.
Ahead of the final four-hour race at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Al Harthy and team-mates Sam De Haan and Marco Sorensen are sixth in the LMGTE Driver Standings with Oman Racing also sixth in the LMGTE Team Standings.
“We’re all really looking forward to being in Portugal this weekend and absolutely determined to end the season as strongly as we possibly can”, said Al Harthy, “It’s been a good first season for us in the ELMS and we showed right from the beginning of the championship we could challenge for podiums and wins in LMGTE.
“It’s true we have had quite a few frustrations during the year as well, some contact on track not of our making and also some of the Balance of Performance gradings have been very negative, but we’ve continued to push and fight for every point and position as we always do. Last time out at Spa we had a very good car and a chance of being back on the podium, that’s the aim again in Portimao.”
Starring in qualifying throughout the year, the Omani – who is supported by partners Oman Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, Sohar International Bank, OQ, Omantel and MHD-ITICS – has two pole positions and a pair of other front-row starts in LMGTE under his belt.
The highlight result of the season to-date, of course, was the famous maiden LMGTE victory achieved by Al Harthy and team-mates De Haan and Sorensen at Imola during round two in May – another piece of history in Al Harthy’s glittering motorsport career, the first Omani to win in ELMS and all on his first appearance at the Italian track.
With a luckless opening lap retirement to begin the season following contact, at Paul Ricard in France, a ninth place finish at Monza in Italy during round three with a car badly impacted by a harsh BOP grading and a 10th place finish at Barcelona in Spain, after more contact, the No.69 Oman Racing entry has endured more than its share of misfortune in 2022.
At Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium just over three weeks ago, Al Harthy’s second LMGTE podium of his maiden season looked set fair following a tremendous double-stint during the first couple of hours on a wet-but-drying track. Ultimately the team had to settle for fourth position.
Opening free practice in Portimao will get underway at 11.20 local time on October 14, with a standalone session for the Bronze graded drivers, including Al Harthy, beginning at 16.30 local time. Another free practice session will follow at 12.40 on October 15, before LMGTE qualifying at 17.35.
On October 16, the sixth and final race of the ELMS season will begin at 14.00.
2022 European Le Mans Series – LMGTE Driver Standings (after Rd5)
6th Ahmad al Harthy/Marco Sorensen/Sam De Haan, 41pts
2022 European Le Mans Series – LMGTE Team Standings (after Rd5)
6th Oman Racing with TF Sport, 41pts
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