Winning a trophy isn’t really hardwork for Mr. K. Rajaram, the CEO of Al Nabooda Automobiles and kingpin of Al Nabooda Racing. He only has to ask for it, and his boys will get it for him. It happened last year, and he is convinced it will happen again. So, at Porsche Centre Dubai, the boss of the world’s largest Porsche dealer spoke softly the words that echo across the GCC’s international racing tracks. “Win that trophy, again!”
The team and the intent remain unchanged while the car is brand new – a 991 type Porsche GT3 Cup racer
Commendable, given that Al Nabooda dares to spend a small fortune every year to celebrate the spirit behind every Porsche – the spirit of racing. As Christer Ekberg, the new Managing Director for Porsche Middle East and Africa pointed out, Porsche has almost 30,000 racing titles to its credit so far. To his credit, he has the past record of setting up the Carrera series in the Asia-Pacific in his former stint based out of Singapore!
Clemens Schmid, individual title winner; Vijay Rao, General Manager, Al Nabooda Racing; Rajaram, CEO, Al Nabooda Automobiles; Christer Ekberg, MD, Porsche Middle East and North Africa; Karim Al Azhari, team driver and second runner up
Vijay Rao, Team Manager and General Manager, Porsche Centre Dubai, Al Nabooda Automobiles, said: “We set out last season to become the leading team in the GT3 Cup series. That was always our priority, so we were thrilled to achieve our target, and very happy to see Clemens land the drivers’ title.”
Between Clemens Schmid and Karim Al Azhari, there is an enviable balance of enthusiasm and experience, which is the strength their team is counting on yet again.
Schmid won seven of the 12 rounds in the 2012-13 campaign on his way to capturing the drivers’ crown, while Al Azhari finished third overall and once the winner as the pair brought home the team title in the Middle East’s top single-brand challenge. Looks like Al Nabooda Racing will settle for nothing less than another double triumph in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East 2013-14 series starting next month.
The brand new car – a 991 type Porsche GT3 Cup racer – Schmid has the advantage of having driven in other racing tracks. The new car will also be making its global debut in a racing circuit when it kick-starts the fourth season of the GT3 Cup Challenge on 29-30 November at the Bahrain International Circuit.
A flag off moment from the 2012-13 challenge.
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East 2013-14 calendar:
29-30 November: Rounds 1-2 Bahrain International Circuit
12-13 December: Rounds 3-4 Dubai Autodrome
17-18 January: Rounds 5-6 Losail International Circuit, Qatar
31 January-1 February: Rounds 7-8 Losail International Circuit, Qatar
14-15 February: Rounds 9-10 Dubai Autodrome
7-8 March: Rounds 11-12 Bahrain International Circuit
