Al Nabooda Racing Team Advances in Porsche GT3 Middle East Challenge

By: Mohamad Al Shafei

December 17,2012

3 min read

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Middle East motorsport

racing news

Al Nabooda Racing Team Advances in the Porsche GT3 Middle East Challenge

Karim Al Azhari and Clemens Schmid

Team Performance in the 2012-2013 Season

Dubai - Emirati racing champion Karim Al Azhari expressed confidence that combining his experience with that of rising Austrian star Clemens Schmid has significantly strengthened the Al Nabooda Racing Team, enhancing their position in the Porsche GT3 Middle East Challenge.

After the first half of the 2012-2013 season, the Al Nabooda Racing Team members extended their lead to 20 points over their competitors, the Saudi Falcons, in the ongoing battle for the team championship, aiming to secure the title for Dubai for the first time.

Future Aspirations

As the defending champions, the Saudi Falcons look forward to the next two races of the single-model series, which will take place at the Riyadh circuit, the Al Nabooda duo feels highly confident and believes they can maintain their lead in the overall standings until the end.

Statements from Al Azhari and Schmid

In this context, Karim Al Azhari, who secured third place in one of the Dubai races, bolstered Schmid’s efforts, as Schmid won both Dubai races, solidifying the team’s top position in the standings: "We are completely satisfied with our performance in the first half of the series despite some setbacks."

He continued, "Before the season starts, you train as much as you can, but you never truly know your capabilities until the race begins and you observe the skills of other drivers. So, it’s great to advance this far in the team standings."

Al Azhari added, "Having Clemens Schmid as a teammate is fantastic for me because I learn a lot from him; he is undoubtedly the best in the championship."

He further noted, "He helps me a lot, and I try to learn everything from him, especially about the nature of the Porsche GT3 Cup car and how to maximize its performance with Michelin tires."

Al Azhari emphasized, "I have extensive experience and have driven many fantastic cars in my life. This experience has helped me gain more from Clemens regarding how to get the most out of the GT3 Cup car. It’s a different level for me."

Clemens Schmid and Karim Al Azhari

Challenges Faced by the Team

However, making such progress has not been easy for the duo. Schmid experienced mechanical issues in the first round at Yas Marina Circuit, while he lost control of the car in the second round, resulting in losing the drivers' title to Saudi racer Abdulaziz Al Faisal. Al Azhari finished the first round of the Dubai race in seventh place but improved his performance in the subsequent round, finishing third.

Al Azhari remarked, "It’s a highly competitive championship, and things have become more intense now; any mistake can have significant consequences. But this is one of the aspects that makes motorsport enjoyable."

He added, "There are many external factors you cannot control, which undoubtedly affect the results and make you exert more effort to compensate for what has been lost."

Technical Director's Comments

Meanwhile, Vijay Rao, the technical director of the Al Nabooda Racing Team, expressed his happiness, stating, "Looking back at what we have achieved in the first half of the series, we realize that the team’s performance has been excellent and as strong as ever. The championship will undoubtedly become more competitive and aggressive, which will require us to put in a lot of effort to maintain our lead."

Upcoming Dates

The Porsche GT3 Cup series will return to action in February, with the Al Reem Circuit hosting rounds 7 and 8 of the championship from February 6-7.