Spa-Francorchamps, one of the most iconic tracks in global motorsport, hosts the third race of the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship this Saturday, 29th April – an encounter which Ahmad Al Harthy hopes will mark a turning point in his rookie WEC season.
Performance-wise, Al Harthy and team-mates Michael Dinan and Charlie Eastwood have consistently delivered at the wheel of the No.25 Aston Martin Vantage since the championship curtain-raiser in America back in March.
From a strategy point-of-view too, the Oman Racing with TF Sport squad has been equally strong and everyone’s combined efforts have certainly warranted more than the ninth and eighth place finishes achieved thus far in the first two races of the campaign.
Frustratingly, the Balance of Performance grading for the Aston Martin in the GTE Am class has left the car struggling for outright pace and top speed against the competition from the likes of Ferrari and Porsche. For the upcoming Spa race, it is hoped the playing field will have levelled out.
Belgium’s famous 4.3-mile track, a staple on the calendar of global and European endurance categories, hosts the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday with free practice getting underway on Thursday, 27th April.
Al Harthy, who is supported by key partners Oman Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, OQ, Omantel and MHD-ITICS, is relishing being back in the Ardennes where the Omani has enjoyed glittering success over the years with podiums, race wins and championship glory.
Most notably clinching the Pro-Am title in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup [then the Blancpain Endurance Cup] at Spa back in 2017, Al Harthy and Oman Racing then went on to win the Total 24 Hours of Spa in 2019 – remarkably from an enforced pitlane start – and duly wrapped up a second Pro-Am crown during the following race in Barcelona, Spain.
In recent years he has also been a winner at Spa in the International GT Open and last year, his first ever season in the European Le Mans Series, he and Oman Racing only just missed the podium.
Ahmad Al Harthy:
“Spa is an amazing track and somewhere we have gone very well over the years, with a lot of incredible memories – especially the championship victories in GTWCE. This year we arrive there with a new challenge in FIA WEC, with incredibly high competition, and the whole team is looking forward to it.
“The first two races this season have had their frustrations, with the performance comparisons, but we are hopeful things will change for Spa and we can battle on a more even footing. From a driving perspective, Michael, Charlie and I have been doing exactly what we need to and the team has been fantastic as well. If we have an equal chance this weekend, I’m confident of a strong result.”
The first two practice sessions ahead of the third race of the FIA World Endurance Championship season will take place on Thursday with a further session and qualifying following on Friday, 28th April – qualifying beginning at 17.00 local time. The 6 Hours of Spa will then start at 12.45 local time on Saturday, 29th April.
Source. Marc Orme
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