SPS automotive performance will bring US-based heart of Racing to the 24H Dubai for the first time in 2023, a single Mercedes-AMG GT3 will enter the race under the Heart of Racing by SPSbanner.
From 13 to 15 January, over 60 cars will do battle in the first 24-hour race of the year at Dubai Autodrome.
Ian James, Gray Newell, Roman de Angelis and Alex Riberas will crew the AMG, all have previous race experience with Heart of Racing.
Roman de Angelis clinched GTD class Championship of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with the team in 2022. In the GTD Pro category, Alex Riberas finished fourth in the drivers’ standings with Heart of Racing.
Heart of Racing also uses its racing for a charity: the team utilises its motorsport programmes to raise awareness for high-quality paediatric care and raises funds every year. Last year, this was used to support the Seattle Children’s Cardiology Research Fund. SPS automotive performance also welcomes this commitment and is proud to be part of this campaign.
Stephan Sohn, team principal SPS automotive performance: “We are very proud to welcome Heart of Racing to our team. In the past, the team has achieved very strong results with other manufacturers and deservedly won the championship in IMSA. Now we are happy to support Heart of Racing in their first steps with the Mercedes-AMG GT3 and offer advice and support. We have a lot of experience with the Mercedes-AMG cars and also with the race in Dubai, where we were very successful, especially last year. So the omens are good to be able to achieve a good result again.”
Grove teams with Bamber, De Pasquale for the Dubai 24 Hour
Grove Racing and Earl Bamber Motorsport will field a united attack on the 2023 Dubai 24 Hour.
Father and son combo Stephen and Brenton Grove will combine with double Le Mans 24 Hours winner Earl Bamber and Supercars star Anton De Pasquale who joins the Grove team of ra second consecutive Dubai 24H in a four-driver Pro-Am lineup in the #10 Porsche 911 GT3 R.
The Dubai run is yet another international endurance campaign for the Grove team having contested the Spa 24 Hour, Bathurst 12 Hour and Gulf 12 Hour events.
Brenton Grove: “We’re itching to get back to Dubai,” said Grove.
“We had quite a good run last year, however we’re definitely looking to go one step further. It’s an incredibly difficult race with the traffic and so many cars, so it’s mainly about surviving the first 18 hours.
“However, with Earl and Anton we’re excited to see where they can take us at the end of the race. We’re all really good mates so it will be quite cool to share a car for the first time. We’ve all driven with each other individually but this will be the first time together.
“Hopefully it’s part of a bigger program for 2023.”
Anton De Pasquale: “It’s awesome to be heading to Dubai 24 again with the Groves and Earl. We have the experience from last year and can hopefully use that to put us in good stead,” said De Pasquale.
It’s a pretty cool race through the night etc and to be teaming up with a great bunch of people makes it an unreal week.
Looking forward to heading over there and getting stuck in”
Earl Bamber: “Obviously, as a team, to continue working with the Grove Group – Brenton and Steve – it’s fantastic,” said Bamber.
“We had a lot of success at the Nations Cup, so now to continue that on to Dubai is super exciting. And as a driver, to rejoin Steve, Brenton and Anton, I think it’s going to be a fantastic week, and we’ve only got one goal – which is to aim high, and aim for the podium.
“We’re hoping for a good run in Dubai, to lead in with some success to the Bathurst 12 Hour.”
HRT Confirm Two-Car Pro Class Entry
Haupt Racing Team will be competing in the Pro class with two Mercedes-AMG GT3s with a top-class driver line-up.
Khaled Al Qubaisi, team owner Hubert Haupt, Sebastien Baud and Jules Gounon will take turns at the wheel of the #4 Mercedes-AMG GT3, which will start under the “Abu Dhabi Racing by HRT” entry and in the colours of team partner BILSTEIN.
The driver quintet of Al Faisal Al Zubair, Axcil Jefferies, Martin Konrad, Luca Stolz and Fabian Schiller will enter the race with the #777 sister car by “Al Manar Racing by HRT” in the colours of team sponsor Al Manar Financial Investments.
Khaled Al Qubaisi and Hubert Haupt are the record holders with three 24H DUBAI overall victories each. Last year’s winner Axcil Jefferies has already claimed two overall victories and would draw level with his teammates with a win. For Gounon and Baud, this is their first race for HRT while Konrad had already raced for the team in 2022.
