One of global motorsport’s greatest challenges, the Total 24 Hours of Spa, awaits Ahmad Al Harthy and the Oman Racing Team powered by Motorbase next weekend, 30th/31st July, where the Aston Martin squad is absolutely focused on challenging for the Pro-Am podium.
Marking the fourth round of the Blancpain Endurance Cup season, the sensational twice-round-the-clock encounter at the world-famous Ardennes track will provide the sternest test of the year for the championship runners and will also feature a packed grid of almost 70 cars.
Joining Ahmad and regular Blancpain team-mates Jonny Adam and Devon Modell for the high profile contest will be highly rated Aston Martin factory driver Darren Turner. Already boasting strong links with the Oman Racing Team, the British driver was part of the squad’s successful podium finishing line-up in last year’s Gulf 12 Hour Race at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
Unlike the rest of the Blancpain Endurance Cup rounds, the Total 24 Hours of Spa features a unique scoring system which awards points at several junctures during the race. With so many points available, the importance of a consistently strong run throughout can’t be underestimated.
In the Pro-Am driver standings, Ahmad, Adam and Modell are currently placed fourth with the Oman Ministry of Sports Affairs, Oman Air, National Bank of Oman (NBO), Barr Al Jissah and Omantel supported team fifth in the entrant championship.
“This is it, the biggest race of the year – we can’t wait”, said Aston Martin Middle East and North Africa ambassador Ahmad, “Spa is such an amazing track and the 24 Hour is one of the biggest challenges in motorsport, so it’s a race everyone wants to do well in. We have an outstanding team for this year’s race and, while we’re not underestimating the challenge, we are feeling confident.”
During the pre-event test day at Spa at the beginning of July, the No.44 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 ran like clockwork and the Oman Racing Team put together a strong programme of running to prepare as well as possible for the big race – lapping second fastest in Pro-Am during the morning.
“The test went as well as we could have hoped to be honest”, added Ahmad, “We completed all of the work we wanted with the set-up, pit stops and that sort of thing. Consistency and reliability are key in all Blancpain races, but never more so than in the 24 Hour. We’ve prepared as well as we can, now it’s all down to what we can do at the weekend. We’ll be trying as hard as possible.”
As ever, the build-up to the Total 24 Hours of Spa fills almost the entire week with the first track action, the opening Bronze test session, taking place on Tuesday, 26th July, before the annual parade of the competing cars into the town of Spa on Wednesday, 27th July.
Free practice, pre-qualifying and night qualifying all take place on Thursday, 28th July, with the Superpole session for the fastest 20 cars scheduled for Friday, 29th July. On Saturday, 30th July, the Total 24 Hours of Spa itself will begin at 16.30 (local time) with live streaming HERE
2016 Blancpain Endurance Cup Pro-Am Driver Standings (after Rd3):4th Ahmad Al Harthy/Jonny Adam/Devon Modell, 30pts
2016 Blancpain Endurance Cup Pro-Am Team Standings (after Rd3):5th Oman Racing Team powered by Motorbase, 30pts
