In
a press conference organized by Oman Racing Team
(ORT) held yesterday at the Muscat Intercontinental,
Hamed Al Wahaibi team Founder and Manager unveiled
the teams plans for Oman’s first formula
racer.
“I would firstly like to thank the Minister
of Sports Affairs H.E. Ali Masoud Al Sunaidy for
his unconditional support and encouragement, along
with The Ministry of Tourism, Bank Muscat and
Oman Mobile. We are pleased to announce that Ahmad
Said Al-Harthy has signed to race this season
with Hillspeed, this is a very respectable team
that runs in the Formula Renault BARC championship
in the United Kingdom.” was Al-Wahaibi’s
opening statement.
The Formula Renault BARC championship is one of
the most respectable championships running in
the UK, it’s an entry level category that
provides the learning ground to its sister Championship
Formula Renault UK, which has seen famous Formula
1 drivers graduate from its series such as Ferrari
driver Kimi Raikkonen, current McLaren F1 driver
Lewis Hamilton and former Williams F1 driver Antonio
Pizzonia.
Present
at the press conference were representatives from
the Ministry of Sports, Ministry of Tourism as
well as ORT’s previous partners Bank Muscat
and Oman Mobile, who have all joined forces to
support Al Harthy in this years championship.
“I
would also like to thank everyone present for
their support, because its worth mentioning that
without their backing it would have been impossible
for us to have been here today. I got back from
the United Kingdom last week after meeting my
new team Hillspeed as well as testing the new
car, I am delighted to be able to compete in the
Formula Renault BARC championship, as a driver
I am ready for the challenge and am well aware
that the next 6 months are going to be very challenging”.
This
year will see Ahmad race in different famous race
circuits in England such as Donington Park, Croft,
Oulton Park, Silverstone, Snetterton, Brands Hatch
and Thruxton. He will be racing against an expected
grid of 35 cars who are all challenging for championship.
Al Harthy’s car is powered by Renault and
produces approximately 200bhp, minimum weight
is set at 459kg without the driver, along with
having proper aerodynamics body package on the
car.
“Its
going to be a very difficult season this year,
as Ahmad will be competing against very high and
developed European racers. My personal expectation
for Ahmad is to do well however there is no added
pressure on him to get instant results. This years
racing is at a much higher level, with all the
respect to the Thunder Arabia Middle East series
who have done a great job last year ”, added
Al-Wahaibi.
Oman
Racing Team have moved from the Middle East to
the United Kingdom which is the home of Motor
Sports, Oman’s flag would be represented
in different race tracks around the UK, along
with Bank Muscat and Oman Mobile logos displayed
on the car, driver and team uniform.
Ahmad
Said Al-Harthy Oman’s first Formula racer
raced last year in Bahrain’s Thunder Arabia
Middle East Series, it was an outstanding performance
by Ahmad who finished 2nd in the overall standing
just 4 points adrift from the series champion.
The Middle East series consisted of 14 races with
Ahmad finishing on the winners podium 10 times
which was a championship record.
Ahmad is scheduled to leave to the UK this weekend
to compete at Donington Park for the series opener.
Bellow is a provisional race schedule for Formula
Renault BARC 2007 series. More information would
be available at www.renaultsport.co.uk
| 29th
April |
Donington
Park |
| 19th/20th
May |
Croft
(Double Header) |
| 16th
June |
Oulton
Park |
| 21st/22nd
July |
Silverstone
(Double Header) |
| 11th/12th
August |
Snetterton
(Double Header) |
| 26th/27th
August |
Brands
Hatch (Double Header) |
| 16th
September |
Thruxton |
| 29th
September |
Oulton
Park |
