Abu Dhabi, 17 Dec 2010: It was all hugs and cheers in the Sayel Racing pit when team driver Saad Salman seemingly secured another podium finish in the UAE GT-C championship this Friday at the Yas Marina Circuit, only to be dropped a place down to 4th due to a technical glitch at the Yas Circuit that had a competing car classified in 4th place instead of 2nd.
“We are still very happy with our result and performance despite the mix up. These things happen and we take them in stride. We’re hoping for more podium finishes in the second half of the season.” Salman said.
Pairing up with ace driver Jordan Grogor of AUH Motorsports, Sayel Racing was able to qualify in 2nd place early on in the day, pushing aside doubts that the KTM X-Bow was unsuitable for the Yas Marina northern circuit layout.
However, as Sayel Racing fans settled into their seats, moods were dampened as they looked on to see a trouble ridden race start cause Jordan Grogor to drop from their 2nd place qualifying position to 6th almost instantly. Doubts on whether the KTM X-Bow could keep its pace on the long Yas Marina Circuit straights began to creep back into the minds of the team.
At the mandatory pit stop half way through the race, Salman took off determined to give it his all. What was to ensue proved to be the most exciting race yet for the young team. Salman was able to post consistent lap times throughout his half hour stint as his teammates were glued to the screens watching him diminish the gap between him and the other drivers ahead by over a second per lap in some instances.
Saad Salman of Sayel Racing - extreme right
Asked on whether the mix up disappointed the team, coordinator Sima Farouki replied “Third or fourth, we’re very pleased with the result, we’ve proven we’re competitive time and time again, and we can look ahead to the second half of the season to ensure we stay competitive.”
For more information and to follow the teams progress, you can visit their website at www.sayelracing.com and join their Facebook fan page, Keywords: Sayel Racing
