Dubai 24 hours 2018 – Preview and Qualifying

Paddock 42 returns to Dubai for the 13th running of the Desert classic, 92 cars set to take the start of the Dubai 24 hours…

In 2006 Dutch promoters Creventic created the Dubai 24 hours event as a gentleman drivers endurance race, that could run from small race tuned hatch backs to top class GT cars. The first race attracted manufacturers like Mercedes and BMW sending some drivers with top teams but as the years progressed Porsche began to claim this as their own and last year in 2017 they claimed their 5th overall win at the event with Herberth Motorsport, heavily backing the team by providing world endurance champion and Toro Rosso Full time Brendan Hartley.

2018 is set already to be more competitive with 92 cars set to take the start on the provisional entry list, a mixture of classes to take the start from the A2 class of the Cicely motorsport Clio’s to the A6 pro class consisting of mainly modern day GT3 beasts highly dominated by the Mercedes AM GT3. Wednesday saw two optional test sessions for all teams all together 6 hours of crucial track time that concluded with the 963 Lamborghini of GRT Grasser Racing team setting the quickest time of the day followed by the #2 Mercedes of Team Black Falcon thanks to the hands of Yelmur Buurman.

Thursday morning practice was another 2 hours of track time split for the TCE class and the GT classes just freeing up some track space for the cars and drivers before a third one hour session with all entries on circuit to get the drivers acclimatised to the dense amount that will be for the 24 hours starting tomorrow.

GT practice saw a change from yesterday with now Black Falcon #3 taking top honours and #2 setting the second quickest time of the sessions putting black falcon in a good place for qualifying later in the day. Black Falcon really lead the Mercedes charge as 4 AMG GT3’s were inside the top 6 times in practice. Audi team BWT team Mucke were the quickest non Mercedes in 4th in the safe hands of Markus Winklehock whilst the small British effort of Optimum motorsport were the 2nd quickest Audi right behind them in 5th, once again optimum show their professionalism by outpacing the WRT Audi that was down in 10th. Last years overall winners running in A6-AM were in 9th but never count the Herbert squad out, with consistency they always come good by the time the clock approaches its final time around.
A6 AM quickest was the HTP motorsport #25 Mercedes AMG GT3 all the way up in 3rd overall, piloted by Indy Dontje where as the next AM class car was the #27 of GP Extreme and there GT3 spec Renault RS.01’s.

GT4 was Dominated by the Phoenix run Audi R8 LMS GT, #248 ahead of the #247 with the 3rd quickest time from the ALFAB racing Mclaren 570s, all three cars making their Dubai 24hours debut this year.

Qualifying

GRT Grasser Racing Team claimed pole position in this evenings qualifying for tomorrow 24 hours of dubai. Mirko Bortolotti set a blistering time of 1:56.716. The #777 of WRT was provisionally on pole before its quickest time was deemed invalid as it was set during a yellow flag on pit entry, Chris Mies time was deleted and put the car back into 4th position.
Team Black Falcon locked out the top 3 with #3 in 2nd position as Jereon Bleekemolen set a time only 0.035 slower than Bortolotti. #2 is in 3rd on the grid with Yelmer Buurman putting in a time only 0.2 slower than his team mate Bleekemolen.

GT4 honours were taken by the #248 Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS GT4 with the Besagroup Mercedes in 2nd and the Team Scout/HTP Mercedes in 3rd. All three cars making their Dubai 24 hours debut this year.

TCE class qualifying took place just before the GT qualifying, giving them all a lot more space on circuit to set those crucial times.
British GT season entrant with TF sport, Jon Barnes, on his first visit to the circuit and also behind the wheel of a Ginetta has put the #229 Century Ginetta G55 on pole with a stunning 2:07.871. #178 CWS Ginetta is in 2nd with 3rd being claimed by another Ginetta of Optimum Motorsport in the hands of Will Moore.

TCR pole position was AC motorsports Audi RS3 LMS TCR, clear of the rest of the TCR field by half a second with a 2:09.003. WEC regular Mathias Beche was in 2nd in his Modena motorsport Seat. 3rd was taken by the Liqui Moly Team Engstler Volkwagen TCR.

The green flag drops at 14:00 local time tomorrow, 10:00am GMT

Words and images by Mike widdowson
www.mjwmedia.net