After setting 4th fastest time in second qualifying session, the Spaniard driver of Kurdish ancestry led the race at the beginning. Finally 6th place achieved for him and his teammate Dimitris Deverikos.
Isaac Tutumlu and Barzani Racing Team made a great debut in the International GT Open teaming with Autorlando Sport and the Porsche 997 GT3 R fielded by the Italian team. Greece ́s Dimitris Deverikos also proved to be a strong addition to the team. After speed already exhibited yesterday, and when just a mechanical failure dashed their podium chances, Tutumlu has kept this performance today.
Driving his Porsche 997 GT3 R with Kurdish flag colors, Tutumlu was 4th fastest in the second qualifying session, in wet conditions once again, and meaning a 2nd row on the starting grid. As usual the experienced Spaniard GT driver made a great start and shortly after Autorlando ́s Porsche was leading the race after overtaking no less than three cars. “My start was quite good, first on the very first lap. I tried to push as hard as possible but soon the Aston Martin caught and passed me“, Tutumlu explained afterwards. During his stint, Barzani Racing Team ́s driver was in top-5 places both overall and class. However when track conditions improved, Super GT cars managed to overtake Tutumlu and Deverikos, the Greek finishing the race also in good style: 11th overall and 6th in GTS class.
“Maybe our Porsche is quite competitive in dry or full-wet conditions, but when tracks is like that today, something like fifty-fifty it isn ́t an optimal environment for us. I focused on driving as quick as possible, and I ́ve achieved it, always among top five places”, said, but pointing out that “now in my mind I ́ve just good things. Not just the track and the car were unknown for me, but my team and teammate as well, so… I don ́t think the season opener could have been any better for us. Now, we ́re going to Portugal in two-weeks ́ time, I ́ve already raced at Algarve track and Autorlando has a successful history there, so it looks promising”.
The Autódromo do Algarve is going to host the meeting on 11-12 May.
Source : Isaac Tutumlu