By lap 3 Batelco Racing Team’s duo of Verutti and Azzam had opened their lead, leaving the rest of the pack behind. With no driver being able to establish themselves in 3rd, F. Raffii and Al Khan held off a swerving Mattar who was in turn fighting to keep a determined R. Raffii in his rear view mirror.

The standing order at the start of lap 6 was Verutti, Azzam, F. Raffii, Al Khan, Mattar, R. Raffii, Elgammal, Al Yaeesh, Al Kuwari, Al Gaith and Al Alawi. While Mattar continued his attempts to pass the Alba Racing Team driver, Al Khan responded to the onslaught with some skillful maneuvering to maintain 4th. Blocked behind Mattar, R. Raffii and only wait patiently and hope for an opportunity to improve his position.

With two laps remaining, it would seem Verutti’s supercars has developed a technical fault as he lost power exiting the last turn. Suddenly without first and second gear, the Batelco Racing Team driver could only press on towards the finish line. But on the final lap, Azzam’s pressure proved too much for the french driver’s failing car, and he could only watch on as his team mate crossed the finish line in first.

The final clasification for race 2 in order: Azzam in 18:51.055, Verutti in 18:56.488, F.Raffii in 18:59.533, Al Khan in 19:00.360, Mattar in 19:00.670, R.Raffi in 19:01.938, Elgammal in 19:08.838, Al Kuwari in 19:34.024, Al Yaeesh in 19:34.890, Al Gaith in 19:54.447 and Al Alawi in 19:54.811.

Saturday 3

It was an electrifying start to race 1 as the competitors completed a warm up lap before assuming their positions on the starting grid in preparation for the rolling start in order of yesterday’s qualifying round. In order were; Azzam, Verutti, F. Raffii, R.Raffii, Mattar, Elgammal, Al Khan, Al Yaeesh, Al Kuwari, Al Gaith and Al Alawi. An extensive wait following the clearing of the starting grid saw many of the mechanical teams anxiously await the start as they re-evaluated their fuel preservation and tire strategies, while the supercars ticked over.

Once the grid had been cleared, the supercars were off! The course car pulling into the pits signaled the beginning of the rolling start, but a technical issue with the starting lights resulted in Azzam putting pedal-to-metal before the start line, breaking the 60km limit and resulting in a red flag. After a stern warning put no penalty, Azzam resumed his position on pole in preparation for the second start.

Tension was high on-track as the drivers anxiously waited to get stuck into race 1, and lined up for a grid start. After a lap behind the course car, they were finally blistering off around the inner circuit on the approach to turn 1. Down the main straight the Batelco driver kept to the center of the track before cutting to the inner racing line, with Verutti right on his rear bumper awaiting an opening to assume his onslaught in the championship. Meanwhile, Faisal Raffii held onto 3rd hunting for an opening.

Verutti Flies

Varutti was quick to squeeze by teammate Azzam on lap 1, taking advantage of a series of close turns and stealing 1st. F. Raffii  wasted no time to turn the pressure on Azzam, but the Batelco Racing Team driver wasn’t phased and easily held onto the 2nd position.

Further back in the runnings were the Viva Racing Team drivers, with Elgammal making quick work of Mattar and easily passing him on the opening lap to slip behind teammate R. Raffii, giving Viva 4th and 5th. A frustrated Mattar executed some unorthodox maneuvers to improve his position, but the Viva duo subdued his attempts to pass, leaving the third Batelco driver to linger in 6th.

As the competitors enter the 4h lap, the standings were; Verutti, Alban, F. Raffii, Elgammal, R. Raffii, Mattar, Al Yaeesh, Al Khan, Kuwari, Al Gaith and Al Alawi. Matching Azzam’s pace, F. Raffii pushed the newcomer hard and remained inches away from his rear bumper. But as both cars went wide on turn 4 and the two competitors fought to remain on the tarmac, F.Raffii collided with Azzam, dislocating his diffuser and sending debris spraying across the track. With the safety car now leading the pack, the competitors circled back to the starting line before continuing their fight to the finish line.

On-Track Antics

Further back on lap 8, Mattar and Al Yaeesh battled for 6th right behind R. Raffii and Elgammal. But as the pack entered turn 4 Mattar drifted into the middle of the track, forcing Al Yaeesh into a collision with R. Raffii’s supercar and sending the Viva driver into the run off area. Picking up a puncture but determined to continue, R. Raffii’s performance lingered for the remainder of the race, seeing him drop to 7th. The resulting chaos allowed Al Yaeesh to speed to 3rd, leaving the rest of the competitors to fight over 4th.

