Lenovo Gulf 12 Hours winner Optimum Motorsport
McLaren won the Lenovo Gulf 12 Hours after an intense contest at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi brought the curtain down on the 2024 endurance racing season.
Optimum Racing earned McLaren’s second-ever win in the Middle East’s most glamourous endurance race thanks to a relentless drive from Todd Coleman, Aaron Telitz and Frederik Schandorff in the #69 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO, who seized the advantage in the final hour.
Saintéloc Racing took the fight to the last seconds with their #25 Audi R8 GT3 LMS EVO II. But Gilles Magnus, Dennis Marschall and Bihuang Zhou finished just 4.127secs behind after 353 laps of the unique two-part race, with an initial eight-hour race followed by a four-hour contest after a 120-minute break.
Proton Huber Competition emphasised the close competition throughout the grid that by making it three manufacturers in the top three positions, with third in its Porsche 992 GT3R with Sven Müller, Sergey Stolyarov and Sergei Borisov at the wheel.
A close Pro-Am race saw McLarens, Ferraris and an Audi locked in an intense battle for the full 12 hours. The #8 Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO of Alexander West, Philippe Prette, Louis Prette and Adam Smalley won the class and finished fourth overall. Saintéloc Racing’s #26 Audi R8 GT3 LMS EVO II was second in Pro-Am, and Kessel Racing’s Ferrari 296 GT3 third.
Herberth Motorsport’s Porsche 911 GT3R (992) overcame early drama to finish fifth overall and win the Am category. After starting on the overall pole position, a first-lap puncture dropped it to the back, but Ralf Bohn, Alfred Renauer and Dustin Blattner fought back impressively.
The Antiguan-registered Haas RT was second in Am with its Audi R8 GT3 LMS EVO II while Gulf 12 Hours regulars MP Motorsport, with its line-up of father Thomas Gostner and his children Manuela, Corinna and David, enjoyed a podium finish with third in their Mercedes AMG GT3.
In the new Porsche GT Cup class, QMMF by HRT Performance delivered a masterclass with its #91 Porsche 992 GT3 Cup. Starting from class pole, Ghanim Salah Al-Madheed, Ibrahim Ali Al-Abdulghani, Abdulla Ali Al-Khelaifi and Julian Hanses dominated. The #92 HRT Performance and #92 Toro Verde GT completed the class podium.
Driving Force Events | Gulf 12 Hours
