No cooling off for Porsche GT3 Cup

Manama : After two sensational rounds of race action in season 8 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, a short winter break is unlikely to slow the hectic pace of the most competitive season in the championship’s history.

The grid with 16 drivers’ from 12 different countries, including Bahraini teenage duo of Shaikh Isa bin Abdulla Al Khalifa and Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, has proved the perfect recipe for action-packed racing. Four races into the 12 race season and there is nothing to split the top two drivers as both Charlie Frijns and Ryan Cullen sit level on 90 points each.

It’s just as close throughout the entire field as less than five points separate the first and second places across gold, silver and bronze categories, and no podium has been the same on any of the four occasions so far. Even qualifying has proved tight. In Dubai less than two seconds divided the first seven drivers on the grid.      

For both Shaikh Isa’s the break between now and Round three on January 27-28 at the Dubai Autodrome offers a chance to reflect on the opening two rounds as well as time to help prepare for their return to the track in 2017. 

Shaikh Isa A. Al Khalifa has had a strong start to the season. After a brief taster racing as a guest in Bahrain in season 7, the teenage will know what to expect especially when racing outside of Bahrain.

With the majority of his experience coming from karting, Shaikh Isa A. Al Khalifa to make a big step up to compete in the championship. After featuring on the podium on more than one occasion already this season, the talented youngster goes into the winter break in  third place in the new Porsche GCC Rookie, and only five points behind his Bahrain teammate Shaikh Isa S. Al Khalifa.

Current leaders of the series after two rounds are Qatar-based Charlie Frijns and Ryan Cullen of Ireland joint on points at the top of the overall drivers’ standings. Experienced UK driver, Tom Oliphant, will take comfort sitting closely behind in third place. However he will be aware that only 30 points separate him from seventh place, a great testament to how close the season is. 

The younger of the two Bahraini drivers, Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa has quickly had to get used to life in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East. The emerging driver is optimistic for his season and knows that racing against some of the best drivers from the Middle East and Europe will only help his career progress.