BIC, Sakhir – Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’, hosted two days of in-season testing last weekend for participants in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East.

 

Defending champion Shaikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa of Bahrain took part in the event, held Friday and Saturday (February 3 and 4) along BIC’s 5.411-kilometre Grand Prix track.

 

Shaikh Salman, who has not raced this season, was getting his first taste of the Porsche GT3 Cup car alongside other drivers from this year’s grid. He was joined in the two-day sessions by former champion and current points leader Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal, Bandar Alesayi, Karim Al Azhari, Saeed Al Mouri, Armin Schmid, Cengiz Oguzhan, Hannes Waimer, Rob Frijns, Manfred Ender, Saadon Al Kuwari and Fahad Algosaibi.

 

The tests took place ahead of the fourth of six rounds in the championship’s 2011/2012 season, which is scheduled to be held at Reem International Circuit outside Riyadh on Wednesday and Thursday next week (February 15 and 16).

 

Walter Lechner, Head and Promoter of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge ME, was on hand during the tests.

 

“Everything went smoothly on both days,” said Christoph Huber, General Manager of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge ME, which is based in Bahrain.

 

“We experienced no technical problems and had no damage to our cars. It was a very relaxed atmosphere over the two days, although towards the end of the second day, it got quite competitive as everyone was going out there to get the fastest time. It felt like qualifying rather than testing, really, but it was great to see the guys pushing and really racing.”

 

Huber praised BIC for providing everything they needed to ensure the tests’ success.

 

“We would like to thank the team here at Bahrain International Circuit for taking care of everything for us. We were quite worried before the start because of the very windy and sandy conditions in the country throughout the week, but the BIC team worked hard overnight to prepare and clean the track, and everything was just perfect for us throughout the weekend,” he said.

 

Huber added that the time in the car was much needed for all the championship’s participants, who are set to come off a break of nearly two months before battling it out at Reem.

 

“Each of our drivers got a lot of mileage during testing, and that was essential since they were last in the car only in mid-December during our previous round at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. It’s been quite a long gap and they need the time to adapt to the car once more for our next meeting,” explained Huber.

 

The participants ran for an average run of around 50 laps apiece on each day of the tests, equivalent to three races’ mileage.

 

Following the upcoming fourth round in Reem, round five will be held under floodlights at Losail International Circuit in Qatar on March 2 and 3. It will mark the first-ever night races for the popular one-make series, and it ensures the Porsche GT3 Cup’s status as the only championship to visit all GCC racing circuits this season.

 

The drivers will then return to Bahrain in the last week of March to hold the season’s final round as part of Speed Weekend at BIC.