Yas Marina Circuit to host 10th edition of Gulf 12 Hours endurance race

ABU DHABI: Yas Marina Circuit will host the 10th edition of the Gulf 12 Hours endurance race as part of motorsport action taking place in Abu Dhabi from Jan. 6-8.

The grid will consist of 15 cars, with 12 GT3 cars and 3 GT4 machines lining up at the start. The 15 cars are made up of 10 teams representing six manufacturers, including Mercedes, Ferrari, Aston Martin and McLaren.

The traditional 12-hour endurance GT race, split into two six-hour sessions, will take place around the new circuit layout at Yas Marina Circuit.

Three new sections on the track — reconfigured for the first time since 2009 ahead of the recent Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — will test drivers and provide more opportunities for overtaking, wheel-to-wheel racing and a faster-flowing race.

Saif Al-Noaimi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management, said: “We’re delighted to have the Gulf 12 Hour endurance race returning to our circuit for an exciting 10th event, with incredible teams, cars and drivers announced to line up on the starting grid. We saw some of the track changes at Yas Marina Circuit create some exciting moments during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and we look forward to seeing how this plays out in an endurance race, too. We anticipate many exciting moments.”

Gulf 12 Hours was first held at the Abu Dhabi circuit in January 2012. The most recent event, held in December 2019, was won by Audi, which scored its first win with the Attempto Racing car driven by Christopher Mies, Dries Vanthoor and Rinat Salikhov.

Andrea Ficarelli, director of race promoter Driving Force Events, said: “The starting grid once again demonstrates the world-class teams and drivers that are attracted to the Gulf 12 Hours. We look forward to celebrating our 10th edition with a memorable event.”