Sunday 15 / December / 2024
Muscat: It is said to be the world’s greatest endurance race: 24 Hours of Le Mans. Held annually near the town of Le Mans in France, this was the one hundredth anniversary of the race and there could not have been anything bigger for Oman motorsports.
Ahmad Al Harthy, Oman’s ace endurance driver, scripted history on Sunday when he along with Michael Dinan and Charlie Eastwood, driving Aston Martin Vantage AMR #25 finished runner-up in the LMGTE AM category.
The Oman Racing Team (ORT) by TF Sport trio finished second to the Chevrolet Corvette team of Nicky Catsburg, Ben Keating and Nicolas Varrone.
It was an exceptional performance by an Omani at what is called the motorsports Super Bowl. Driving at an event that had a mind boggling 325,000 spectators and getting the Omani flag at the podium was “definitely a dream”.
Speaking to Times of Oman onboard Oman Air from Paris to Muscat on Monday, a delighted Ahmad Al Harthy said: “It is a dream come true. A dream that I nurtured 16 years ago has finally been achieved. I am getting goosebumps even as I speak now. The enormity of the feat is yet to sink in. Definitely, it is the pinnacle of my career in terms of my racing achievements.
“To be second in our class amid a world-class grid at the biggest and greatest endurance race with more than 325,000 spectators. I don’t think any Omani sports person or team has performed in front of such a mammoth crowd. To be second at the Centenary race is like an icing on the cake.”
The one hundredth anniversary of the world’s greatest endurance race certainly lived up to its billing as bumper crowds were treated to fascinating battles in every class with a total of 62 entries and the outcome up in the air until the final stages.
Al Harthy said: “We were two rookies [debutants] at 24H Le Mans. Myself and Dinan and along with Charlie, we produced something special to be on the podium.
“I thank everyone who has stood by me since the start of my career, my family, friends, well-wishers, sponsors and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth.”
Al Harthy said: “We overcame challenging conditions, be it slippery and wet track, in sun, in heat, in rain and avoiding accidents. In Lap one we were down to 16th but we came fighting the whole night to be on the podium. It was not easy. I hope everybody back home is proud of this achievement.”
The LMGTE Am class was as exciting as ever. Numerous cars swapped the lead almost lap by lap. A ‘gang of four’ consisting of the Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, the Iron Dames’ Porsche 911 RSR-19, the ORT by TF Aston Martin Vantage AM and the GR Racing Porsche played out the final act. At the chequered flag, Corvette clinched a hard-fought win ahead of the TF Sport-backed Aston Martin and the Porsche 911 RSR-19.
Ahmad and his teammates covered a total of 4,264.938km during their 313 laps and recorded the top speed of 296km/h at the 13.626 km route.
