*** ----> Schmidt wins the opening race | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Schmidt wins the opening race

Jeffrey Schmidt of UAE’s Al Nabooda Racing driver won the opening 12 lap race of the new Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East yesterday as support race for the 2015 FIA WEC Bapco 6 Hours of Bahrain at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir.

Schmidt completed the race in 25 minutes 27.142 seconds averaging 154.7kph as he led from pole to finish ahead of Ireland’s Ryan Cullen (Cullen Motorsport, + 3.449), with the final podium place going to UAE’s Saeed Al Mehairi pf Sky Dive Dubai Falcons (+5.945).

Fourth place went to UAE’s Hasher Al Maktoum (Sky Dive Dubai Falcons, + 8.282), fifth Zaid Ashkanani (Kwt, Al Nabooda Racing, 8.895) and completing the top eight were Wolfgang Tuiller (Ger, TriSpa  Racing, + 21.505) sixth, Isa  Al Khalifa (Team Bahrain, + 24.398) in seventh and Saud Al Faisal (Al Faisal Racing, 24.770) eighth, while Team Bahrain’s Jaber Al Khalifa (+40.422) managed 13th out of 15 in the fray. 

In earlier action, the first qualifier finished with Charlie Frijins from the Netherlands of Frijins Structural Steel ME in first place (2 minutes 04.549 averaging 156.4kph but was forced to withdraw after completing four laps in the second qualifier and not starting in the main race, he was followed in second by Schmidt (+0.281)and Cullen (+0.524) in third place.

Bahrain’s Isa Al Khalifa (+1.448) was 10th and Jaber Al Khalifa (+4.146) finished in 15th and last place.

In the second qualifier, Schmidt came in first (2 minutes 04.610 seconds), Al Mehairi (+0.556) was second and Cullen (+0.793 third, while Isa Al Khalifa (+3.123) was 12th and Jaber Al Khalifa (4.804) in 15th.

Today schedule: (12 noon) Race 2. 

 

 

Photo Caption: Winners on the podium