With supercars now spread over the length of the track, it was a chaotic final lap. Verutti crossed the finish line in 1st, followed by Azzam to give the Batelco Racing Team a 1-2 victory. Al Yaeesh brought home the WGA Speeding Saddles team first podium finish in the SC09 category in 3rd. But with several on-track incidents on being disputed by the teams, it remains to be seen whether the final classifications would hold true.

The full results in order were: Verutti in 28:03.482, Azzam in 28:07.144, Al Yaeesh in 28:13.984, Al Khan in 28:15.495, Elgammal in 28:15.938, Mattar in 28:16.645, R. Raffii in 28:16.910, F. Raffii in 28:18.145, Al Kuwari in 28:20.306, Al Gaith in 28:27.678, Al Alawi in 28:28.536.

Last to leave the pits were the Batelco Racing Team threesome of Alban Verruti, Ramez Azzam and Mohammed Mattar, all looking confident as they put pedal-to-metal. With Verruti clearly a threat on track and Azzam out to prove himself, this team has some serious talent behind the wheel.

Mustafa Al Khan calmly followed his team mates progress around in the inner track as the Alba  mechanical team tinkered under the hood of his supercar, adding to the sense of suspense at the team’s unknown qualifying strategy. But it wasn’t long before F. Raffii was back in the pits for a lightning quick complete tire change, shooting back out again to put his new set through their paces.

In quick succession R. Raffii, Azzam, Mattar, Al Khan and Elgammal pulled into the pit lane, allowing their teams to optimise tire pressure and check temperatures. But while the rest of the pack were quick to get back on-track, a frustrated R. Raffii looked on as his supercar was grounded by tire issues. He was quickly joined by Abdulaziz Al Yaeesh. With smoke pouring from his front right tire and bonnet, it was obvious the Speeding Saddles driver was suffering from several technical problems.

After just six laps, Batelco Racing Team driver Azzam pulled back into the garages to be congratulated by his team after setting the fastest lap time of 1:14.603. And while the other competitors gave it their all, none could better the new comer’s lap time. He was followed by team mate Alban Verruti, who narrowly missed out on pole position with a time of 1:14.692, while Faisal Raffii clinched the third spot in 1:15.067. The remaining drivers finished in order; Raed Raffii on 1:15.144, Mohammed Mattar on 1:15.172, Tarek Elgammal on 1:15.561, Mustafa Al Khan on 1:15.565, Abdulaziz Al Yaeesh on 1:16.142 and Ahmed AL Kuwari on 1:16.465.

In the SC06 class Talal Al Gaith set an impressive pace during qualifying and achieved a best lap time of 1:19.176 on lap four, while Nasser Al Alawi gave it his all by completing 11 laps and finishing with a best time of 1:19.870.

Azzam Hungry for Victory

After a dominating practice and qualifying session in round two, Batelco Racing Team are set to lead from the front come race day. Azzam’s performance has established him as serious competition to the cast of the WGA Supercars Championship, and the youngster is off to a fantastic start to round two. But setting a best time is one thing, completing 15 laps on the inner track at Bahrain International Circuit is another. Azzam’s real test will come tomorrow at the flash of the green light, where he’ll have to juggle a packed starting grid as he attempts to hold on to the hotly contested pole position. With Verutti and the Raed cousins not far behind, tomorrow can be anyone race.

Friday 2nd December 2011, Kingdom of Bahrain:

Emirati driver Ramez Azzam moved up to the SC09 class, giving the Batelco Racing Team three supercars on the starting grid for tomorrow’s races. The new addition to the team will operate as an independent participant and be maintained by the Batelco Racing Team, accumulating points as a separate team entry. The SC06 class saw Talal Al Gaith return to the WGA Supercars Middle East Championship, joining Christophe Mariot and Nasser Al Alawi on the table. While Mariot was not present for round two, Al Gaith’s addition to the category has definitely upped the intensity of the B class series.

Round one witnessed fierce competition from all of the SC09 drivers, with the top five qualifying within one second of each other. Ultimately it was Viva Racing Team’s Raed Raffii and Batelco Racing Team driver Alban Verutti who crossed the finish line in first in race one and two. But with two podium finishes over the round, it was Alba Racing Team’s Mustafa Al Khan who tallied up the most points to lead the table.

Round 2 Practice:

After a great start to this year’s season in round one at Bahrain International Circuit, the championship returned to the desert track for the first day of it’s second round as part of Speed Weekend Bahrain. With practice and qualifying set for the first day, the pressure was on the mechanics to make sure their team drivers had the necessary tools to achieve competitive qualifying times. A cold start to the day and dropping temperatures would mean that participants would have to focus on tire pressure and optimum temperature to get the most out of the qualifying laps.

