With the ultimate test of man and machine – the 24 Hours of Le Mans in its 82nd running – kicking off this weekend, we’re going to take a closer look at the career of a very special personality. He’s the most successful driver to ever come out of Saudi Arabia, with more than 20 victories to his name, including two Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East titles. We’re speaking of none other than Prince Abdulaziz Turki AlFaisal.
AlFaisal started off his racing career in 2005 with Formula BMW. After 5 wins in the series, he moved to one of the leading championships in the region, the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, in 2008. It took him just one year to score his first triumph in the championship; this later developed into 9 victories and a championship title in 2010, followed by more and more victories and another title in 2012.
The Red Bull athlete’s Motorpsort participation was not confined to the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge though; he tackled several other championships and endurance races, but it was one race in particular that truly inspired him and spurred him on, it’s the toughest race on the planet: the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.
AlFaisal made part of his dream come true when he joined Proton Competition in 2011. Alongside Nick Tandy and Bryce Miller, he drove the team’s Porsche 997 GT3-RSR in the GTE-Pro class, and despite not being able to finish the race, ATF walked away from the event knowing he’s one of very few Arabs to have competed in the highly esteemed race.
The two-time Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, however, was hungry for more. He returned to the French race in 2012 with ProSpeed Competition, partnering Bret Curtis and the late Sean Edwards in a Porsche 997 GT3-RSR. ATF and his teammates qualified in P2 in the GTE-Am class, but their hopes of a podium evaporated when the car retired from the race.
ATF refused to give up and returned to the event for a third consecutive year, this time in JMW Motorsport’s Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 shared with Emirati driver Khaled al Qubaisi and Italy’s Andrea Bertolini in the GTE Pro category. Third time’s indeed a charm as Abdulaziz and his teammates successfully crossed the finish line after 24 hours of non-stop racing. ATF’s dream finally came true, for not only was he able to participate in the race for three years in a row, but he was able to see the chequered flag for the first time.
This year, Abdulaziz has reunited with JMW Motorsport to face the arduous challenge once more. He aims to secure a strong result for the team, but more importantly, to cross the finish line again. ATF will share the Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 with US drivers Seth Neiman and Spencer Pumpelly in the GTE-Am class.
Can the most successful Saudi driver expand his excellent racing record and further solidify his position as one of the top racing drivers in the region? We’ll find out when the chequered flag for the 82nd 24 Hours of Le Mans is waved on Sunday at 16:00 (GMT+3).
