Saudi prince is the driver to beat in Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge

Dubai: Saudi Arabia's Prince Abdul Aziz Al Faisal is again the driver to beat as the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East heads for a big race weekend in Abu Dhabi.

With a near perfect start to the new season at Dubai Autodrome last weekend, the 2009-10 champion underlined how badly he wants to win back the GT3 Cup title, and he is determined to build on his early championship lead at Yas Marina Circuit on Saturday and Sunday.

The Porsche one-make series is again on the race support programme for the 2011 Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and Prince Abdul Aziz wants to at least match his performance from the same weekend last year, when he followed second place with victory 24 hours later.

Momentary lapse

His win in round two of the 2011-12 season in Dubai on Saturday gave him a four-point lead in the title race after a momentary lapse of concentration in round one had allowed Austrian Clemens Schmid to beat him to the chequered flag.

Judging from events last weekend, this season could develop into the most competitive GT3 Cup Middle East series.

Bandar Al Sesayi said during pre-season testing at Yas Marina that, with two seasons behind him, he felt good about his chances of challenging for the title.

And he followed up his third place in round one by going one place better 24 hours later to move to second in the championship.

Al Sesayi has a new confidence about him which suggests his second win in a GT3 Cup car may be just around the corner and he goes back to Abu Dhabi with high hopes.

Newcomers to the series, Belgian driver Stephane Lemeret, who made his debut for Dubai-based Al Nabooda Racing last weekend, and Omani Ahmad Al Harthy, will be looking to build on their solid starts.

Time penalty

After just missing out on a podium place in the opening round, Lemeret thought he had claimed second spot in round two, but finished the race to discover he had collected a time penalty for an infringement on the starting grid and was dropped to fourth.

He shares third place in the championship with Al Harthy, who improved from fifth in round one to third the following day, and both will be expecting to improve their respective challenges with the benefit of more time behind the wheel of their new Porsche GT3 Cup cars.

Saudi Saeed Al Mouri, teammate of Prince Abdul Aziz, will be thinking along the same lines after impressing in Dubai to go fifth in the championship.

After winning the Mobil 1 Trophy for drivers over the age of 45 in both races last weekend, Qatar's Sadoon Al Kuwari will be aiming for more of the same at Yas Marina.

STANDINGS

Championship positions after Round 2