Endurance driver Al Qubaisi eager for Austin race

Emirati driver feeling confident despite not having seen Austin track before

Khaled Al Qubaisi and the Proton Competition team are set to compete in the 6 Hours of the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Courtesy photo

Proton Competition driver Khaled Al Qubaisi is relishing the challenge of untested terrain when he enters the fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship in the 6 Hours of the Circuit of the Americas at Austin, Texas, this weekend.

The Circuit of the Americas is considered to be one of the most challenging of endurances in the series, apart from the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where Al Qubaisi and team finished second overall in class LMGTE Am.

But the bigger challenge for Al Qubaisi is that the Abu Dhabi native has never raced in Austin.

Al Qubaisi, who will be driving a Porsche 911 RSR, said: “I do not know a lot about the circuit [in Austin]. I’ve never been there before, but I am practising through a simulation system for as long as possible. Of course, testing on the track is something totally different. I believe that the task will not be easy over there.”

The first two free practices were Thursday, followed by a third on Friday, along with qualifying later in the day. The sessions should give Al Qubaisi time to get to grips with the circuit.

Al Qubaisi and teammates German Christian Ried and Austrian Klaus Bachler are third in the team standings, four points shy of second place.

“We always aim for the top results, but winning one of the next rounds will be difficult, especially with great teams such as Aston Martin and Ferrari, who enjoy an advantage in terms of top speed,” Al Qubaisi said. “But we will do our best.”

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