SEVENTEEN drivers and the unmistakable sound of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup roared into life to fill the night sky surrounding the Bahrain International Circuit, as testing for Season 8 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East got underway. For motorsport fans the first practice sessions signal not only the start of a new season but also a new era, with an impressive line-up and significant increase in the number of drivers taking to the track. The new grid includes two drivers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: debutant Mohammed Al Saud and Bandar Alesayi who returns for his fifth season. All drivers expected to compete in the new championship grasped the opportunity to get valuable laps completed behind the wheel of a pure-bred sports car, the 911 GT3 Cup. Testing marks an important milestone in the build-up to next weekend's opening round, also taking place in Bahrain as part of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) finale. Season 8 will see one of the biggest grids in the history of the series and one of the most competitive, thanks to a host of fresh new faces making their full debut in the region's leading championship. Almost half of the drivers, to line up for the first race of the new season in Bahrain, will be completely new to the grid. A remarkable show of strength for the one of the most professional racing series in the Middle East. Early times indicate that despite the amount of emerging young talent on practicing in testing the familiar names of Bandar Alesayi, Charlie Frijns and Ryan Cullen were amongst the early pace setters and set some of the quickest times recorded. Those experienced leading drivers were closely followed by a trio of teenage newcomers, Al Faisal Al Zubair of Oman, Team Bahrain's Isa A. Al Khalifa and Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, who all clearly have of bright futures in the sport. Speaking after testing, Bandar Alesayi said: "It's great to be back, especially this season with the new momentum and energy that so many new drivers bring. Personally it's a wonderful opportunity for me to achieve my goals and put in some strong performances. I'm very comfortable here around the circuit in Bahrain, so hopefully the strong testing times continue into the first two races next week. I've been on the podium before and want the same again. "For the future of our sport, I'm pleased that Mohammed Al Saud is competing. I'm sure he'll gain a lot from the experience and I'll do everything I can to support him with advice." For debutant Al Saud testing gave an important glimpse of what to expect. Speaking after the opening session, he said: "This is a huge moment and step up for me, as I've never raced in a professional series like this. So I'm glad to be joining alongside many other new drivers. Hopefully, we can all learn together, grow and develop to become better drivers. "I might be a little late into the sport, especially when there are three teenagers on the grid but for what I lack in experience, I hope to make up with determination and hard work. Part of my focus will be learning the tracks and working with my coach, as each circuit will be completely new to me. However, others making their debut are in the same position and I've found the Bahrain International Circuit to be less challenging than Al Reem where I learnt my driving." Commenting after a successful first testing session for the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, founder, organizser and motorsport legend Walter Lechner said: "This moment feels very special and is the result of years of development and commitment. Now with a grid of this size and average age so young, you can sense that the championship has really come of age and evolved to reach an entirely new level. It's hugely satisfying to have a full grid of 17 drivers packed with the perfect blend of experience and young talent, coming from both within the region and internationally." "The region is embracing this championship, because drivers see it as their only real chance to compete at the highest level. We are known as offering a pathway to build experience to compete on the biggest stages of international motorsport, whether it's the 24 Hours of Le Mans or the Porsche Supercup. And if testing is anything to go by, we've an exciting journey ahead!" The opening round of the six-round championship will feature two races this upcoming weekend. The first took place last night (Nov. 18), under the lights at Sakhir/Bahrain, adding further to the drama of the occasion. The second race is scheduled on Saturday, 19th November, ahead of the spectacular 6 Hours of Bahrain, the season finale of the well-known WEC. With all drivers competing in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, the one-make series will consist of 12 races between November 2016 and April 2017 over six pulsating weekends across three world-class regional racing circuits, namely the Bahrain International Circuit, Dubai Autodrome and Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
