Doha: Qatar’s Abdul Rahman Al Thani aims to rise to the occasion at the stunning Yas Marina Circuit during Round 3 and 4 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East on December 7.
The 20-year-old finished in the top 10 in Round two at the Bahrain International Circuit and is now keen to build on his performance, as Middle East’s most exciting and professional race series returns to the United Arab Emirates.
Al Thani is looking forward to his first racing experience on the iconic Formula One circuit on Yas Island. He will try to add valuable points to the overall drivers’ standing during the first of two back to back weekend stops in the UAE.
Speaking ahead of testing at Yas Marina Circuit, Al Thani said: “I was unfortunate not to finish my first race in Bahrain, but that is motor racing. Anything can happen on the track. I was much happier with my performance in Round 2 and now I aim to get better, pick up points and move up in the championship standings.
“I cannot wait to start my car’s engine on the Yas Marina Circuit. Some of my motor-racing heroes have raced on that track and to follow in their footsteps is a dream come true,” added Al Thani.
The young Qatari is aware he faces a tough task of breaking into the top six of the championship, especially with competition coming from other newcomers, such as Zaid Ashkanani and Christina Nielsen.
But he believes that, with more track time, he can mount a serious challenge to those ahead of him.
“I am very happy to race in this championship. It is everything I expected from the set-up to the competitive nature of the racing. There is an unbelievable amount of talent throughout the grid; it is a great learning curve for me,” said Al Thani. ahead of the event.
Walter Lechner, Manager of Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, said: “During his one-off race last season in Qatar, Abdul Rahman showed a lot of potential.
With each race and time on the track, he will gain more experience and I expect him soon to start challenging the top six.”
Austrian Clemens Schmid, who won the opening rounds in emphatic fashion, will be looking to make it a hat-trick of wins and increase his current 50 points tally. He will be hotly pursued by reigning champion Abdulaziz Al Faisal, who is currently only six points behind him.
Also former champion Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa with 42 points and United Arab Emirates’ Karim Al Azhari who sits on 40 points are serious contenders for the championship title.
With an incredible line-up of drivers spanning eleven nations, the competition will surely be intensified on the world-famous Abu Dhabi circuit.
THE PENINSULA
