Race winner Jeffrey Schmidt of Saudi Falcons, second-placed Zaid Ashkanani and third placed Clemens Schmid pose with QMMF president Nasser Khalifa al-Attiyah and other officials after the second race of Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East.
Saudi Falcons guest-driver Jeffrey Schmidt won Race 2 of Round 3 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East at the Losail International Circuit to claim valuable team-title points for the Saudi outfit, with UAE-based Clemens Schmid finishing third.
Starting from pole position and sitting in for Faisal Binladen, Schmidt produced a flying start to canter through to a 5.750 seconds victory. The revelation of the season, Kuwaiti teenager Zaid Ashkanani continued his impressive run of form to finish runner-up, ahead of reigning champion Schmid of Al Nabooda Racing.
Switzerland’s Schmidt, with a burgeoning reputation in motorsport in his teenage years, dominated from a rolling start following heavy rain throughout the day in Doha to control the race, and never looked threatened as he accelerated away from 17-car grid.
Starting fourth on the grid, Ashkanani once again produced a mature performance to overtake Team Bahrain’s Salman bin Rashid al-Khalifa and Schmid in the early stages of the race under lights to continue his impressive form of getting on the podium in each race barring Race 1 of the Dubai round. The exciting teenager also moved to second the championship standings, 27-points behind overall leader Schmid.
Championship leader Schmid, starting second on the grid, was involved in a tough battle against Ashkanani and Saudi Falcons’ Abdulaziz al-Faisal. In lap three, Schmid lost his second place position and dropped down the pecking order as Ashkanani and al-Faisal took advantage of the Austrian’s error. However, the reigning champion showed his battling qualities to fight back and claim third place.
Following the race, Schmid said: “It was a very tough race with wet and windy conditions but it was a challenge we had to accept and I am happy with the result. Jeffrey was very fast today and I needed to keep my composure to claim a podium position. I made an error early on and moved to fourth but then Abdulaziz made a mistake which allowed me to claim third place.”
With an absorbing battle for places on the podium, the race to complete the top six was just as captivating with positions interchanging regularly. Starting third on the grid, Salman al-Khalifa of Team Bahrain fell down the field in the first lap and after a mid-grid battle was unable to complete the race, withdrawing in lap ten.
Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) president Nasser Khalifa al-Attiyah, who is also the FIA vice president, was very happy about how the races panned out. “The weather conditions were rather challenging for the competitors and I am delighted to see that all went well without any accidents. I really look forward to the next round that will take place on January 31 and February 1,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pavel Nedobity won the second round of Qatar Challenge, with David Walker finished second in a Honda. Canadian driver Peter de Vido, also in a Honda finished third.
Australia’s Talal Wehbe, who was on pole, had a mechanical problem and finished eighth.