Ahmed Ghaith Al Kuwari (centre), winner of the Open Class in the fifth round of the Qatar National Road Racing Championship poses for the photographers on the podium. Qatar’s Abdulaziz Abdulla and Mohammed Nasser Al Aseiri finished second and third places respectively.
DOHA: Ahmad Ghaith Al Kuwari, who clinched pole position, gave no chance to the other competitors as he led the race from start to the finish line to win the fifth round of the Open Class at the Qatar National Road Racing Championship (QNRRC) at Losail International Circuit.
The Qatari driver clocked a total time of 24:00.938 in his Mitsubishi EVOX and managed to end the race with a gap of 10.363secs over the second classified Abdulaziz Abdulla.
“In the beginning of the race, four cars passed me easily but I think it goes for my experience that I managed to keep the lead and win the race,” Al Kuwari said.
“I saw in the corners that they were little bit slower so I took advantage of the corners. I pushed to the maximum there and just drove very carefully in the straight line but kept pushing inside,” Al Kuwari added at the end of the race at Losail.
Abdulla, driving a Porsche Carrera, started in fourth place on the grid but in the first lap he overtook Mohamed Nasser Al Aseiri as Pavel Nedobity and maintained the second spot until the end.
Abdulla said: “It was a very tough race as the competitors were very close with each other and I tried my best to finish on the podium.”
He said he hoped to win the next round ‘after some fine adjustments in his car’.
The third place in the Open Class was secured by Qatar’s Al Aseiri who drove a Porsche GT3.
He said after the race he had some problems with his tyres.
“I hope to do a better job in the next round with new tyres,” Al Aseiri said. Talal Wehbe and Nedobity finished in fourth and fifth places respectively.
In the Open Class, Abdulla is leading the standings with 36 points. Wehbe, three points behind, is in second place.
Al Aseiri is in third place with 21 points.
In the Production Class, Saif Al Naimi emerged winners in a Suzuki Swift. Al Naimi had a tough battle David Walker of Great Britain and Rhodelin Senga.
Al Naimi said: “The race was very difficult. I cannot believe I finished in first position because the drivers that won yesterday were very fast but today it was my day as some of them broke down.”
He added: “I want to thank my team, friends at Losail Circuit and QMMF for great weekend.”
Walker ended in the second place in his category.
Senga had to retire from the race due to mechanical problems.
Canadian driver Peter de Vido finished in third place.
The leader of the Production Class, Nasser Sheghail Abdulla failed to add to his 20 points after a problem occurred with his car in the warm-up lap and couldn’t start the race.
Al Naimi is in second position in the standings with a total of 18 points while Walker is third with 16 points. Trophies were given by Sultan Al Morraikhi, Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) Board Member.
THE PENINSULA
