Sunday 22 / December / 2024
Muscat : Oman’s talented driver Al Faisal Al Zubair will be part of GetSpeed team at the upcoming final round of the International GT Open 2022, which will be held at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya in Barcelona on October 14-16.
Al Faisal recently concluded his maiden participation season in the 2022 Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS – Endurance Cup at the same venue.
Along with his German teammate Fabian Schiller and Zimbabwe’s Axcil Jeffries, the trio represented Al Manar Racing by HRT Mercedes-AMG GT3 and finished overall fourth in the Silver category.
On Wednesday, GetSpeed Performance, a German motor racing team, announced that Al Faisal and Schiller will be part of their squad at the International GT Open finale and will be racing in Mercedes-AMG GT3.
In addition to the two Mercedes-AMG GT3s driven by Sébastien Baud and Steve Jans as well as Kiki Sak Nana and Adam Osieka, a third car will be entered with Al Faisal Al Zubair and Fabian Schiller.
"With Al Faisal Al Zubair, we welcome a new driver to the GetSpeed family," said Osieka. “The 24-year-old Omani will be competing in the pro category together with our long-time pilot Fabian Schiller. The aim is to prepare for upcoming tasks, which we will announce shortly.”
Among Al Faisal Al Zubair’s greatest successes are the victories in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East in 2018 and 2019. The GT Open is not for him either an uncharted territory. In 2021 he finished third in the Pro Cup.
Two races are scheduled for the finale of the GT Open this weekend.
Al Faisal hopes to get a good result at the circuit, having good memories of his run at the same championship last year where he finished third overall and second in the final race at the Barcelona circuit.
“I am delighted to compete in the final round of the International GT Open. It is a top-class event and I have good memories, having finished on the podium last season,” said Al Faisal.
The Omani added: “I gained a lot of experience when I participated last season. This time, it will be different as I will compete in a Mercedes-AMG car. Last time, I raced in a Porsche GT3. With Fabian [Schiller], one of the most experienced drivers, as my teammate, I hope to gain a lot more experience at this level.”
Al Faisal had made his debut in the International GT Open last year and had done superbly to finish third overall, signing off the season with a second-place at the Barcelona circuit.
The 4.675-km Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will host the decisive round and play the role of a demanding referee, and also the fact that the season is approaching attracts a stellar entry. This year too, both quantity and quality will be there, with a 26-car grid that includes many novelties and sees eight car brands represented (Audi, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Honda, Lamborghini, McLaren, Mercedes and Porsche), conforming the best ‘plateau’ of the season.
The fight for the overall title has many ingredients to be exciting: it’s a three-way battle, very close (the contenders are covered by only 10 points) and includes a ‘family’ component.
Leading the standings are Benja Hites-Leonardo Pulcini, the Chilean-Italian pair of Oregon Team, with 113 points, followed by Britons Nick Moss-Joe Osborne, in the Optimum Motorsport McLaren, with 109 points, and the other Oregon Lambo of Glenn Van Berlo-Kevin Gilardoni, with 103 points.
In the Pro category, Sébastien Baud-Steve Jens, at the wheel of their GetSpeed Performance Mercedes, will want to consolidate their fourth position in the overall standings as they finish the season in a very strong form and with podium pace.
The Am class is the one closest to see the title battle decided, as Alex Hrachowina-Martin Konrad only needs five points to reach mathematical certainty. The Austrian pair of Mann Filter Team Landgraf, after coming second twice in the past, are now close to clinching a well-deserved first title.
Their only rivals left are Adam Osieka-Kiki Sak Nana, with the GetSpeed Mercedes, 15 net points behind and with three wins versus six.
