The new-for-2025 BMW M4 GT3 EVO’s global debut went perfectly this weekend in the 20th running of the Dubai 24 Hours, with Omani-entered squad AlManar Racing by Team WRT capturing the overall win by a lap with its #777 car.
After starting the race fourth the #777 remained in contention for the win throughout, with Max Hesse, Al Faisal Al Zubair, Daniel Harper, Ben Tuck and Darren Leung combining to deliver WRT its fourth triumph in the event.
“What a way to start the 2025 season, and our partnership with AlManar Racing,” said WRT boss Vincent Vosse. “It’s a huge achievement to claim the win on the debut of the BMW M4 GT3 EVO. It was a race of determination and executing the perfect strategy.
“The crew made zero mistakes and performed flawless pitstops, and we know that makes all the difference in these races, so a monumental congratulations to them. I take my hat off to the drivers.
“It is the first time they have all raced together, and in a new car, so I am very proud that we have been able to give them their first overall win at the Dubai 24H and marking our fourth victory here. This makes me very excited for the year ahead!”
Second place went to Pure Rxcing’s pole-sitting #92 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), shared by Thomas Preining, Harry King, Alexey Nesov and Alex Malykhin. In the run to the flag, the car had to slow significantly to conserve fuel but still finished runner-up.
Dinamic GT’s #24 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), piloted by Loek Hartog, Klaus Bachler, Anders Fjordbach, Thomas Kiefer and Stanislav Minsky, rounded out the overall podium. After leading at the halfway mark the 911 crossed the line just 10 seconds back from Pure Rxcing.
Adding to BMW’s memorable weekend, Paradine Competition won GT3 Am with its #991 BMW M4 GT3 EVO that took fifth overall. It was driven by Darren Leung, who was on double duty during the event, Ahmad Al Harthy, Toby Sowery and Simon Traves.
“I am very tired but extremely happy!” Admitted Leung. “I just had to hold everything together as well as I could. We knew the double victory was a possibility thanks to the quality of both the teams, and both driver line-ups.
“Everything needed to come into the right place, and it did. I am very fortunate and very thankful to everyone!”
Pro-Am victory went to the #91 Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) of Alfred Renauer, Robert Renauer, Jake Pedersen, Kay van Berlo and Ralf Bohn in seventh.
Having qualified on pole, Pure Rxcing’s Porsche made a textbook getaway at the rolling start, to lead in the hands of Alexey Nesov. But the advantage was short-lived as Pro-Am pole starter Gabriele Piana steered the #16 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO to the front round the outside to Turn 1.
Dueling door handle-to-door handle through the first few corners, the Mercedes boldly swept past the Porsche and the duo were soon joined by the Paradine BMW which surged from eighth to third after a stunning start from Toby Sowery.
Within a handful of laps, Sowery had taken the lead from Pure Rxcing and he soon had another BMW in his mirrors, the #777 entry of AlManar Racing by Team WRT with Max Hesse at the wheel. On lap 28 Hesse made his move to slice past into the race lead.
Following the first couple of Code 60 cautionary periods, Sergey Stolyarov held the overall and Pro-Am lead in the Winward Racing car during hour three. He sat ahead of the #24 Dinamic Porsche which began to hit its stride with Thomas Kiefer driving.
Dragon Racing’s Ferrari 296 GT3 soon moved ahead of the Porsche and Mercedes-AMG and into the lead, with Dustin Blattner at the wheel. However, as evening arrived in Dubai the two BMWs of AlManar Racing and Paradine returned to first and second as the differing strategies played out.
Five hours in, the BMWs had been replaced at the front by the Pure Rxcing and Dinamic GT Porsches and the bidders for overall victory started to solidify their respective challenges as the evening wore on. By the halfway point of the race, Klaus Bachler was on top for Dinamic GT from Al Faisal Al Zubair in the #777, and Pure Rxcing’s Nesov.
During the small hours, the fight for supremacy very much came down to a straight battle between the Dinamic GT and Pure Rxcing Porsches and the BMWs of AlManar Racing and Paradine, and so it continued into daylight and towards the conclusion.
Dramatically, with less than 40 minutes of the race to go, the second placed #102 TCE-TCX class Cupra TCR DSG of AsBest Racing stopped on track and led to a late Code 60 period which threatened to throw a spanner in the works for some.
Second-placed Thomas Preining also had to save fuel late on, putting the position at risk for Pure Rxcing, but in the end, he managed to seal it by 10 seconds from Loek Hartog in the Dinamic GT Porsche. Ahead, Hasse in the #777 BMW M4 serenely took the chequered flag a lap clear after the AlManar WRT crew snatched control.
Due to a late stop and issue with a flailing strap, which had been put in place earlier to hold some damaged bodywork in position, Winward’s challenge for Pro-Am victory faltered and the #91 Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) came through to seal the class win.
Red Camel-Jordans.nl won the 992 class in its Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992), with brothers Rik and Luc Breukers, father Ivo Breukers and Fabian Danz, following a battle race-long with the #912 Tierra Outdoor Racing by HWM of Huub and Lucas van Eijndhoven, Ralph Poppelaars and Jop Rappange.
GTX was dominated throughout by Leipert Motorsport’s #710 Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO piloted by Brendon Leitch, Don Yount, JJ Song, Takis and Gerhard Watzinger.
In GT4 the AGMC Racing by Simpson Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 (G82), featuring Ramez Azzam, William Tewiah, Timothy Docker, Tudor Tudurachi and Tiger Tari, won after the squad’s two main rivals retired.
AsBest Racing took a clear win in TCE with its #101 Seat Leon Cup Racer in the hands of Pia Ohlsson, Christian Ladurner, Thomas Alpiger, Mohammed Al Owais and Nadir Zuhour.
Image courtesy of 24H Series & BMW
