Hamad Al Wahibi achieves two podium finishes in his first GT racing appearance alongside John Lancaster

Omani champion Hamad Al Wahaibi achieved remarkable success in his debut GT circuit racing career during the final round of the Winter GT Cup held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain, securing a podium finish in every race he entered. Al Wahaibi competed in this round driving a KTM MX-BO GT2 car equipped with a 2.5-liter Audi engine producing 600 horsepower. He and his British teammate, John Lancaster, a veteran of single-seater racing, were classified in the GTX category, a class for drivers with limited circuit racing experience. The first race saw a stellar performance from John Lancaster, who leveraged his extensive experience in single-seater and GP2 racing to secure first place in his class, despite starting from the pit lane, demonstrating the impressive speed of the KTM. In the second race, Hamad Al Wahaibi made his official debut behind the wheel of a competitive circuit race, finishing second and securing his first podium finish in this type of racing. Following the race, Al Wahaibi said, "Thank God, I completed my first race successfully. I still need a lot of experience in this type of racing, as it presents many different challenges than what I'm used to in rallying. My goal here was to familiarize myself with this type of racing, which I found very appealing in many ways." The third and final race was a long one, with Al Wahaibi and Lancaster alternating driving duties. Despite the challenges posed by the race, including the use of the safety car, the duo managed to finish in third place, giving Al Wahaibi his second podium finish in a single weekend. Al-Wahibi commented on the overall result, saying, "The race was generally good, and I'm very happy with the experience I gained in this round. My teammate, John Lancaster, was very fast as usual, and the result we achieved together is excellent considering it was my first participation." For his part, Briton John Lancaster praised Al-Wahibi's performance, saying, "It was a fantastic round, and we achieved a podium finish in the final race despite the safety car and the overall chaos of the race. Hamad drove brilliantly and with great focus, and he didn't make any mistakes while on the track. I'm absolutely certain that we should repeat this experience and participate in more races together in the future." This participation marks another step in Al-Wahibi's illustrious sporting career, which began with motorcycle racing in California and has led to his global successes in rallying and the FIA ​​World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas. Despite his impressive performance in Barcelona, ​​Al-Wahibi confirmed that his primary focus remains on competing in the Challenger category of the 2026 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, while keeping all options open for participating in different types of racing in the future.