Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific - Wyatt, Hanna and Han win at Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, 15 April, 2016 – The second round of the 2016 Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific returned to Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, last night for the first day of an exhilarating weekend of fast and furious race excitement. Drivers from across the world descended on the capital of the UAE to battle it out on the iconic Formula One Yas Marina track in front of legions of race enthusiasts. Rain earlier in the day served to enhance the drama, resulting in some surprising moments in the qualifying rounds.   Trofeo Pirelli. Steve Wyatt from Australia, the 2015 Asia Pacific Champion, made a return to the track, determined to make an early impact in the 2016 championship series. His focus was rewarded in an assured performance that saw him claim first position following an exciting and aggressive battle early in the race and a closely contested fight for the finish until the chequered flag. Second was Thailand’s Kantasak Kusiri while third came Renaldi Hutasoit from Indonesia.   Pirelli AM. Tani Hanna, the only representative from the Arab region and the President of the UAE Ferrari Members’ Club, was a popular victor on his home track. Wet conditions in the qualifying rounds opened up the field, but the Lebanese racing celebrity was alone in first position for much of the race having convincingly seen off the competition from the start. In the press conference he praised his family and supporters for giving him the motivation to deliver his best form of the season. With Hanna on the podium there were Japan’s Hidehiko Hagiwara and China’s Yanbin Xing.   Coppa Shell. In the Coppa Shell class, it was Chinese Huilin Han to win, seeing off a strong field in what was his first Middle Eastern race. A blistering qualifying round allowed him to set the pace over the opponents in a performance that will make him one to watch closely in subsequent races. He commented that the Abu Dhabi track provided him with the ideal conditions to show just what he is capable of. Second came Ken Seto in front of Liang Wang. The Challenge drivers will undertake their second race on the Yas Marina Circuit at 7:00pm on Saturday (5pm CET).