Nov 16th 2015 -Season Five of the Formula Gulf Championship supported by Gulf Oil and Campos Racing kicked off at the Dubai Autodrome with a win apiece for Mashhur Bal Hejaila and Cato Poulsen.
After losing most of the first day’s testing to rain, drivers were on a steep learning curve as they got to grips with the fearsome National Circuit which was left in poor shape after rain water dragged sand onto the circuit. While the rains came, the drivers spent time with the Formula Gulf physio and fitness coach from Optimal Fitness.
Not surprisingly, the Qualifying practise played into the hands of the most experienced driver on the grid, Saudi racer Bal Hejaila who was returning for his second season of Formula Gulf intent on winning the championship title this year. However, it became clear that he might be challenged by 15 year old Poulsen who had the benefit of two days of testing on the Grand Prix circuit at Yas Marina a fortnight earlier.
So it was Bal Hejaila who took pole position, and with it an extra 5 points, to lead Race One quite easily ahead of Poulsen who was having his first ever race in a slicks and wings Formula car. Also having their first race was young Italian racer Giulio Peroni and another Saudi, Omar Gazzaz. Under strict instructions from their pro-driver coach Andy Pardoe, they all drove impeccably and focussed on getting to the finish, which they all did very succesfully.
Drawing on the lessons learnt during Race One, confidence grew as the second race got underway and this time it was young Poulsen who decided to challenge Bal Hejaila for the lead – which he did! The 17 year old Peroni had a great race to finish on the podium, but it was Gazzaz who found no less than a 5 seconds per lap improvement from his morning’s qualifying time which put an enormous smile of satisfaction on his face.
Rounds 3 & 4 take place on 18/19th December where these drivers will be joined by recent F1000 Western Australia winner Jordan Oon who will make the trip from Perth, and Yousuf Al-Moudi who finished 3rd overall in the Saudi F.BMW series last season.
Report supplied by GulfSport Racing.
