Ahmad Al-Harthy and the Oman Racing Team enjoyed positive start to the 2014 Avon Tyres British GT Championship at a pre-season test as part of the media day at Donington Park.
Almost 30 cars took to the circuit for the afternoon’s two sessions, with the Oman Racing Team’s Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 setting the fifth fastest time in the opening segment. The car, which Al-Harthy will continue to share with Michael Caine, improved in the second session with a time of 1:29.981 seconds, ending the day firmly in the top 10.
“It was great to finally kick-start the British GT season with the Media Day, both Michael and I learned a lot and the whole team was very happy with the progress we made, both with the car’s handling and the set-up,” said Al-Harthy. “We weren’t aiming for any particular lap times, that wasn’t the point of the test, the focus was on understanding the new car and preparing as well as possible for the first round of the season at Oulton Park in a couple of weeks.”
A range of sportscars once again will compete in the British GT Championship, meaning competition will be fierce in pursuit of the title, but Al-Harthy is confident the team can improve on its top five finish in their debut season.
“Donington gave us a strong indication of the level of competition in the championship this year, there’s a very big grid again and some fantastic drivers and teams,” said the Omani. “We know it’s not going to be easy but, honestly, we’re feeling confident. I know the circuits and I’m learning more and more about the car with every lap – I think we’re in a strong position for the year ahead.”
