SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS: FIA World Endurance Championship LMGT3 class racer Ahmad al Harthy says he remains upbeat and very positive despite an enforced early exit from this weekend’s 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the result of contact from one of the Hypercar class entries 90 minutes into the race.
Carrying high hopes into race three of the 2024 season, after qualifying a season-best second on the LMGT3 grid in the No.46 BMW M4 GT3, the Omani stayed in the podium battle during the first hour of racing in Belgium on Saturday, and looked well placed.
Holding fourth position after the first round of pit-stops, Al Harthy settled in to the race again and sought to look after the car and Goodyear tyres as much as possible ahead of the upcoming stints for team-mates Valentino Rossi and Maxime Martin.
Maintaining his focus on the strategy in order to minimise degradation of the tyres, the Omani firmly stuck to the plan while also remaining competitive in the top four of LMGT3. Roughly halfway through the second hour of action, though, he was powerless to prevent his enforced retirement.
As he approached Fagnes, Al Harthy’s involvement in the encounter ended prematurely after the BMW was hit by the No.38 Team JOTA Porsche 963 Hypercar – a consequence of contact between the Porsche and another of the Hypercars.
Simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, Al Harthy was justifiably devastated to post the entry’s first non-finish of the FIA WEC season. He does, though, remain very positive having exceeded expectation in qualifying and knowing a strong result was all-but assured.
Despite this weekend’s non-finish, the No.46 trio remain fourth in the LMGT3 points standings and OQ, Oman Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, Omantel and BMW Oman supported Al Harthy says the team is fired-up to hit back strongly at the next event – the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Ahmad Al Harthy:
“I’m obviously really disappointed not to be able to finish the race. We started the race in a very strong position, we knew we had to save the tyres for the two hours I was supposed to be in the car and we had a specific strategy for that – to reduce tyre degradation. We were holding our position in the top four or five, and that was a good place to be with our strategy for the remainder of the race.
“We were running our own race and unfortunately, when I had about nine laps to go before the second pit-stop, two Hypercars made contact and that resulted in them ending our race – there was nothing I could do to avoid it. This is racing, things like this happen, and with our experience we know how to get back and be stronger for the next round.
It’s the big one next for the FIA World Endurance Championship – the crown jewel of the 2024 calendar, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The event will run from Wednesday, 12th June, with the race itself beginning on Saturday, 15th June.
FIA World Endurance Championship LMGT3 Driver Standings (after Rd3)
1st Aliaksander Malykhin / Joel Sturm / Klaus Bachler, 72pts
2nd Augusto Farfus / Darren Leung / Sean Gelael, 37pts
3rd Alex Riberas / Daniel Mancinelli / Ian James, 37pts
4th Ahmad Al Harthy / Maxime Martin / Valentino Rossi, 36pts
5th Clement Mateu / Erwan Bastard / Marco Sorenson, 30pts
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