Muscat racing driver Ahmad Al Harthy is celebrating this weekend after securing the Avon Tyres British GT Championship ‘Silver Cup’ title at Donington Park Grand Prix Circuit on Sunday, 13th September, during a dramatic and highly-charged final race of the 2015 season.
Leading the Silver Cup standings going into round nine, the 34-year-old Oman Racing Team driver took the opening stint of the race in the No.2 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 and remained close behind his chief challengers for the title – the Von Ryan Racing McLaren – during the first hour.
Team-mate Alex MacDowall took the concluding stint and although behind the McLaren initially, the complexion of the race changed on lap 57 when the rival car, piloted by Andrew Watson, slipped to the tail of the overall top 10 with MacDowall assuming eighth position.
Within a handful of laps the McLaren was close behind the Oman Racing Team Aston Martin but MacDowall soaked up the pressure impressively. Then, with little more than 10 minutes remaining on the clock and the Silver Cup title in sight, MacDowall was tipped into a spin at the Esses and, although recovering, he ended the race in 10th overall – two places behind his aggressor Watson.
Later on Sunday evening, though, race officials reviewed the incident and subsequently penalised the Von Ryan entry – meaning Ahmad and MacDowall were elevated into ninth in the final results, with Watson and his team-mate Ross Wylie relegated to 10th position.
“What a way for the season to end”, said Ahmad, “It was a challenging race but in the end we’ve won the Silver Cup which is fantastic for everyone at the Oman Racing Team, all of my incredible sponsors and everyone back in Oman who has been supporting our project since day one.
“Generally, we’ve had a competitive car this year and some very competitive races – unfortunately, things just didn’t work in our favour on a few occasions and that’s been the difference for us this year in the overall championship. It’s great to win the Silver Cup, though, and I must say a huge thank you to the whole team for their incredibly hard work during the year.”
Beginning the final race of the British GT season from 12th on the grid, Ahmad made an excellent start to quickly challenge for the top 10 and although ending lap one in 11th place he soon began to make more progress.
Into 10th position by lap four, the Oman Air, Oman Ministry of Sports Affairs, Ooredoo, National Bank of Oman and Al Hashar Group-backed driver then climbed into ninth place on lap 11 when the sister Oman Racing Team car retired after a tangle at the Melbourne Hairpin.
Taking eighth on lap 14 prior to a Safety Car period, when racing resumed Ahmad continued to push and as the race reached the 50 minute mark he was into seventh place after passing the BMW of Jon Minshaw. When the pit window opened a few moments later, Ahmad remained on track and eventually pitted to hand the car over to MacDowall from fifth position with around an hour to run.
When all of the pit stops had been completed, MacDowall held eighth with the target McLaren in sixth before the positions changed around with about half an hour to go following Watson’s drop down the order.
After the contact and enforced spin, though, the Oman Racing Team car took the chequered flag after two hours of racing in 10th place, two spots behind the Von Ryan car. With the time penalty for Watson, though, ninth was enough to secure Ahmad’s first driver title in GT racing.
“I was happy with the pace in my stint, as the car got lighter it became more competitive and things were looking good”, added the Aston Martin Middle East and North Africa ambassador, “At first we were all incredibly disappointed after the race, but the officials made the right decision and now our focus turns to the final round of Blancpain next weekend – we’re all really looking forward to that.”
Ahmad will be back in action with the Oman Racing Team just a few days from now, at the Nurburgring in Germany, when the final race of the Blancpain Endurance Series takes place this coming Sunday, 20th September.
Final 2015 Avon Tyres British GT Championship GT3 Driver Standings: 8th Ahmad Al Harthy, 57pts
Final 2015 Avon Tyres British GT Championship GT3 Silver Cup: CHAMPION: Ahmad Al Harthy, 140.5pts
Final 2015 Avon Tyres British GT Championship GT3 Team Standings: 2nd Oman Racing Team, 192.5pts
