Sport
Al-Malki wins race, Cudlin retains title
Al-Malki wins race, Cudlin retains title
By Sports Reporter/Losail
Nasser al-Malki, riding a BMW, won the first race of the sixth round of the Qatar International Road Racing Championship (QIRRCH) at Losail International Circuit. Alex Cudlin, on his Kawasaki, finished second in the race but it was good enough for him to retain the title with three races to go. |
Mishal al-Naimi, riding a Honda, took third place on the podium. French wild card rider Anthony Delhalle finished fourth.
“First of all, I want to say that I am very happy to win this Championship again, it is my third title in a row,” Cudlin said after the race. “It is something I didn’t expect many years ago when I joined the QMMF team for first time in 2009 for the Endurance Championship and in 2010 I took part in QIRRCH for the first time. And now, after four years, I have won this championship three times and the EWC Superstock title in 2010 with Mishal and Nasser and I am very happy and thanks to QMMF for all these opportunities and help me in my career.”
Al-Malki said: “I am very happy with my performance this weekend. I want to thank QMMF, BMW Alfardan and Al Rayyan TV and specially Mr Nasser Khalifa al-Attiyah, QMMF President, who encouraged me to give my best. This race proves that I am capable. I was unlucky in the last races, but I am looking forward for more success.”
Owing to adverse weather conditions, only one race took place. The second race had to be postponed to the next and final round, which will be held on June 21-22.
With the title decided, four riders, spread across 13 points in the classification, will vie for the second place. German rider Nina Prinz is second with 143 points and the three Qatari riders, Saeed al-Sulaiti (137), Mishal al-Naimi (132) and Nasser al-Malki (130) are third, fourth and fifth respectively.
Indonesian rider Mohammad Reihan won the Losail Asian Road Racing Series round, with Deepak Ravikumar from India finishing second and Algeria’s Walid Benterki in third place. The leader of the championship, India’s Rajini Krishnan finished fourth. Krishnan is six points ahead of the second-placed Ravikumar.
QMMF Board Member Sultan al-Morraikhi presented the awards.