Viva Racing Team saw both it’s SC09 supercars garage bound for the opening laps of the practice session, as the team’s mechanics adjusted the tire set-up as part of a potentially new racing strategy. While Raed Raffii and Tarek Elgammal spent valuable minutes in the pit lane, the rest of the WGA Supercars participants screeched off to warm up their tires. It would remain to be seen whether Viva’s efforts to get the most out of their supercars would pay off.

A last minute adjustment complete, both Mustafa Al Khan and Faisal Raffii sped off out of the garages to make the most of the practice session, joining their competitors on the tarmac. Meanwhile in the SC06 category, Talal Al Gaith shook off his race rust with an impressive first lap of the inner track and was quick to establish his presence in the series once again.

Having spent a large amount of the practice session in the pits, Raed Raffii was determined to make the most of his remaining track time and squeezed in an extra lap even though the checkered flag had signaled the end of the session.

“We had some tire pressure issues but were able to resolve them very quickly. The unforeseen drop in temperature has meant we have had to adjust our racing strategy slightly and had to complete some last minute changes to the tire set-up for Raed Raffii and Tarek Elgammal’s cars. We got what we needed out of the practice round. What counts is performing well in qualifying,” commented Viva Team Manager Jamal Al Sayed.

Batelco Sets the Pace

Pushing hard in the practice session, the Batelco Racing Team dominated the best lap times, with all three of their drivers claiming the top positions. Alban Verutti finished in 1:14.940, followed by Ramez Azzam with a time of 1:15.119 with Mohammed Mattar not far behind in third in 1:15.553. The rest of the competitors finished the practice session in order; Raed Raffii on 1:15.555, Mustafa Al Khan on 1:15.852, Tarek Elgammal on 1:15.917, Faisal Raffii on 1:16.247, Ahmed Al Kuwari on 1:17.169 and Abdulaziz Al Yaeesh on 1:!7.518

“We are all set for the qualifying round and had a great practice session. It’s fantastic to see our drivers finish in the top three, but the real test will come later in the day with the qualifying round. The Batelco Racing Team supercars were all running smoothly thanks to the hard work of our mechanics and we can hope for a great start to round 2. Our main priority is qualifying at the stop of the starting grid, and I think our drivers are more than capable of achieving that,” stated Batelco Team Manager Ali Abbas.

Right from the flash of the green light, Verutti and Faisal Raffii hugged the inner race line with Al Khan slipping in behind the leaders. As the trio entered turn one they were neck and neck, but it was a cool headed Verutti who pulled ahead, while Faisal Raffii and Al Khan continued to battle it out on the lead up to the series of tight turns known as the  Ss’ on the inner track. Al Yaeesh’s red supercars was also gunning for a top position as the pack settled into the running order, but went wide and sustaind a flat tire on lap 2, ending his race.

Technical difficulties quickly put Verutti’s dream of a flawless finish to an end, and Raed Raffii assumed his place at the front of the pack after working his way forward on the opening laps. While Verutti slipped back down the running order, Al Khan was quick to capitalise and took up a strong 2nd on lap 7.

As lap 9 approached, Raed Rafii worked hard to keep Al Khan behind him, while Mattar followed the action not far behind in 3rd. Meanwhile, a frustrated Verutti could only look on from the pit lane. Further back, Elgammal was consistently working his way to the front of the pack, currently in 4th. Faisal Raffii, after running wide earlier in the race, found himself in 5th and a determined Azzam staying bumper to bumper with his SC06 supercar kept his attention occupied. On lap 13 the running order stood Raed Raffii, Al Khan, Mattar, Elgammal, Faisal Raffii, Azzam, Al Kuwari, Mariot and Al Alawi, with Verutti and Al Yaeesh in the garages early.

Opening up a huge lead in the second half of the race, Raed Raffii blistered across the finish line in just 19:01.853. More than 12 seconds behind was Al Khan in 19:14.639 and Mattar in 19:17.472, closely followed by Elgammal in 4th on 19:17.473. As the rest of the competitors passed the checkered flag, Faisal Raffii clinched 5th in 19:20.563 and Al Kuwari rounded off the SC09 category in 6th on 19:49.841. Azzam put in a stellar performance and was victorious in the SC06 class in 19:39.792, finished ahead of Al Kuwari’s more powerful SC09 supercar. Mariot and Al Alawi claimed 2nd and 3rd in the SC06 in 20:03.959 and 20:08.960 respectively.

