MOGYORÓD (HUNGARY): Just a week after a dramatic race at Hockenheim, which was a fitting warm-up to an equally dramatic German Formula One Grand Prix, Oman’s Al-Faisal Al-Zubair returns to 2019 Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup action at the Hungaroring in Hungary this weekend.
No points were awarded in that shortened race in southern Germany last Sunday and the young BWT Lechner Racing Team driver maintains 10th position in the drivers’ championship courtesy of useful points’ scoring finishes in Spain, Monaco, Austria and England.
Al-Zubair said: “I’m really looking forward to the race in Budapest. It’s a track over the last two years that I have done really well on. Hopefully we have a good weekend and finish on Sunday in a positive way.”
Al-Zubair’s two BWT Lechner Racing Team colleagues Julien Andlauer and Michael Ammermüller have pulled away from the chasing pack as teams pass the halfway point of the season. Andlauer finished second in Hungary last year, behind pole and race winner Thomas Preining, while Ammermüller claimed pole and won the race in 2017.
The race has been a round of the Porsche Super Cup since its debut season in 1993 but, with little overtaking opportunities because of its narrow and demanding design, extra emphasis is placed on qualifying – the last two races having been won from pole position.
Sven Müller set the Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup lap record at the circuit with a time of 1min 48.948sec in 2016.
The training session opens proceedings for the Porsche teams on Friday (August 2) from 16.50hrs and this is followed by the 30-minute qualifying session, starting at 12.25hrs on Saturday.
The sixth round of the Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup takes centre stage from 11.40hrs on Sunday.
2019 Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup – Overall Standings (after round 5):
1. Julien Andlauer (FRA) 67pts
2. Michael Ammermüller (DEU) 64pts
3. Ayhancan Güven (TUR) 50pts
4. Florian Latorre (FRA) 47pts
4. Mikkel Pedersen (DNK) 47pts
6. Larry ten Voorde (NLD) 46pts
7. Jaap van Lagen (NLD) 43pts
8. Jaxon Evans (AUS) 34pts
9. Tio Ellinas (CYP) 31pts
10. Al-Faisal Al-Zubair (OMN) 26pts, etc