PORTIMÃO, PORTUGAL – Oman’s Al-Faisal Al-Zubair and German team-mate Fabian Schiller followed their race-one win with second place in Sunday’s shorter second race at the 2023 International GT Open opener at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve.
The Al-Manar Racing by Getspeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 started from pole and led much of the race before losing vital seconds at the driver change. With just over 27 minutes left, Al-Zubair trailed Team Motopark’s Marcos Siebert by 4.408 seconds and closed to 2.257 seconds at the flag as Siebert and Mexican team-mate Diego Menchaca won in their Mercedes-AMG GT3. Eastalent Racing’s Simon Reicher and Christopher Haase were third in their Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II.
The results put Al-Zubair and Schiller two points clear at the top of the championship after round one.
It has been a great weekend and I am feeling very comfortable with the team and the car. I am just increasing confidence. I couldn’t really have asked for much more. P1 yesterday and second today with a 10-second handicap. This was an amazing result.
Al-Faisal Al-Zubair
To leave the first round of the International GT Open as the first round leaders is a strong indicator of the strength of the team we have built. I am excited for the next races and looking forward to it.
Al-Faisal Al-Zubair
Schiller had claimed pole on Sunday morning, 0.258 seconds ahead of Optimum Motorsport’s Charlie Fagg.
It’s nice to take it where I left it. The car is very strong and Portimão is definitely in the top three of my favourite circuits. We’ll see how it goes in the race and with the handicap, I will have to push hard from go!
Fabian Schiller