AL MANAR RACING BY HRT WINS BOTH RACES IN THE ASIAN LE MANS SERIES IN ABU DHABI

REVIEW | 21 February, 2023 | Abu Dhabi / United Arab Emirates

Al Faisal Al Zubair (OMA), Martin Konrad (AUT) and Luca Stolz (GER) secured the GT victory in rounds 3 and 4 of the Middle East-based Asian Le Mans Series. With their race strategy working out perfectly on both Saturday and Sunday, the driver trio put their black #7 Mercedes-AMG GT3 on the top step of the podium in both races at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi as well as finishing runners-up in the championship.

The 2023 season, comprised of only four rounds and therefore quite compact, was the first time Haupt Racing Team competed in the Asian Le Mans Series with two Mercedes-AMG GT3s. The successful trio of Al Zubair, Konrad and Stolz made it onto the podium for the first time with a third-place finish in race 1, while they had to settle for seventh place in the second race, both of which were held a week earlier in Dubai. However, their commanding success last weekend was enough to secure the runners-up spot in the Teams and Drivers’ standings of the GT championship.

The yellow-blue Mercedes-AMG GT3 sister car #6 had promising pace, but unfortunately couldn’t transfer this into results. Arjun Maini (IND), Frank Bird (GB) and Michael Blanchemain (FRA) had to settle for just one top ten result in the first race (7th place).

Al Faisal Al Zubair, Al Manar Racing by HRT #7:
"It was great to finish three out of four races on the podium and win two of them. I think we would have had a shot at the title if we had been luckier in the second race in Dubai – but it was still a great debut in the ALMS and I'm very happy with the work of the team and my fellow drivers."

Martin Konrad, Al Manar Racing by HRT #7:
"We can leave Abu Dhabi with our heads held high. A back-to-back double victory showed how competitive our package was. It was an exciting championship and I would like to thank HRT and my teammates for the spirit and support."

Luca Stolz, Al Manar Racing by HRT #7:
"I’m happy that our strong performances have been rewarded with a double victory in Abu Dhabi. With a bit more luck in the second race in Dubai, there might have been even more in the fight for the championship. But as the best Mercedes-AMG team, we can be very satisfied with the results."

Arjun Maini, Haupt Racing Team #6:
"In general, we had good pace and could have finished the races successfully. Unfortunately however, there were always a few little things missing that make the difference between success and defeat in such a tight championship. Still, it was another good experience to learn from."

Frank Bird, Haupt Racing Team #6:
"The four races in the Asian Le Mans Series were an exciting experience with a great team. Unfortunately, we couldn’t finish the last race the way we would have liked. However, we learned a lot and it was a wonderful two weeks."

Michael Blanchemain, Haupt Racing Team #6:
"My first races for HRT unfortunately didn't go as I would have hoped for, as we had the pace for better results. Nevertheless, working with the Haupt Racing Team, Arjun and Frank was a great experience."

Sean Paul Breslin, Team Principal HRT:
"The double victory in Abu Dhabi and second place in the championship standings was a great team performance. Once again, we showed that we have a competitive package as well as drivers hungry for victory and unintimidated by setbacks. Many thanks to the entire team and our two driver trios for a strong season in the Asian Le Mans Series."

About HRT
HRT stands for HAUPT RACING TEAM. The motorsport team was formed in July 2020 by racing driver and businessman Hubert Haupt and has established itself as a big name in international GT3 racing within a very short space of time. For example, HRT won the Drivers’ Championship in the DTM in only its second season of motorsport. In 2022, the team starts in the DTM, the Nürburgring Endurance Series, the Endurance Cup in the GT World Challenge Europe, and the 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps – in some cases with works support from Mercedes-AMG. The headquarters of Haupt Racing Team GmbH are in Grünwald near Munich, while the HRT Race Base is located on the Meuspath industrial estate, right next to the Nürburgring. HRT is also involved in professional sim racing and is a sought-after partner for technical development projects and motorsport events of all kinds.

RACE RESULTS

Date
18 February, 2023
Race Series
Asian Le Mans Series
Track
Yas Marina Circuit

TEAM

Al Manar Racing by HRT

NO.

7

DRIVER

Al Faisal Al Zubair
Martin Konrad
Luca Stolz
START POS
2

PIC

1

POS

1

TEAM

Haupt Racing Team

NO.

6

DRIVER

Michael Blanchemain
Frank Bird
Arjun Maini
START POS
17

PIC

13

POS

13
Date
19 February, 2023
Race Series
Asian Le Mans Series
Track
Yas Marina Circuit

TEAM

Al Manar Racing by HRT

NO.

7

DRIVER

Al Faisal Al Zubair
Martin Konrad
Luca Stolz
START POS
2

PIC

1

POS

1

TEAM

Haupt Racing Team

NO.

6

DRIVER

Michael Blanchemain
Frank Bird
Arjun Maini
START POS
16

PIC

DNF

POS

DNF

21 February, 2023 | Abu Dhabi

21 February, 2023 | Abu Dhabi

21 February, 2023 | Abu Dhabi

21 February, 2023 | Abu Dhabi

21 February, 2023 | Abu Dhabi

21 February, 2023 | Abu Dhabi

21 February, 2023 | Abu Dhabi

21 February, 2023 | Abu Dhabi

21 February, 2023 | Abu Dhabi

21 February, 2023 | Abu Dhabi