MEDIA INFORMATION
PORSCHE MOBIL 1 SUPER CUP
Round 1 – Barcelona, May 9-11, 2019
For immediate release
Tuesday, May 7th, 2019
OMAN’S AL-ZUBAIR SET TO START PORSCHE SUPER CUP
CAMPAIGN AT OPENING ROUND IN BARCELONA
BARCELONA (SPAIN): Fresh from securing a second successive Porsche BWT GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East title, Oman’s Al-Faisal Al-Zubair is relishing the start of his 2019 Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup campaign at the opening round on the 4.655km Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona this weekend.
Held in conjunction with the European rounds of the FIA Formula One World Championship and a double-header finale in Mexico, the Porsche Super Cup is the crème de la crème of one-make championship racing.
Al-Zubair continues to gain experience and increase his pace and back-to-back Middle East championship wins will stand him in good stead for the fierce competition he faces over 10 rounds of the Super Cup in 2019.
Al-Zubair finished 13th in Barcelona last season. He said: “I am very excited for Barcelona, especially after a good Middle East campaign and some good testing. I think my aim this year will be to finish inside the top eight. I think that is possible, although the Super Cup is really tough. I need to make sure that I finish the races this year and get as many points as I can to finish as far up as I can.”
The Omani again teams up with Walter Lechner Racing and runs alongside the defending Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup champion Michael Ammermüller.
The German led the Barcelona race from start-to-finish in 2018 after qualifying in pole position, and went on to secure a second successive title against rivals such as Nick Yelloly, Dylan Pereira, Julien Andlauer, Japp van Lagen and Mattia Drudi.
The lap record for the Circuit de Catalunya is held by the Belgian driver David Saelens with a time of 1min 46.187sec that was set way back in 2005.
The Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup has used Barcelona as the opening round since 2013 and the circuit also hosts the pre-season testing session in April. Despite a couple of absences, Barcelona has hosted a round since the series’ inception way back in 1993 – a series that was won by Altfrid Heger.
On-track action gets underway with the free practice session from 18.45hrs on Friday evening (May 10). The first qualifying stint of the new season roars into life at 13.45hrs on Saturday and race one of the 2019 Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup takes centre stage at 12.45hrs on Sunday (May 12) and will be run over 14 laps.
2019 Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup calendar
Barcelona May 11
Monte Carlo May 25
Spielberg June 29
Silverstone July 13
Hockenheim July 27
Hungaroring August 3
Spa August 31
Monza September 7
Mexico October 25-26
Ends
For further information:
Firas Nimri, Tel: + 962 7 7728 2000, E-mail: nimrifiras@yahoo.com.
Twitter: @FZRacingOman