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GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, Mardini ready to race at famous Abu Dhabi circuit , Preview
Drivers back on track at Yas Marina Circuit as Round 4 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East gets underway

The iconic Yas Marina Circuit welcomed local and international driving talent today, as the region’s highly competitive Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East prepares to heat up the UAE for the final time this weekend.

After back-to-back rounds in Dubai, drivers and their Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars made their way to the capital to continue the exhilarating racing series, testing the celebrated track ahead of vital races both Friday and Saturday. Marking the final round in the UAE this season in style, drivers will negotiate the full Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix circuit for the first time, handling 21 terrific turns over 5.54 km.

With Season 8 shaping up to be the most tightly fought contest yet, every race, corner and second is vital to each drivers overall standing in the series. Facing the challenging Yas Marina Circuit and Formula 1 configuration, the races this weekend are a turning point in the season for all drivers. Dubai-based driver Bashar Mardini is one of those drivers looking to secure vital points for an overall podium finish in his category.

No stranger to the track or the city, Mardini is currently sitting 22 points off a third place podium finish in the silver category. He will be using his experience of the track, having competing in the Gulf 12hr race with Porsche in 2015, to produce a quick qualifying and race time tomorrow.

Commenting on the track and what will be required tomorrow in qualifying, Bashar Mardini said: “It’s great to be back out on the track here, it’s an amazing circuit and one that impresses me every time. There are 20 very technical corners, which have been quite challenging during testing when trying to put a quick lap together. I have been working closely with my team and I am sure we will get the time where it needs to be.”

Looking forward to his last races on home soil, Mardini knows what he needs to do: “The main aim this weekend is to try and close the gap on the leaders in the category. It’s been quite a consistent gap to the quicker drivers at the front, but they are a really good reference in terms of what the car can do, so getting closer to their times is what I need to aim for.”

Walter Lechner, the owner of Lechner Racing, and founder and manager of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, is looking forward to seeing how the drivers react on the formidable track: “For a lot of the drivers here this weekend it is another new track for them to contest with, they have all been working hard to get used to the layout as quickly as possible. Yas Marina Circuit is always a challenging round, one of the highlights of the season and also one where the drivers tend to raise their game.”

Talking about the championship as it stands, Lechner added: “We are at a very interesting stage of the season, this weekend could determine which way the championship is going to go for the remaining rounds, Ryan Cullen could extend his lead out in front or we could see another surprise in results.”

Topping the championship standings and after extending his lead in Round 3 at Dubai Autodrome, Ryan Cullen will be hoping to put even more points between him and Qatar-based driver Charlie Frijns, who current sits in close second. With only 20 points separating drivers from third to sixth place, the addition of guest driver Charlie Eastwood, a Porsche Carrera Cup driver from the UK, will make securing maximum points in Abu Dhabi even tougher.

The international grid of 17 drivers representing 12 different nationalities will be out in force this weekend. Professional, amateurs and rookie drivers from Ireland, Norway, Germany, Luxenberg, Sweden and Turkey will face stiff opposition from local drivers representing the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Fans can experience the action of Round 4 from the stands at Yas Marina Circuit on 10th and 11th February 2017. Race 1 will take place under the lights at 6pm on Friday 10th, with Race 2 at the earlier time of 3.15pm on Saturday 11th.



All reports on the previous season can be found in our archive.