|
 |
|
|
|
|
Al Nabooda Racing Close In On Porsche GT3 Cup Double Triumph
Karim Al Azhari and Clemens Schmid will avoid any variation in tactics as they look to clinch a double title triumph for Al Nabooda Racing when the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East reaches its climax at Bahrain International Circuit this weekend.
|
|
|
The duo head into the final two rounds of the 2012-13 campaign on Friday and Saturday knowing that only a disastrous climax to the season can prevent them from bringing both the team and drivers’ titles back to Dubai for the first time.
After a brilliant run, which has seen him win the last six rounds of the series and eight out of ten races overall, Schmid has one hand on the drivers’ crown, holding a ten- point lead over Saudi Arabia’s defending champion, Abdulaziz Al Faisal.
And in the team championship, which was always the priority for Al Nabooda Racing this season, Schmid and Al Azhari go to Bahrain carrying a formidable 29-point cushion over the Saudi Falcons paring of Al Faisal and Faisal Binladen.
“We’ve had a fantastic season, and if there are no surprises in Bahrain, we hope to be celebrating at the finish,” said Al Azhari, lying third in the drivers’ championship.
“In situations like this, when you have such a big lead, and only some kind of disaster can get in your way, you can worry too much and create problems yourself.
“You have to remain focused on what you’re trying to achieve, block out thoughts about what could go wrong, and treat it as another race. That’s what we’ll be doing to get the result we need.”
While Schmid has dominated the GT3 Cup series, winning eight times from pole position, Al Azhari has also made a vital contribution to the success of Al Nabooda Racing, and looks assured of an overall podium finish to the campaign.
“This has been my first full GT3 cup season, I’m third in the championship and I’ve learned a lot more about the car, so I’ve achieved my targets so far,” he said.
“I definitely think I’ve made progress as a driver. I’ve developed a better understanding of the car and I’ve learned more about race strategy. But I still have a little further to go before I can go head-to-head with Clemens and Abdulaziz.
“Being part of a two-man team for the first time has brought extra responsibility and created some more pressure, and I’m very proud of what we have achieved.”
While Schmid could afford to let Al Faisal force the pace in Bahrain, Al Azhari sees his team-mate extending his winning sequence, and going on to achieve much more success on the international stage
“I expect Clemens to go flat out for pole position in both races, and then push hard from the start to build a lead, as he has been doing all season,” he said. “This is what works best for him.
“If he continues to make the kind of progress we’ve seen over the last couple of seasons, he can achieve a great deal in international racing. I think we’re going to be hearing a lot more about him in the future.”
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, drivers’ championship
1. Clemens Schmid (Al Nabooda Racing) 228pts
2. Abdulaziz Al Faisal (Saudi Falcons) 218pts
3. Karim Al-Azhari UAE (Al Nabooda Racing) 180pts
4. Faisal Binladen (Saudi Falcons) 161pts
5. Mohammed Mattar (Bahrain) 146pts
6. Zaid Ashkanani (Kuwait) 144pts
Team standings
1. Al Nabooda Racing 408pts
2. Saudi Falcons 379pts
3. Team Bahrain 311pts
4. Frijns Structural Steel ME 188pts
5. Qatar Gebhardt GT 56pts
PaddockTalk Perspective
|
|
|
| |
|
