BARCELONA, SPAIN – Oman’s Al-Faisal Al-Zubair and German team-mate Fabian Schiller contest their third 2023 International GT Open event at the 4.657km Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on October 21–22.
The Al-Manar Racing by Getspeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 pair have raced only two rounds and four races, missing Belgium, France, Austria and Italy, and aim for wins in races 12 and 13. After first and second at Portimão and a win and a third at the Hungaroring, they target back-to-back Pro class wins on Saturday and Sunday. Four teams can still win the title.
I am looking forward to racing in Barcelona for the finale of the International GT Open. Together with Getspeed and Fabi (Fabian), we have a great package that we proved this season. Out of the two race weekends we have done so far, we have two wins, one second place and a third. This is a 100% podium-finishing record.
Al-Faisal Al-Zubair
That went really well and we are both excited to getting back to the championship and ending the European season soon before we announce our next races. Unfortunately, we will have a 20-second handicap because of our previous success but, nonetheless, I hope that we can still achieve great results this weekend.
Al-Faisal Al-Zubair
Asian Le Mans Series confirmed
Al-Zubair confirmed he, Schiller and Austria’s Martin Konrad will contest the Asian Le Mans Series: two races at Sepang on December 2 and 3, one at the Dubai Autodrome on February 4 and a double-header at Yas Marina on February 10–11.
The team will be Fabian Schiller, me and Martin Konrad. Hopefully it will be a very strong championship for us. We have a strong line-up and will be aiming for the win. It will be an extremely tough championship but we will be very well prepared by then. It will be great to be back in that series again for the second time after finishing second last year.
Al-Faisal Al-Zubair
The title fight
Thirty-four cars are entered, with four teams and four brands in title contention. Optimum Motorsport’s Sam de Haan and Charlie Fagg lead with 103 points, four ahead of Motopark’s Diego Menchaca, partnered by 2019 champion Albert Costa, with Eastalent Racing’s Christopher Haase and Simon Reicher a further four back. With dropped scores and 30 points available, Oregon Team’s Pierre-Louis Chovet and Maximilian Paul, four-time winners this season, are 19 points behind.
The GT Open shares the weekend with the Euro 4 Championship, GT Cup Europe and Euroformula Open. Practice runs at 11:17 and 16:33 on Friday, Q1 at 10:20 on Saturday before the 70-minute race at 15:05, and Q2 at 09:30 on Sunday before the one-hour race at 13:30.