Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge starts in Middle East

26.11.2009 / Manama-Cairo /

The Bahrain International Cicruit (BIC) announced today that the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East will soon make its long-awaited debut at Bahrain International Circuit on December 11 and 12 as part of �Speed Weekend Bahrain’.

According to BIC, Walter Lechner, a decades-long veteran of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup which regularly races alongside Formula One, came up with the idea of organising the championship in order to continue the development of high-level motor-sport in the region.

Various very promising drivers from all over the Arab world will be taking part in the inaugural season of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge.

Amongst them will be Prince Abdul Aziz Al Faisal, Prince Khalid Al Faisal and Bandar Ali Reza from Saudi Arabia, as well as Jaap Vaandrager from the Netherlands. Also participating at the GT3 Cup Challenge will be Raed Abou Zinadeh from Saudi Arabia.

The 2009/2010 season of the GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East will consist of six rounds. The upcoming opening round will be followed by round two to be held on January 6 and 7 next year.

Unfortunately the Porsche GT3 Challenge Middle East will not be a support race to the F1 races in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, which is a real pity as it would have surely been much more interesting and exciting than the Chevrolet Lumina Cup.

Round three will take place at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on February 5 and 6, which will support the UAE’s first race weekend in the V8 Supercars Australia Championship. Round four will be held again at Yas Marina Circuit from February 18 to 20.

Round five will be held at Reem International Circuit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on March 17 and 18. The championship will then conclude with a grand finale at Reem from March 31 to April 1.

In the upcoming �Speed Weekend Bahrain’, the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East will take place along with the Chevrolet Supercars Middle East Championship and the Batelco 2000cc Challenge, which both do not have the same popularity as the Porsche Cup and will therefore surely profit from the Porsche Cup Challenge presence in Bahrain.

The Bahrain International Circuit did however not announce any information regarding a possible TV coverage in the Middle East.

Unfortunately the GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East will not take place as a Formula 1 support race in Bahrain or Abu Dhabi, which is a real pity for both the Porsche Challenge as well as for the Formula. Especially after we saw the action and excitement of the Porsche Carrera SuperCup at the inaugural Abu Dhabi F1 GP a few weeks ago, which was not only more popular but also offered by far more entertainment and excitement than the Chevrolet Lumina Challenge.