Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East: Schmid tastes victory but Abdulaziz stretches his lead

Abu Dhabi.  Austrian Clemens Schmid won Round 6 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East at Yas Marina Circuit today after a great battle with Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal who extended his lead in the championship for the second day running.

Starting from pole position as he had done 24 hours earlier, Schmid immediately lost the lead in the race to the first corner and spent the next ten laps desperately trying to find a way past Prince Abdulaziz.

He finally made it with four of the 14 laps remaining and held on for a slender victory, although second place for the Saudi driver still saw him stretch his advantage in the title race to eight points over Bandar Alesayi who finished third.

Another Saudi, Saeed Al Mouri, took fourth place ahead of Belgian driver Stephane Lemeret who fought his up from the back of the field after spinning off on the first corner.

Swiss driver Armin Schmid just managed to hold off Saddon Al Kuwari to complete the top six, although the Qatari driver finished the race as the comfortable leader in the new Michelin Silver Trophy standings for the intermediate class.

Oman’s Ahmad Al Harthy went out of the race when he slid into a barrier on lap six in an incident which also saw Al Mouri spin out and lose third place to Alesayi.

Round 6 results

1. Clemens Schmid (AUT)                                         27:57.253

2. Abdulaziz Al Faisal (KSA) Saudi Falcons               27:58.325

3. Bandar Alesayi (KSA) Alesayi Racing                   28:05.736

4. Saeed Al Mouri KSA) Saudi Falcons                     28:30.137

5. Stephane Lemeret (BEL) Al Nabooda Racing       28:30.450

6. Armin Schmid (CH) Team TCE                             28:36.844

7. Saddon Al Kuwari (QAT)                                        28:37.237

8. Hans Guido Riegel (GER) Haribo Racing              28:42.186

9. Hannes Waimer (GER) Team TCE                       29:16.074

10. Rob Frijns (NL)                                                     29:16.610

Championship positions after Round 6

1. Abdulaziz Al Faisal (KSA) Saudi Falcons               110pts

2. Bandar Alesayi (KSA) Saudi GT Racing                102pts

3. Stephane Lemeret (BEL) Al Nabooda Racing       86pts

4. Ahmad Al Harthy (OM) Oman Air Racing                         80pts

5. Saeed Al Mouri KSA) Saudi Falcons                     72pts

6. Saddon Al Kuwari (QA)                                          51pts

7. Clemens Schmid (AUT)                                         50pts

8. Hans Guido Riegel (GER) Haribo Racing              39pts

8. Armin Schmid CH Team TCE                               39pts

10. Fawaz Algosaibi (KSA) Saudi GT Racing            30pts

10. Hannes Waimer (GER) Team TCE                     30pts

Michelin Silver Trophy

1. Saddon Al Kuwari (QA)                                          51pts

2. Hans Guido Riegel (GER) Haribo Racing              39pts

2. Armin Schmid CH Team TCE                               39pts

4. Mark Thomas (CAN)                                              27pts

Mobil 1 Trophy

1. Fawaz Algosaibi (KSA) ClassicArabia Racing       30pts

1. Hannes Waimer (GER)                                          30pts

3. Rob Frijns (NL)                                                       22pts

4. Manfred Ender (AUT)                                             13pts

5. Cengiz J.Oguzhan (TUR)                                       9pts

6. Jaber Al Khalifa (BAH)                                           7pts