24H Dubai: Top job from Topcar Sport
THREE-TIME SWISS TCR WIN The Topcar Sport team from Berne dominated the touring car classification at the Dubai 24 Hours with its Cupra TCR. Autorama Motorsport took the places of honor with two VW Golfs. Topcar Sport's Cupra TCR, driven by Fabian Danz, Ronny Jost, Adrian Spescha and the Germans Benjamin Leuchter and Patrick Sing, took over shortly before the end [...]
Topcar Sport's Cupra TCR, driven by Fabian Danz, Ronny Jost, Adrian Spescha and the Germans Benjamin Leuchter and Patrick Sing, took the overall lead in the TCE division shortly before the end of the first third of the race. Although the car came to a halt once during the night without propulsion, the team from Uetendorf BE remained in first place almost throughout thereafter.
The second great triumph
The team, successful for the second time after the 2019 Barcelona 24 Hours, completed a total of 543 laps on the 5.39-kilometer Dubai Autodrome en route to victory.
Fabian Danz: "Our car was perfect, has no scratches and ran very well. It's never easy, though. During the night you sometimes wonder why you are actually doing this, but it was really worth it! I'm very happy and very happy with everyone to have won this race!"
Places of honor for the defending champions
Autorama Motorsport by Wolf-Power Racing also got its title defense off to an impressive start with two of the three spots on the overall TCE podium. The VW Golf GTi TCR of Swiss Jasmin Preisig, Gustavo Xavier and pole-setter Miklas Born, along with Finns Antti Buri and Kari-Pekka Laaksonen, crossed the finish line just 45 seconds ahead of its sister car.
Overall victory to domestic Porsche customer team
The overall victory in the Hankook 24H Dubai 2021 was celebrated by Team GPX Racing after a commanding performance throughout the weekend. The team is only the second team from the United Arab Emirates to win the season opener of the 24H Series powered by Hankook.
The Porsche 991 GT3 R of Axcil Jefferies, Frederic Fatien, Mathieu Jaminet, Julien Andlauer and Alain Ferté took the lead for good on the 124th lap and, after a total of 600 laps, crossed the finish line over three minutes ahead of its nearest rival, the Audi R8 LMS of WRT from Belgium. For Porsche, this is the sixth victory in the history of the race.
Rank 4 for two Lucerne, bad luck for former winner
The GRT Grasser Racing Team-Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo with Lucerne-based Rolf Ineichen and Adrian Amstutz and factory drivers Mirko Bortolotti and Rik Breukers stayed in the leading group throughout the race, but had to settle for a thankless fourth place.
The Porsche of Herberth Motorsport with Daniel Allemann from Solothurn, who had won in Dubai in 2016 with his German team partners, retired after just two hours due to a collision with a GT3 competitor.
Rewarded perseverance
In the GTX class, only one of the three Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo made it through. The winning car was driven by Kurt Thiel, a Swiss.
Karen Gaillard benefited from the retirements of the other two Lambos. Her French-entered Vortex 1.0 with Chevrolet Corvette V8 engine fell far behind early on due to recurring suspension problems. Her perseverance was rewarded with second place.
Either Abu Dhabi or then Mugello
Some teams will compete in the non-championship 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi in the neighboring emirate next weekend.
The 24H Series powered by Hankook continues on March 26/27 with the first European endurance race of the season in Italy, the Hankook 12H Mugello. From April 23-25, Creventic will host the Hankook 12H Spa for the fourth time at the legendary race track in Belgium.
For more information on the 2021 24H Series race calendar and standings, visit the link below.
24H Dubai 2021 Overall classification 24H Dubai 2021 Classes
