Securing a last minute deal, Qatar’s Amro al-Hamad will make his debut in the Dutch Superlights Challenge as part of the Superprix race weekend at Zolder circuit in Belgium.
Racing with the Dutch team Bas Koeten Racing, Amro will pilot the prototype Wolf Gb08, the same car that he took a class win in the Abu Dhabi Gulf in December 2015. The Wolf Gb08 is a prototype carbon fibre monocoque chassis car, weighing in at just less than 540kg, and is powered by a Honda K20Z4 Engine.
Racing a high down force car is considered completely different from driving a touring or GT car, they have superior aerodynamics enabling faster speeds in the corners, which consequently puts more physical stress on the driver and a precision style of racing with little room for error. The Superlights Challenge race is tomorrow, with testing, seat fitting and setup done. Free practice and qualification is on Saturday and there are two separate 50 minute races on Sunday.
The format of the races is similar to the Radical cup series where two drivers are permitted to race per car during the 50 minutes races with a one minute pit stop in the middle. Amro, on this occasion will be racing the car solo and will complete both races on his own.
Ahead of his departure to Belgium Amro said: “I won’t have another driver joining me in the race so will be doing the whole 2 races on my own. It shouldn’t be so much of a problem for me as I am used to endurance races such as Gulf 12hr in Abu Dhabi with this same car last year.
“I was doing stints of close to 1 hour and 20 min during the 12 hours of Abu-Dhabi last year, I also raced many rounds in the Radical Middle East series as a solo driver when I won the 2013/2014 Championship,” he added.
“It still should be a fantastic challenge as I have never been to Zolder Circuit before, but I have done a lot of simulator work to familiarize myself. The Bas Koeten team has also sent me data, and on board videos that I am working on to get familiar with the circuit, its turns, race lines and braking distances.” Amro is in search for sponsor partners to support his endurance races for the season 2016/2017.