Saturday 16 / November / 2024
Muscat: Just a couple of weeks since his highly successful start to the 2016-2017 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East season in Bahrain, category rookie Al Faisal Al Zubair is setting his sights on more series silverware when the second event of the campaign gets underway in Dubai a few days from now.
Taking place this Friday and Saturday, at Dubai Autodrome, rounds three and four of the championship will provide another brand new challenge for the 18-year-old Omani as he prepares to tackle the FIA grade track for the first time.
Going into the second race meeting of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East campaign, Al Faisal is only two points shy of the top of the GCC Rookie standings after an excellent debut weekend in the season-opener at Sakhir in Bahrain last month.
Delivering sensational pace throughout testing and qualifying, regularly running in the overall top six, Al Faisal started round one sixth on the grid – the rookie pole position – and went on to win the GCC Rookie Class on his debut as well as finishing second in the Silver Class and seventh overall.
In round two, the emerging Middle Eastern talent finished runner-up in GCC Rookie and ninth overall, from 10th on the grid, as well as fourth in the Silver Class. Part of an immensely close battle with fellow Silver runner Wolfgang Triller for the bulk of the contest, Al Faisal only missed the Silver top three by the smallest of margins on the drag to the line at the end of 12 action-packed laps.
“Bahrain was a great start to the championship for me”, said the Muscat racer, “To be honest, the weekend couldn’t have gone much better and I was very satisfied with my first races in the Porsche, it’s a great car and very enjoyable to drive.
“Winning the GCC Rookie category was the aim so to achieve that in my first race was exactly the result we aimed for. It was a shame to miss out in race two, but it’s a competitive grid of drivers and a strong championship. I think, overall, we did a good job.”
Dubai Autodrome is certainly one of the most prominent motorsport venues in the United Arab Emirates and, in-keeping with its profile, provides great racing with a terrific mix of high-speed sections and more technical corners.
“I am really looking forward to racing in Dubai for the first time,” he added. “It’s another great track and I’m sure I’ll be able to learn it quickly and push for the GCC Rookie wins again. It’s also important to race strongly in the Silver class too and that’s my aim again at the weekend.”
Round three of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East in Dubai is scheduled to take place at 3.45 pm on Friday, with round four following on Saturday at 4.35 pm.
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East GCC Rookie Standings (after Rd 2): 2. Al Faisal Al Zubair 26 pts.
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East Silver Class Standings (after Rd 2): 3. Al Faisal Al Zubair 26 pts.
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East Overall Standings (after Rd 2): 8. Al Faisal Al Zubair 26 pts.
