MANAMA, AUG 17 (BNA) GULF FINANCE HOUSE /GFH/ MOTOR RACING STAR HAMAD AL FARDAN SUFFERED A SCARE ON SATURDAY WHEN HE WAS HOSPITALISED FOLLOWING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IN RACE TWO OF THE SIXTH ROUND IN THE GERMAN F3 CHAMPIONSHIP, HELD AT THE WORLD FAMOUS NURBURGRING TRACK.
THE KINGDOMS LEADING FORMULA ONE PROSPECT LOST CONTROL OF HIS CAR DURING THE EVENTS OPENING LAP AFTER AUSTRIAN DRIVER GERHARD TWERASER OF NEUHAUSER RACING CRASHED INTO HIM AT A HIGH-SPEED TURN. HAMADS CAR WENT FLYING INTO THE AIR AND TURNED OVER MORE THAN ONCE BEFORE FINALLY SETTLING DOWN ON THE GRASS OFF THE TRACK. THE 21-YEAR-OLD BAHRAINI WAS QUICKLY HELPED OUT OF HIS CAR BY PARAMEDICS AND RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR A CHECK-UP AND TO RECEIVE TREATMENT. HE WAS LATER DISCHARGED BUT WAS BADLY BRUISED ON CERTAIN PARTS OF HIS HEAD AND BODY. HAMAD RETURNED TO BAHRAIN WITH HIS FATHER AND AGENT AHMED YESTERDAY AND IS IN GOOD SPIRITS DESPITE THE DRAMATIC CRASH. HE IS ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT ROUND IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE EARLY NEXT MONTH AT THE EUROSPEEDWAY LAUSITZ IN GERMANY. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE FRANZ WOSS RACING TEAM STAR, HE CAME AWAY WITH NO POINTS FROM THE ROUND AFTER AN UNLUCKY FIRST RACE WHERE HE WAS CLASSIFIED 21ST. BELGIAN FREDERIC VERVISCH OF JO ZELLER RACING TOOK BOTH RACES ON SATURDAY. HE COMPLETED THE FIRST 14-LAP EVENT IN 26M 29. 085S, AHEAD OF LAURENS VANTHOOR OF VAN AMERSFOORT RACING WHO WAS 21. 275 SECONDS BEHIND IN THE RUNNER-UP SPOT. KEVIN MIROCHA OF JOSEF KAUFMANN RACING CLAIMED THE FINAL PODIUM PLACE 23. 567S FROM FIRST. IN RACE TWO, VERVISCH CLINCHED THE WIN IN 26M 38. 784S. VANTHOOR WAS ONCE AGAIN SECOND 9. 651S ADRIFT, WHILE RAFAEL SUZUKI OF PERFORMANCE RACING TOOK THIRD 10. 440S FROM THE VICTOR. TWERASER EVENTUALLY FINISHED SEVENTH DESPITE THE INCIDENT INVOLVING HAMAD. VERVISCH NOW LEADS THE CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 80 POINTS, AHEAD OF FORMER LEADER MATTEO CHINOSI OF OMBRA RACING WHO HAS 61 POINTS, TIED WITH JOHNNY CECOTTO OF HS TECHNIK MOTORSPORT. NTQ/ 17-AUG-2008 21:09