Dubai 24H 2023
- Ben Morrison
- Jan 14, 2023
- 7 min read
Brilliant racing, oil spills, spinning and crashing. Take a look at the highlights from the first half of the 24 hours in Dubai.
hour 1
Luca Stolz led the pack at the start of the race for Al Manar Racing by HRT, while sister car from Abu Dhabi Racing driven by Jules Gounon started alongside. The opening lap saw the 777 Car take a decent gap from the rest of the group while the number 4 held off those behind. There was wheel to wheel action throughout the grid for a long time before they all started to spread out. So much so that teams were on the radios to their drivers to calm down a bit as it was so early on in the race.
Drivers had their elbows out, but unfortunately for Stolz his elbows weren't out far enough as the number 7 from Team WRT was able to get alongside into turn 1 and Dries Vanthoor was able to snatch the lead just half an hour into the race, and should remain near the top of the grid for quite a while after this moment.
hour 2
With just an hour into the race we were met with our first Code 60. For those new to the 24H Series, a Code 60 is what is essentially a virtual safety car; everyone must slow to 60kph and there should be no overtaking.
The 932 Car Porsche of HRT Performance had a snap of oversteer and while trying to correct it they overcorrected and hit the inside wall spinning around and stopping in the middle of the track. The 85 Car from CP Racing was quick to avoid the standed Porsche but in their attempt to avoid the crash locked up the brakes and spun themselves. Thankfully there was no contact from the CP Racing Mercedes, but the damage left from the Porsche in the barrier was enough to need repairs and we we're left with a lengthy Code 60.
With the Code 60 being thrown, many teams decided to bring their cars in to pit for new tyres, fuel top ups and some driver changes. With the way the rules are drivers are limited to a maximum of 2 hours running consecutively, and must rest for at least 50% of their stint before they can get back behind the wheel. This meant some took the opportunity to swap out their drivers in what was a relatively free pitstop to free up their options for drivers later on as the race progressed.
After just over half an hour, the barriers were repaired, the track was dried up from any spilled liquids, and racing commenced again. All the shuffling around under Code 60 meant the 99 of Tresor Attempto Racing led the field as the track went green again.
A relatively quiet period pursued with a few cars swapping positions, and a spin coming out of the last corner for 990 from MRS GT-Racing. No contact with anyone else, thankfully, and was able to get going again once the track was clear.
Hour 3
A big moment involving several cars spinning around at turn 5 & 6 after oil was spilt on the racing line. The number 1 Audi from Phoenix Racing was first on scene to spin, but was able to keep it out of the wall and were soon on their way. The 701 Vortex soon behind came across the oil and was sent into a spin, but again was lucky enough to keep it away from any walls. The 46 of Team WRT, however, came in with a significantly greater speed and saw themselves hitting the outside wall, but surprisingly was able to go in perfectly square to the wall that it didn't have any damage and was in the pits for a quick check over and driver change.
As a result of the oil spill, a second Code 60 was thrown to slow traffic down and the cleanup commenced. Cars were directed off track to avoid the slippery track. Half an hour went by for the brilliant team trackside to make sure the track was safe to race before the green flag was waved again and we went back racing.
Photos by Ali Ghalwash
HOUR 4
The sun set on the track with just under 21 hours left to go but for Car 99, Andrey was left stranded at turn 14 on the racing line bringing out the third Code 60 of the day. Lots of cars dove into the pits for driver changes and tyre changes, but many went for fuel. Under the Code 60 rules cars can only fuel half the normal amount. A quick pickup from the well experienced recovery team saw the green flag flown just a few mins later. The Audi R8 (99) was dolleyed into the garage for the team to inspect what went wrong and conduct repairs.
The 977 Car had a big spin and into the wall, but were able to keep it going and came straight into the pits for a fresh set of Hankook's after some suspected flatspots.
