Ahmad Al Harthy saw the chequered flag at the 2016 Total 24 Hours of Spa in the Oman Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage V12 GT3, finishing seventh in the Pro-Am class for the Blancpain Endurance Cup.
This was the Omani’s fourth appearance at the endurance racing classic to which his fellow team-mates Darren Turner, Jonny Adam and Devon Modell competed at the 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium.
Despite missing out on the final 20-car Superpole qualifying session out of a field of nearly 70 cars, the Oman Racing Team Aston Martin powered by British Touring Car Championship and British GT stalwarts Motorbase led at several points in the rain-affected 24 Hour race.
Six hours in after leading the first of three stints in the Pro AM class, the Aston was wheeled into the pits after an oil leak in the engine manifold, which spoiled their chances at a podium finish.
A strong finish on Sunday was the reward for the Oman Racing Team, who finished the 24 Hours of Spa seventh in class for Pro Am, which puts the team third in the Drivers’ Standings and fourth in the Teams’ Standings for the Blancpain Endurance Cup.
Al Harthy said “It’s a very proud moment for me personally, and the Oman Racing Team, to finish the 24 Hour – it’s the longest race of the year and I’m extremely proud to have achieved something new. It’s my fourth attempt at the race and getting to the finish is such a fantastic result, we achieved everything we wanted to.”
“We’re all physically and mentally tired after such a big challenge, but nobody in the team put a foot wrong. The guys in the pits did an amazing job, every one of our stops went extremely well and they did an incredible job to repair the oil leak and get us back into the race as quickly as possible. Jonny, Darren and Devon all raced really well, it really has been an amazing team effort.”
The final race of the 2016 Blancpain Endurance Cup is at the Nürburgring on the 17-18 September 2016.