Al Faisal Al Zubair, #777 Al Manar Racing by HRT: “Excited to be back for the 2023 Dubai24 with Al Manar Racing and HRT! I believe we have an extremely strong package with the team and driver lineup. Looking forward to getting back in the car and fighting for the win!”
Axcil Jefferies, #777 Al Manar Racing by HRT: “I couldn’t be happier to be back at the 24H DUBAI and to be sharing the car with close friends and great drivers and with the full support of Al Manar Racing by HRT! It’s an eventful race where anything can happen, but I believe we have a package to be able to extract the maximum!”
Luca Stolz, #777 Al Manar Racing by HRT: “It’s nice to be back at Dubai with HRT. Last year, we finished fifth. I hope we can finish even better this year. We have a line-up strong enough to achieve this.”
Fabian Schiller, #777 Al Manar Racing by HRT #777: “I’m looking forward to be getting my first 24H DUBAI experience and to continue working with HRT in 2023. It will be challenge as it’s a crazy race where everything can happen. HRT has been the most successful team in the last decade of that event and I have great teammates including Axcil, who won the last two editions in 2021 and 2022. So I’m sure we will have a great package to fight for the win, which is certainly our target.”
Martin Konrad, #777 Al Manar Racing by HRT: “I am very happy to be part of the 24H DUBAI with HRT for the second time this year after 2022. It’s a great line-up and a race win is definitely possible. I think everyone is more than motivated to achieve this goal. I can’t wait for the lights to turn green.”
Khaled Al Qubaisi, #4 Abu Dhabi Racing by HRT: “Going back to Dubai in January, a race I have not missed for over a decade. I’m looking forward to working with HRT again, teaming up with Hubert and aiming for the overall win at this great event.”
Sebastien Baud, #4 Abu Dhabi Racing by HRT: “I’m so proud to participate in the 24H DUBAI for the first time. It’s also a great pleasure to join HRT – and even more to team up with Jules Gounon, my partner and coach for the past year. I’m looking forward to work with the team and give my best as it represents a great opportunity for me.”
Jules Gounon, #4 Abu Dhabi Racing by HRT: “I’m really happy to join HRT for the first time. Last year, I finished the race in P3. Hopefully, we can go up two more steps this time and bring home a nice trophy and great memories.”
Hubert Haupt, team owner HRT / #4 Abu Dhabi Racing by HRT: “The 24H DUBAI is a very special event. After narrowly missing out on the podium last year, we are entering this year’s race with great ambitions. We have two strong cars on the grid and want to race for victory to get a successful start into the new motorsport season.”
Sean Paul Breslin, team principal Haupt Racing Team: “HRT is returning to the 24H DUBAI in 2023 with the feeling of some unfinished business, having narrowly missed the podium in 2022. We have two very strong driver line-ups and the team has been preparing over the winter for the big challenge ahead. After the short festive break, it is back to business and pushing for the best result in the first race of the 2023 season!”
Century To Debut BMW M4 GT4
Century Motorsport will make its first start with its brand-new BMW M4 GT4 at next month’s Hankook 24H DUBAI.
Century has been an official BMW customer since 2018, and took delivery of BMW’s second generation M4 GT4 shortly after production began in October. Alongside its debut at the Hankook 24H DUBAI, Century’s new M4 has been registered to compete in the 2023 British GT Championship.
Century, an SP3 class winner on its event debut in 2016 and four-time class podium finisher since then, will make its seventh entry at CREVENTIC’s biggest race in January, having confirmed British competition drivers Chris Salkeld, Michael Johnston, Carl Cavers, and Lewis Plato for its #429 entry.
“It’s great to be extending our relationship further with BMW motorsport,” Century team boss Nathan Freke explains. “Their support has been second-to-none and we have become the ‘go to’ team in the UK to race BMWs.
“It was an easy decision to continue with the new car (G82) given the success we had with the current generation (F82). The new generation looks to be a real game changer and now we have seen it and worked on it in the flesh we are super excited to hit the track and get going with it. Its first outing will be in Dubai where we will be looking for a good result. We will collect our second in February where we will start our extensive U.K. test programme.”
Century has also confirmed a second, collaborative entry for the Hankook 24H DUBAI with ‘RHC Jorgensen-Strom.’ The #450 entry, a first generation M4 GT4, will be piloted by RHC team principals Daren Jorgensen and Brett Strom, Century team boss Nathan Freke, and Danny van Dongen. The quartet go into this year’s event having secured 3rd in-class in 2022.
