Ahmad Al Harthy took two Pro-Am 1 podiums in Rounds Seven and Eight of the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship, moving the Omani driver onto six podiums for the year. The weekend also saw him secure his first ever Pro-Am 1 pole position and set a Pro-Am 1 fastest lap for the first time.
Qualifying saw the 29 year old set a best time of 1min 23.4s, placing him as the second fastest driver in class, just 0.2 seconds off pole. His consistency was rewarded though when he set the best second best time of the session, giving him his maiden series pole position.
A strong getaway at the start of Round Seven saw him hold his second place in class, which he never relinquished on his way to a podium finish, seventh overall. He showed great pace throughout the race and set the fastest Pro-Am 1 lap of the race with a 1min 24.225s.
Commenting on round seven, Al Harthy said: “I had a great start, I was actually away better than the car in front but I had to protect my position into the first corner. The opening lap was very good, I pulled away nicely and then I was able to set some very good times.
“I'm delighted to be on the podium again and even happier to have set fastest lap for the first time in Porsche GB. We had a very solid race today and to be on pole for Sunday's race for the first time is a great feeling. All of the support I have been getting back home in Oman has been fantastic — these results are for them.”
Al Harthy made a great getaway from pole position at the beginning of round eight and held the lead early on in tricky wet conditions. However as a dry line appeared later in the race, he struggled for grip with his wet-weather tyres and slipped to second on lap ten, a position he held to the end, finishing eighth overall.
He concluded: “We had another great start today and our pace was really strong for the first half of the race, I was leading my pack comfortably and we were in very good shape. I kept pushing hard but as the track dried the tyres started to deteriorate at a rapid pace.
“I'm still very pleased with what we've achieved this weekend, two podiums is fantastic and just what we want. I'm delighted with my own performance too this weekend, in the dry and the wet we've been quick and it's so important to have that consistency. Thank you to the Oman Air Racing Team for yet another great job and to each of my sponsors for their wonderful support.”
Next up for the Oman Air, Nawras, National Bank of Oman, Brand Oman, Oman Ministry of Sports Affairs and Oman Ministry of Tourism-backed driver is by far the biggest race of his career to date, a trip to the world famous Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany on Saturday, 25th June for the inaugural 'Porsche Carrera World Cup'.