Clemens Schmid’s been paired with Oman’s Ahmad Al Harthy, one of the region’s most experienced circuit racing drivers, in an exciting new line-up for the 2014-15 season as Al Nabooda Racing look to complete a hat-trick of team titles in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East.
Al Nabooda Racing secured a second successive team title in the Porsche GT3 Cup series last season, finishing with a 65-point margin over the runners up, Saudi Falcons. They won the team prize outright in seven of 12 rounds, sharing top place on another occasion and finishing runners up twice.
Team manager Vijay Rao believes previous successes have spured the team on to achieve more this season: “Our success over the last two seasons has made us eager for more, but it has also made us the team to beat so it will be even more challenging this time to win the championship.
“We’ll need to work harder than ever to keep hold of our No.1 spot, but we have a combination of drivers who are up for the task, and are confident that Ahmad will form a successful partnership with Clemens,” he said.
Schmid sustained an injury in Sunday’s final round of the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany at Hockenheim but is expected to race in the US next week.
“I should be out of the hospital before the end of the week and ready to race in America, and I’m looking forward to teaming up with Ahmad (Al Harthy) for the first time in Bahrain,” said Schmid.
“It will be tougher than ever this season, but I’m sure that we’ll work well together, and that we can bring another team title back to Dubai for Al Nabooda Racing.”
Al Harthy, who replaces Karim Al Azhari in the Al Nabooda Racing team, will be returning to the Porsche GT3 Cup series in which he finished sixth overall in the 2011-12 season.
Speaking at a press conference today, Al Harthy is looking forward to the season ahead. “I’m very happy to join Al Nabooda Racing and to have the chance to drive for the top team in the Porsche GT3 Cup series. I’ve raced against Clemens so I know how good a driver he is and I’m sure that we can form a winning partnership.
“Like all racing drivers, we both want to win races, but the priority is to support each other and put the team first, as the main goal is to secure the team title for a third year in a row,” he said.
The first two rounds of the brand new 2015 Porsche GT3 Cup seson takes place at Bahrain International Circuit on 14-15 November.
