Schmidt quickest in GT3

Manama : Jeffrey Schmidt of the UAE driving for Al Nabooda Racing in a time 20 minutes 54.518 seconds won race one yesterday in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East as an exhibition support race to the Gulf Air Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.

Schmidt started second on the grid but almost straight from the start moved into the lead and maintain it throughout the 10-lap 53.874km race and finish 5.745 seconds ahead of fellow Al Nabooda Racing driver Zaid Ashkanani of Kuwait who had to settle for second place with a time of (21:00.263).

Schmidt also completed the fastest lap (2:04.210) on the second and recorded the fastest speed (156.856k/ph).

Norwegian Dennis Olsen of DHL Bahrain (+11.265 seconds) completed the podium places in third place after starting fifth on the grid. 

Fourth place went to Stefan Rosina (Svk, Lechner Middle East Racing, +11.775) who started sixth and fifth to Charlie Frijins (Ned, Frijns Structural Steel ME, +11.982) who started third on the grid.

Rounding out the top eight were Wolfgang Triller (Ger, TriSpa Racing, +21.902) in sixth, Bahrain’s Isa Al Khalifa (Team Bahrain, +25.608) who moved up from ninth at the start to seventh during lap seven, with eighth place going to Saud Al Faisal (KSA, Al Faisal Racing, 27.317).

Bahrain’s two other drivers had mixed fortunes as Jaber Al Khalifa (Team Bahrain, 50.234) finished 11th in the 14-man field after starting at the back of the grid and Hamad Al Khalifa retired after only completing three laps.

The Cup is the most professional and successful one-make GT series in the region and calls BIC its home track. Today the second race takes place at 3.30pm over 10 laps.