The German went into the championship at Yas Marina Circuit as the man to beat after achieving first and second-placed finishes in his last outing last week.
And he kept that momentum going in the capital. Having taken pole position, Al Azhari was made to work for his first win under the floodlights with Al Faheem closely behind.
It was a fascinating duel between the two drivers but Al Azhari held on to cross the chequered flag with a time of 20:00.943, a mere 1.040 seconds quicker than his rival.
Al Azhari and Al Faheem were joined on the podium by Mohammed Abdul Ghaffar, who took third position in 20:11.633.
With a grid reversed in race two, as per the competition’s rules, Al Azhari began from last place.
But that proved to be no issue for the Dubai resident, who overtook five other cars to lead the pack. His time of 20:09.516 was slower than Race One, but it was enough to be back on the top step of the podium.
There was a familiar face standing next to him with Al Faheem, who again fell short of his quest for glory, finishing 0.791 seconds behind. Frenchman Gregory Pain, competing in his first season, finished third in 20:36.970.
It was a perfect belated birthday gift for Al Azhari, who turned 43 last Saturday. And he said: “It feels absolutely great to get two wins in both races.
“We had a good set up with the car and it really suited the track at Yas as it has more grip than the Autodrome.
“I can’t really complain. It was a perfect day, having also taken pole position in qualifying and that set the platform.”
He lauded Al Faheem’s efforts, saying the battle meant he had to up his game.
“He was a good driver and has improved a lot in the two seasons now and certainly keeping me on my toes,” he said. “I really had to work hard. I think once he has more experience, he will start winning races. At the moment, he doesn’t have much consistency as what I have with my experience.”
With the final two rounds scheduled on April 14 and 16 at Yas Marina, Al Azhari has strengthened his chances of retaining his title.
“This round was very critical for us,” he said. “It has put us in a strong position to winning the championship next month. It’s still not over and there’s everything still to play for. I just need to stay out of trouble and drive strongly.
“I will remain confident of my chances and it’s up to my rivals to up their game if they want to get in front of me and win.”