Schmidt, Ashkanani return to action
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge ME shares GP limelight
KUWAIT CITY, March 31: Al Nabooda Racing are aiming to round off a spectacularly successful 10th anniversary season with another powerful performance during the 2016 F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix weekend.
Fresh from capturing the team and drivers’ titles in the 2015-16 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, Jeffrey Schmidt and Zaid Ashkanani return to action at Bahrain International Circuit for two exhibition races on Saturday and Sunday as part of the Grand Prix support programme.
Schmidt, who clinched the GT3 Cup drivers’ title in Bahrain earlier this month (March), will be looking to add to his record-equalling nine race wins during the season.
Having won the penultimate race
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of the championship in Bahrain, Ashkanani is eager to underline his liking for the track as the Porsche GT3 Cup drivers share the stage with the F1 Grand Prix stars.
“There are no points, nor titles at stake this time, but Jeffrey and Zaid are both looking forward to putting on a good show and the whole team will enjoy being part of the F1 race weekend”, said Al Nabooda Racing team manager Vijay Rao.
“This is a great way to round off what has been a wonderfully successful 10th anniversary season”.
Al Nabooda Racing dominated the seventh edition of the Porsche GT3 Cup series series from start to finish recording their third team championship success in four seasons.
They also became the first team to clinch the title with two races to spare and set a new record team championship tally of 505 pts in the process.
Their winning margin of 119 pts over runners up Al Faisal Racing of Saudi Arabia was also a record, as was their total of ten race team wins out of 12.
The two GT3 Cup exhibition races on Saturday and Sunday will be held over 10 laps or 25 minutes around the 5.412-km Bahrain Grand Prix track. A practice session is scheduled for tomorrow (Friday) and qualifying early on Saturday to determine the grid for the opening sprint.