He was beaten in the overall championship but there was something to celebrate for Mohammed Abdulghaffer Hussein as the Emirati was crowned winner of the Silver Category in the TRD 86 Cup.
Open for novices and beginners, the 39-year-old beat nine other strong drivers to lift the winning trophy after accumulating 234 points over the 12 races.
That total proved to be too much for runner-up Gregory Pain despite winning the final race at Yas Marina Circuit to finish with 194 points, while Edy Saaiby took third (166).
Although Hussein was disappointed at missing out to Karim Al Azhari in the main championship, he admits the Silver title will give him a lot of confidence going forward.
“I’m thrilled to win this trophy and overall I’m happy with how well it’s gone throughout the season,” he said. “At the same time, I’m a bit down at losing out on the main championship but I did my best and it wasn’t enough. Karim was more consistent than all of us and we’ll all have to try harder next time.”
For Pain, it was a debut to remember. The former World Rally Championship co-driver had never driven on the Yas circuit before and insists the top-two finish was the icing on the cake.
“It’s an amazing achievement. I cannot believe how well I’ve done here,” said the 45-year-old.
“This experience was all new for me but I fought hard and gave everyone a hard time. To win the final race is truly remarkable and I can’t wait to get back on the track.”
