The #99 Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R is another to have seen a change of drivers since the provisional entry list was published with Michelin Le Mans Cup standout Fin Gehrsitz stepping in s a Bronze-ranked driver replacing the initially named Tim Müller.
Optimum Motorsport/ inception Racing has two of the four McLaren 720S GT3s fettled by the Wakefield, UK-based team racing in the Asian Le Mans Series with the other pair having been present at Daytona for the team’s hugely impressive run just two weeks ago,
The team, which has already publicly confirmed full-season IMSA (GTD McLaren) and WEC (Project 1 Porsche) efforts will add another inception racing full season effort in GTWC Europe with a McLaren, Optimum meanwhile are set to field a Mclaren in GT Open and an LMP3 (and possibly a McLaren too), in Michelin Le Mans Cup.
Garage 59 debut their new acquired McLaren 720S GT3 cars here after switching from Aston Martin machinery following the 2021 season.
Nicky Catsburg was getting to grips over the past couple of days with the #34 Walkenhorst BMW M4 GT3 after competing pagans the similar Team RLL cars at Daytona where the Dutchman was part of the factory Corvette effort.
Whilst acknowledging the testing issues that the new BMWs have had he was keen to point out that the new car is already unlocking performance on one key area, the less experienced, non-Pro drivers find it easier to find speed and consistency in the M4 than it’s predecessor M6 GT3. Early session times for the Walkenhorst team’s non Pro-drivers are already better than the time set on the same circuit last year by the same drivers in the M6 GT3.
The S’Aalocin by Kox Racing Porsche includes father and daughter Peter and Stéphane Kox and their friend Nico Pronk.
It is a return to the Asian LMS paddock for Kox the Younger after playing a part in the teething stages of what was to become Richard Mille Racing, the effort starting with a Eurointenational-operated Ligier LMP3 in Shanghai in 2018, she shared the car with Belgian Sarah Bovy and Japanese Marie Iwaoka.
Stéphane will join the new F1 TV team for the Netherlands on 2022 as a pitlane reporter. There’s a DSC link there with the lead commentary role going to our 2020 and 2021 Michelin Le Mans Cup reporter Nelson Valkenburg.
Neither the Attempto Racing, nor the YC Panda Racing Audis will race here in Evo 2 spec though the two R8 LMS GT3s do have the luxury of the presence of the German registered parts truck despatched to the UAE to support the myriad of customers that have raced in GT3, GT4, TCR (and GT2) machinery in the region in recent weeks.
The Hong Kong-registered YC Panda racing Audi is being fettled by a range of familiar faces from C Racing and Viper Niza Racing whose founder Douglas Khoo is part of the driver line-up. The team initially had a pair of Audis entered and briefly considered a split entry in LMP3 and GT3 before the realities of SE Asia-Gulf region logistics bit hard.
The #17 APM Monaco-backed AF Corse Ferrari has Stephane Ortelli involved as driver coach, the 1998 Le Mans winner now busy with a role with the SRO BoP team where the long-time GT racer is required to wring the neck of all GT3 and GT2 cars to establish BoP baseline performance levels.
Axcil Jeffries returns to the scene of his back to back Dubai 24H victories in 2020 and 2021 but this time in the #57 Kessel Ferrari, the Zimbabwean UAE-resident initially slated to drive the Konrad Ginetta alongside manager Franz Konrad.