Friday 18th November 2011:

The Dark Horse Strikes

Viva Racing Team’s Raed Raffii was quick off the mark during qualifying and set a time of 1:15.385 on his second lap, giving the other drivers a serious challenge to meet. But just as he crossed the starting line on his third lap, this year’s dark horse Alban Verutti put the Batelco Racing Team in-front, after beating Raed’s time by just 101 milliseconds on his second lap. The celebratory cheer from the Viva garages was cut short as they closely monitored the qualifying round to see if their drivers could pull back ahead.

Disaster struck almost immediately for Tarek Elgammal, with his hood unclasping and smashing his windscreen on his opening lap. While the Viva team immediately got to work to get his SC09 back in race worthy condition, Elgammal smiled grimly as he was automatically put to the back of the starting grid by the Race Director.

Filling in the Top Spots

After several laps putting his car through it’s paces, Faisal Raffii put Alba Racing Team in the runner’s up position for the starting grid, missing out on pole position by just 22 milliseconds. Team mate Mustafa Al Khan filled in the fourth spot with an impressive time of 1:15.639, putting his trademark blue supercar on the outside of the line-up. Two Alba Racing Team drivers in the top four would mean a promising start for the team.

8 laps later, Raed remained in third on the table and dutifully pulled into the pits, letting the Batelco Racing Team mechanics get to work. Speeding Saddles veteran driver Abdulaziz Al Yaeesh filled in the fifth starting spot with his lap time of 1:15.838, while Batelco driver Mohammed Mattar crossed the line in 1:16.176 for sixth. Ahmed Kuwari brought up the back of the SC09s in 1:17.510.

Promise in the SC06

In the SC06 class new comer Ramez Azzam set a blistering pace, giving him the lead position on his third lap. Christophe Mariot determinedly pressed on and was rewarded on his 16th lap with the second starting position, followed by Nasser Al Alawi in third.

Following the completion of the qualifying round, the starting grid will see in order: Alban Verutti, Faisal Raffii, Raed Raffii, Mustafa Al Khan, Abdulaziz Al Yaeesh, Mohammed Mattar, Ahmed Al Kuwari, Ramez Azzam (SC06), Christophe Mariot, Nasser Al Alawi and Tarek Elgammal bringing up the rear.

With less than 24 hours before race 1, the air is so thick with anticipation it’s almost crackling! Focus, determination and drive permeate every garage as team managers hold pep talks and competitors’ silently run through track strategies. It’s  buzzing with intensity, and rightly so. With the competing teams spending the previous week within mere meters of each other, it;s time to put their efforts to the test. But it’s not long now till we hear the rumbling of 450bhp and witness the WGA Supercars tearing up the track at Bahrain International Circuit!

11 drivers will pull up to the starting line over the weekend, all out to prove they have what it takes to finish ahead of the competition. Check out the pre-race trailer video for round 1 of the WGA Supercars ME Championship to get the low down on what to expect! For more information, pictures and videos find us at the Official WGA Supercars ME Championship Facebook Page and the Official WGA Supercars ME Championship Twitter account. Stop by and say hello!

Home to the renowned Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix, the Bahrain International Circuit has witnessed some of the most exhilarating motorsport events to be found on the regional calendar. Serving as home turf for the WGA Supercars Championship since its inception, it has been a main feature throughout the history of the series. This year’s cast of drivers includes many racing veterans who have seen their fair share of this formidable track, but victory hungry new comers will have to wait till practice to have their first taste of the desert circuit.

The Inner Track

With six track options, the Bahrain International Circuit offers a heady mix of track layouts, each challenging competitors in a different way. 23 possible turns spread out on six kilometers of tarmac has tested the mettle of the world’s best, and not all who have attempted to navigate it’s track have been successful. But there’s something special in-store for the drivers of the WGA Supercars Championship this year! The treacherous inner track will be the setting for round 1, where participants will have to face several blind corners, hairpin turns, a whirlwind series of weaves and just one straight followed by that trademark first bend. One thing is certain; it’s going to be anything but easy come race day!

Dust or Drizzle?

As we enter the colder months of the year, weather will play a larger part in race strategy as teams have to prepare for wind, rain, dust and more. Situated in Bahrain’s southern desert, the Bahrain International Circuit is well known for presenting competitors with the added dimension of unpredictable race conditions. If experience is anything to go by, then the drivers will be at the mercy of the elements, and the desert is no-ones friend. The clearest sky can become a haze of invisibility as the fickle winds cover the track with grit and sand, frustrating the best of them and proving to be down right dangerous for others.

With just a few days left till round 1, it won’t be long till we see how the competitors deal with the challenges of the inner track. Make sure to stay in the loop on race day with real-time information and updates ont the Official WGA Supercars ME Championship Facebook Page and the Official WGA Supercars ME Championship Twitter account. Stop by and say hello!

