Successful international sportscar competitor Ahmad Al Harthy will make a welcome return to the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East for the upcoming 2014/2015 season with reigning champion team Al Nabooda Racing it is officially confirmed today, Tuesday, 21st October.

The 33-year-old Omani, who secured the Vice-Champion’s position in this year’s Avon Tyres British GT Championship and also dovetailed a front-running programme in the pan-European Blancpain Endurance Series with Aston Martin, will reunite with Porsche for the 12 round GT3 Cup Challenge having been approached by Dubai-based Al Nabooda to team with Austrian driver Clemens Schmid.

Muscat-based Ahmad is, of course, no stranger to Porsche machinery having won the Pro-Am1 title in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship in 2012. He also went on to contest selected rounds of that year’s Middle East series and claimed his maiden category victory at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi.

Having spent the past two years in the realms of endurance racing where he has been contesting lengthy two, three, six and 24 hour contests, Ahmad will need to re-adapt to ‘sprint’ racing but the Omani is confident he will be back in the groove in no time at all.

“It’s great to be part of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East once again and fantastic to be part of such a successful team as Al Nabooda Racing”, he commented, “With my European season already completed we didn’t have any plans to race over the next few months, but this opportunity will give me more track time and experience. I really am looking forward to it.

“Having been approached by the team to race alongside Clemens [Schmid] is a real honour, he’s a top quality driver and I’m confident we can both secure some strong results and help Al Nabooda achieve its aim of winning the team championship for the third time.”

As well as enjoying huge success in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East as the reigning and two-time team champions, Al Nabooda is a renowned and recognisable name in wider automotive circles as the largest Porsche dealership in the world. Al Nabooda Automobiles LLC is the authorised Porsche dealer in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

“I am very proud to be representing Al Nabooda in the 2014/2015 season, the team has put faith in me to do a good job and my personal intention is to go out there and try and take as many podiums as possible, and hopefully win some races too”, added Ahmad, “It’s an exciting development and a really fantastic opportunity to compete again in front of my loyal fans in the Middle East.”

Season six of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East will begin on Friday, 14th November, and Saturday, 15th November, at Bahrain International Circuit. The remainder of the calendar is set to be confirmed in due course.