RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Faher Asharif and Saeed Al-Mouri won the Zain Lotus Cup Middle East race and the 1.5-liter Saudi Radical Championship class at the new ‘Saudi Speed Festival’ at the Zain Reem International Circuit in Riyadh on Thursday.
Asharif of the Big Wheels Team emerged triumphant in the Zain Lotus Cup Middle East race, but a spin cost Lebanon’s Doumit Bou Doumit the potential win. The Lebanese dropped down to sixth position and powered his way back through the field in dry, sunny conditions to take third overall behind 16-year-old Saudi Arabian driver Prince Mohamed Bin Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohamed.
The young Saudi protégé of the Bison Reem Team was also running well at the start of the race, but had the consolation of winning the Saudi Oger Cup category for young up-and-coming drivers. Mosaed Al-Khowayter was second for the Saudi Oger Team and Abdullah Al-Gain was third.
Saeed Al-Mouri, who tackled the Kingdom’s inaugural Sharqia Rally in the Eastern Province in 2008 and was a winner of a Lamborghini race in the Kingdom last year, emerged victories in the 1.5-litre category of the Saudi Radical Championship. He held off a fierce challenge from Medhat Sheikh Al-Ard and third-placed Raed Abu Zenadh, his rivals both driving for the successful Bison Reem Racing Team. Prince Saud bin Turki Al-Faisal finished fourth overall.
Bandar Ali Reza of the Bison Reem Team won the smaller-engine 1.3-litre category in his Radical, with Jordanian racer Saher Fataftah taking second position for the Rahez Racing Team. Nidal Al-Saadi was third.
The first round of any Radical series in the Middle East region was held in Dubai in 2005, as part of the Emirates National Championship, and the series has visited the Bahrain International Circuit occasionally. But the Saudi Racing Festival marked the first appearance for the cars in the Kingdom.
The ground breaking Reem meeting also marked the first time that the Lotuses have ever raced in the Middle East. The Zain Lotus Cup Middle East is open to Exige and Elise models, but the Saudi race was exclusively open to the Lotus Elise and held in conjunction with main sponsor Saudi Oger. The local company is also supporting drivers in the Saudi Karting League and several other motor sport championships.
The Saudi Speed Festival has received sponsorship from Zain, Toyota, Castrol, Bison energy drink and the Saudi Bin Laden Group of Companies. Al-Ghassan Motors offered generous support to establish the Zain Lotus Cup Middle East.
