Sunday 17 / November / 2024
Muscat: A very ‘special moment’ awaits Omani racing star Ahmad Al Harthy, the 2017 Blancpain Endurance Cup Pro-Am Champion, as he prepares to travel to Paris later this week where he will be presented with his prestigious championship trophy during the glittering end-of-season awards ceremony of series organiser SRO.
Oman’s number one racing driver, who this year raised the bar once again with an absolutely remarkable season which included one Pro-Am victory and three other podium finishes from the five endurance races contested, will join the great and the good of international GT racing at the special awards evening on November 25 in the French capital.
Along with full season teammate Jonny Adam and the TF Sport squad, the engineering excellence behind the Oman Racing Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3, Omani sportsman Al Harthy will be widely celebrated for his stunning achievement in Blancpain – his third career drivers’ title in cars – with the squad also receiving the team crown.
Having won the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Pro-Am 1 title in 2012, the Omani went on to claim his first championship in GT racing three years later with Silver Cup class success in British GT. This year, Al Harthy’s Pro-Am success in Blancpain has elevated his career onto another level entirely.
“It’s very exciting, the awards evening is just around the corner, I can’t wait to arrive in Paris,” said Al Harthy. “Oman Racing has enjoyed an incredible season, everyone involved worked so, so hard and when we receive the championship trophies on Saturday it really will be a very special moment.
“I am so proud of everything we have achieved as Oman Racing and with this being our 10th anniversary year too, the celebrations take on an even bigger level of enjoyment and excitement. I cannot wait to return to Oman after Saturday’s ceremony with the champions trophies!”
He added: “All the guys in the team deserve this success and I have had an amazing team-mate in Jonny (Adam), I have learnt so much from him and he is a massive part of our victory. None of it would ever have been possible though without the support I receive in Oman and the incredible sponsors, they are the reason we will be in Paris on Saturday and I am so grateful to all of them.”
Backed by prestigious partners Oman’s Ministry of Sports Affairs, Oman Air, National Bank of Oman, Omantel, Barr Al Jissah and Amouage, Al Harthy and Oman Racing more than hit the ground running in the first race of the season at Monza in Italy with a fabulous maiden Pro-Am victory.
Finishing in the runner-up position at Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit in the UK during round two, another second place finish followed at Paul Ricard in France.
During the blue riband Total 24 Hours of Spa at the end of July, the squad made it four back-to-back podiums with second again and the result was more than enough to wrap-up the Pro-Am crown with a race to spare.
Away from the Blancpain Endurance Cup there was additional glory in 2017 for Al Harthy and Oman Racing, with two superb GT3 category race wins in the Michelin Le Mans Cup – key support category at the world-renowned Le Mans 24 Hours.