Race Format

Following on from the introduction of the team format last season, drivers in the SC09 category will be paired up and compete in unison for their individual teams. They will be supported by their own mechanical crews and headed up by a team manager. Responsible for their own car set-up, maintenance and racing strategy, the concept adds another dimension to the championship as the teams battle it out both on the tarmac and in the garages. The SC06 class entries will participate as independent drivers and compete in their own class, but race simultaneously with the SC09 category, making for an exhilarating line-up.

A Track to Remember

The championship will pit driver against driver at the formidable Bahrain International Circuit. Racing on one of the most challenging circuit layouts available,the inner track will be a baptism by fire for the new comers to the series, while those who have experienced its winding curves will have an inkling of what lies ahead.  2.55kms combines the most arduous sections of the Formula 1 track layout, and with just one straight and numerous blind turns, it’s one of the hardest tracks to navigate at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Team Introductions

Behind the wheel for the Viva Racing Team is none other than veteran drivers Raed Raffii and Tarek Elgammal. While these two have faced off many times in the past, this year they will be teaming up to make one of the most competitive pairings in the championship. With both these competitors hungry for victory, it remains to be seen whether this duo will prove an unmatchable force on the tarmac, or if their competitive nature will get the better of them.

Batelco Racing Team already have several seasons experience under their belt, boasting a finely tuned mechanical team and a book of tactics that has notched numerous victories to their name. The team have combined experience with the passion of a hungry newcomer, pairing up favourite Mohammed Mattar with french driver Alban Verutti. With a string of regional titles to his name, Verutti is definitely the dark horse of the season. But with no experience in the cockpit of the SC09 class, Verutti will have to prove his prowess on track if he wants to further his bid in the championship.

In the cockpit for Alba Racing Team is the duo of Mustafa Al Khan and Faisal Raffii. Al Khan, a previous winner of the WGA Supercars Championship, will be gunning for victory once again come race day. Faisal Raffii, referred to as the gentleman of the Supercars series, proved his formidable ability in both the Kingdom of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia during last season, and will one to watch out for come race day.

Flying the colours for the WGA Speeding Saddles is veteran Abdulaziz Al Yaeesh, who steamed to an emotional win during last year’s final round in-front of a home crowd at Reem International Circuit, Saudi Arabia. He’ll be joined by Ahmed Al Kuwari, out to make a name for himself in the WGA Supercars Championship.

SC06 Independents

Putting medal-to-metal in the SC06 class are Veteran racer and favourite Christophe Marriot, Ramez Azzam and Nasser Al Alawi. While this trio may not have the support of their own mechanical team, they’ll still be a force to be reckoned with on the tarmac. Facing off alongside the SC09 class, they ‘ll not only have to watch out for their fellow SC06 competitors, but also the blistering antics of the SC09 class. Whatever happens, come race day things are going to get very interesting!

As if this wasn’t enough to get your blood running, you can now see what the new season has in store with the official WGA Supercars Championship teaser video below! For more information, pictures and videos find us at the Official WGA Supercars ME Championship Facebook Page and the Official WGA Supercars ME Championship Twitter account. Stop by and say hello!

Al Muheiri, who has made a name for himself in regional racing with wins in… .

The newcomer impressed with a clean cut driving style that one would not expect from a competitor who found himself behind the wheel of a Chevrolet SC09 for the very first time, on a track that he was unfamiliar with. Reem International Circuit can present a challenge for even those who have raced on its tarmac several times, but Al Muheiri took it in his stride and beat out several Reem-experienced competitors to clinch a double podium finish in round 2.

The first race of the day saw the new Lap 57 driver get the better of everyone apart from Raed Raffii and Faisal Raffii to finish in third, and the second race witnessed a repeat performance behind Raed and Abdulaziz Al Yaeesh.

But while Al Muheiri’s skills as a driver were very evident in both races of the round, it was his moving tribute to Christophe Hissette that singled him out as a real representative of our sport. Hessette, who  passed away following a tragedy during the .. .at the Dubai Autodrome, was a friend and team mate of Al Muheiri’s and his absence is still felt  throughout the regional motorsport community. Al Muheiri honored the deceased driver on his visor, which featured the text ‘ Christophe Hissette’, and with an armband made in memory of his former racing partner.

While Al Muheiri was a one-off competitor in the WGA Chevrolet Supercars, hopefully we will see him on-track again in the near future. With a driving skill set that rivals some of the most competitive drivers in the series, his name would be a more than welcome addition on this season’s driver entry list.