As the 4 hour mark passes, leading the race (and GT3 class) is Mathieu Detry from Haas RT driving the Audi R8, and behind him is Jen Klingmann with the BMW M4 from Team WRT. Pole position Car 777 has dropped back to 6th. Leading the 992 Class (27th overall) is Alexandre De Bernard with SebLajoux Racing, top of the GT4 class (33rd overall) is Stuart Hall racing the Mercedes AMG-GT4 for Dragon Racing. The top of the GTX category (46th overall) is Lionel Amrouche with Vortex 1.0, and the TCR leader driven by Michael Sallenbach for 700 Miles in the Volkswagen Golf (48th overall) and the sole car in the TCX class from Team Sorg Rennsport is running in 43rd overall.
Hour 5
The 701 car from Vortex 1.0 had a couple issues keeping the car straight as Philippe Bonnel found himself facing the wrong way twice in succession as he was getting used to driving the car in the dark.
The only running Ferrari this year had an issue with fuel load, running out just short of the pit entry and had to be towed to their garage. A short Code 60 was thrown while the recovery vehicle was on track, but the green flag was flying again just 5 minutes later.
There was a massive incident for the Abu Dhabi Racing car as Sébastien Baud lost the rear end of the car going into turn 14, spinning clockwise off the track at a high speed into the barrier. Upon impact it appears the fuel tank ignited and the driver side of the car was soon in flames. Thankfully these drivers are well rehearsed to vacate the car in rapid time, and Baud was able to clamber across the passenger side and jump out the car before marshalls swarmed the flames with fire extinguishers.
An ambulance and medical crew attended to give Baud the check over, but he was given the all clear and headed back to the pit garage to debrief. Unfortunately for the team, that was the end of their running as the structural and fire damage was too significant to repair for them to return on track.
Hour 6
A series of problems for the Century Motorsport team with their 429 car coming into the pits for a driver & tyre change, but discovering an issue that needed fixing. At the same time their other car, running under RHC Jorgensen-Strom by Century, was slowly trailing around the track with an unknown issue. Upon closer inspection the 1 of only 4 in the world BMW had to retire from the race, and its racing career, after the subframe damage required imported parts to repair.
A fifth Code 60 was flown half past the hour after the 909 Porsche of Red Camel-Jordans, driven by Ivo Breukers at the time, stopped on the back straight with reports of no oil pressure. It was stuck on the back of a recovery truck and just 7 minutes later the green flag was shown and racing resumed.
Not long after the Code 60 ended, the pole sitting Mercedes from Al Manar Racing by HRT came into the pits with an unknown issue, attention being directed to the right rear of the car. Having spent over an hour in the pits it doesn't bode well for the team.
Hour 7
What seems to be a constant scene is yet another Code 60 being started after the 227 Cayman GT4 from Team Sorg Rennsport had some issue that caused it to come to a stop just after the pit entry on the inside of turn 16. With this incident lining up with a fair few of the drivers stints, 8 of the top 10 cars come into the pits to swap drivers and tyres. Fan favorite Valentino Rossi begins his first stint in the car this race for Team WRT in the BMW M4.
However just over 40 minutes into his stint, Rossi was caught up in an incident with two other cars at turn 16 and was handed a 30 second penalty for causing a collision. The 46 car sent it up the inside of the 408 from ROFGO with Dragon Racing, and spun Jordan Grove around. While Jordan was recovering his Mercedes he unfortunately then hit another car and picked up a 30 second penalty for causing a collision themselves.
Hour 8
The 988 car from ALM Motorsport by MRS GT-Racing came into the pits for a second time after yet another oil leak and it looks like a retirement for them.
Not long after the Porsche came into the pits, a fellow Porsche, albeit a GT3 this time, from P1 Groupe by MRS GT Racing (43) came to a stop at the pit entry bringing out the eigth Code 60 of the race so far. What was seemingly just a run out of fuel unfortunately was not, as the car had to be loaded onto a flatbed to bring it into the pits. The team explain they have been experiencing some clutch slipping for a while, but thought it was just some overheating from coming in and out of the pits, but the problem only got worse. They hope the problem is simple enough to get fixed and they can get back on track.
Comments