Qatari rider Hamad Al Sahouti with other podium winners Shinya Ezawa and Hakim Danish.
Doha: Young Qatari rider Hamad Al Sahouti yesterday produced an astonishing late charge to clinch a podium spot and keep his Asia Talent Cup title hopes alive at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan.
At the Mobility Resort Motegi in Motegi, Al Sahouti secured his second podium spot of the season after finishing third in the 15-lap race which covered a distance of 72.015 km, just 0.328 seconds behind the race-winner and Championship leader Shinya Ezawa of Japan.
The Japanese rookie pipped title rival Hakim Danish of Malaysia to victory in a photo-finish yesterday morning. Danish is second in the points table, four points below Ezawa, who has a total of 96 points.
Yesterday’s heroics earned the Qatari rider 16 points as he sits third in the list with 70 points at the halfway mark of the 10-leg series.
Pole sitter Gun Mie encountered issues soon as the race progressed while the likes of Ezawa, Danish, Rei Wakamatsu and Jakkreephat Phuettisan were well in the hunt for a podium. Al Sahouti who started ninth in the grid, was battling hard to get in front. Mie was handed a penalty following a contact, but was recovering quickly from his Long Lap, just before going down at Turn 9 to go out of contention, leaving a group of five riders to battle it out for victory in Motegi.
That group was made up of Danish, Ezawa, Wakamatsu, Phuettisan and the fast-progressing Al Sahouti. The Qatari rider pounced up to the lead for the first time in the closing stages for a grandstand finish, with Ezawa leading Danish and Al Sahouti. A mistake on the exit of Turn 8 cost Danish time and despite clawing some of the advantage back in the final sector, Ezawa held on by just 0.061s to pocket both the win and Cup standings lead.
Al Sahouti’s late charge ended with him taking his second top three of the season and first since the opening round at the Lusail Interantional Circuit in March.
