Maya Hartge wins Race 1 in Abu Dhabi

Maya Hartge of Al Tayer Motors LLC took the overall victory in the first race of Winter Challenge of the Ferrari Challenge on Friday evening at Yas Marina Circuit to begin the racing action at this year’s Ferrari Racing Days in Abu Dhabi. 

Hartge led from pole position to the finish line in the Coppa Shell, while Khaled Al Marzouq (Kuwait Automobile & Trading Co.) would begin the weekend in Abu Dhabi with victory in the Trofeo Pirelli Am. Paolo Scudieri (Sa.Mo.Car) finished in first place in the Coppa Shell Am.

Winter Challenge. Al Marzouq claimed top spot on the podium in the Trofeo Pirelli Am category, after a Drive Through penalty to overall leader and poleman Dylan Medler (The Collection), for a contact at the start of the race. The Kuwaiti driver led the class with the fastest lap time of the day at 1’58”045 across the 5.281 km track. Ernst Kirchmayer (Gohm Baron Motorsport) and Motohiko Isozaki (Cornes Motors Shiba) would take second and third position in the class.

Maya Hartge led the race from start to finish, taking the win in the Coppa Shell, as well as the overall win, ahead of the other Al Tayer Motors LLC driver, Jan Sandman and Mamoun Alkabbani (Fast Auto Technic.Co.Ltd) in third.

In Am class, Paolo Scudieri finished atop the podium with a fastest lap time of 2’00”883, in eighth-place overall. Kuwait’s Besma Al Hejari (Kuwait Automobile & Trading Co.) could not capitalize on her qualifying pole in the class following an early retirement, leading to second and third place finishes for Ruihua Wu (CTF China) and Lisa Clark (Pellin Racing).

Schedule. On Saturday, February 3 at Yas Marina Circuit, the second qualifying session from 9.55, will determine the grid for the second race of the weekend in Abu Dhabi, starting at 2.25 pm. All times are local.