MEDIA INFORMATION
PORSCHE CARRERA CUP DEUTSCHLAND
Red Bull Ring – Austria, June 8-10, 2018
For immediate release
Sunday, June 10th, 2018
OMAN’S AL-ZUBAIR LEAVES RED BULL RING WITH
IMPRESSIVE 11th-PLACED FINISH IN SECOND PORSCHE RACE
· Khalid Al-Wahaibi missed out on useful finish after sustaining a puncture
SPIELBERG (AUSTRIA): Oman’s Al-Faisal Al-Zubair and Khalid Al-Wahaibi endured mixed fortunes in the second race at round two of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, hosted by the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, on Sunday.
Al-Zubair climbed from a starting position of 16th to finish 11th out of a huge field of drivers, but Al-Wahaibi sustained a puncture, whilst lying in 15th position, and was forced to retire after 13 of the 17 completed race laps. He had started the race in 17th, one place behind his fellow Omani.
The rookie had, however, been granted a top 10 finish in the first of the races on Saturday, when the results were declared final and penalties had been imposed on other drivers. Al-Zubair was also promoted into a points-scoring position after his on-track incident the previous day.
Austrian driver Thomas Preining led from start-to-finish to confirm his second victory of the weekend from BWT Lechner Racing Team colleague Michael Ammermüller of Germany. Dutchman Larry ten Voorde finished third for the second day running.
Al-Zubair, who drives for the Lechner Racing Team Middle East team, said: “Eleventh position at the end of the race and, perhaps, a top 10 finish if any time penalties are imposed. It was a very good race considering that we started in 16th. We made up positions and kept it on track. We have learned a lot this weekend and that was the point of doing the German Cup. We are ready now for the next round of the Super Cup at the Red Bull ring.”
“I managed to have a really good start and was running in P11 or 12 until I had a slow puncture on the opening laps,” said Al-Wahaibi. “By lap 13 it was a flat tyre and I could not drive any more. I had a lot of under steer. It might have been the result of contact, but I was not sure. I had to come in and retire. That is disappointing because I think another top 10 finish was possible.
“We were here to learn anyway. I had never raced against 35 cars in one race before. You learn about overtaking, defending, so I need to look at the positives I have gained. A top 10 in my first European race is pretty good.”
The Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup resumes at the Red Bull Circuit on June 28-30.
Ends
For further information:
Firas Nimri, Tel: + 962 7 7728 2000, E-mail: nimrifiras@yahoo.com.