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Al Nabooda Racing Focus On Double Porsche GT3 Cup Target In Qatar
Karim Al Azhari is confident Al Nabooda Racing can take another major step towards a double title triumph in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East when the region’s top race series returns to Qatar’s Losail International Circuit next month.
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The Dubai outfit have led the team standings since the 2012-13 season began in Bahrain in November, and following a dramatic race weekend in Saudi Arabia earlier this month, Al Azhari’s team-mate, Clemens Schmid, is now the firm favourite to land the drivers’ title.
Schmid heads into Rounds 9 and 10 of the 12-round series in Qatar on March 8-9 holding a six-point advantage over defending champion Abdulaziz Al Faisal, whose Saudi Falcons trail Al Nabooda Racing by 19 points in the team championship.
"It’s a good position to be in, and we look forward to returning to Losail," said Al Azhari. "We’ll go there with a lot of confidence, although we know we still can’t take anything for granted.
"We have a good lead in the team championship and we’ve been ahead since the start of the season. But there are 50 points available over a race weekend, so things can turn around very quickly, and we won’t take any unnecessary risks."
It was under the brilliant lights of the Losail circuit where Al Azhari claimed his first podium finish in the Porsche GT3 Cup series last season, and he is relishing a return to action in Qatar.
"I have good memories of the circuit for obvious reasons," he said. "It’s a very fast and technical track, the most challenging circuit on our calendar after Dubai Autodrome, and its suits my driving style.
"On a circuit like this, with very fast corners, you have to be comfortable when you’re at the limit, which I am. It allows me to get the most out of my car."
Lying a comfortable third in the drivers’ championship, Al Azhari is especially keen to get back among the honours in Qatar after being robbed of a podium place following a superb climb from ninth at the start in Round 8 to third place with four laps to go.
At that point, as he waited for the right time to attack Saudi’s Faisal Binladen, he was hit from behind and taken out of the race. "Faisal was struggling with his tyres and I had settled in behind him when that happened," he said.
"It was very disappointing, but there’s nothing I can do about that now and I just want to focus on the two rounds coming up in Qatar. It would be great to get a podium there again, and fantastic to do it in both races. That’s what I’ll be trying to do."
Porsche GT3 Cup team championship standings after 8 of 12 rounds:
1. Al Nabooda Racing UAE 320pts
2. Saudi Falcons 301pts
3. Team Bahrain 261pts
4. Frijns Structural Steel ME 147pts
5. Gebhardt Motorsport ME 56pts
Drivers’ championship:
1. Clemens Schmid (Al Nabooda Racing) 178pts
2. Abdulaziz Al Faisal (Saudi Falcons) 172pts
3. Karim Al Azhari (Al Nabooda Racing) 142pts
4. Faisal Binladen (Saudi Falcons) 129pts
5. Zaid Ashkanani (KUW) 119pts
6. Mohammed Mattar (BAH) 117pts
PaddockTalk Perspective
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