Mercedes-AMG Secures Pole Position in Lenovo Gulf 12 Hours
Mercedes Dominance Continues at Yas Marina Circuit
Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing has impressively secured pole position for the Lenovo Gulf 12 Hours for the second consecutive year. This achievement was clinched after a compelling qualifying session at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, highlighting the team's consistent performance.
A formidable lineup of GT3 cars from leading manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, and Porsche competed in the qualifying rounds. These rounds comprised four 15-minute sessions conducted under the floodlights of the warm Abu Dhabi evening, establishing the starting grid for the upcoming 12-hour endurance race.
In a remarkable display of skill and teamwork, the #99 Mercedes-AMG GT3, helmed by Maro Engel, Luca Stolz, and Mikael Grenier, emerged as the fastest car on the track. They achieved an impressive four-lap average time of 1min 51.272secs, showcasing their formidable racing prowess.
Maro Engel expressed his satisfaction with the pole position and emphasised the team's focus on the challenging race ahead. He acknowledged the importance of maintaining a strategic approach throughout the endurance event.
Further strengthening Mercedes-AMG's front-row presence, Team 2 Seas Motorsport's #14 car, driven by Jules Gounon, Maximilian Goetz, and Fabian Schiller, secured a position just 0.232 seconds behind the leaders.
In the Pro-Am category, which features a mix of professional and amateur drivers, Herberth Motorsport's Porsche 911 GT3 R, driven by Antares Au, Tim Heinemann, and Matteo Cairoli, claimed a commendable third place in the overall results. Heinemann reflected on the team's performance, acknowledging the challenges while expressing contentment with their overall showing.
Adding to the event's excitement, MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, alongside Dries Vanthoor and Nick Yelloly, will start the race in the Team WRT-run BMW M4 GT3 from fourth on the grid.
Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing's second entry, the #77 car driven by Lucas Auer, Lorenzo Ferrari, and Frankie Bird, also showcased strong performance, finishing fifth overall. In addition, the #88 Garage 59 McLaren 720 GT3 EVO claimed the second spot in the Pro-Am category and sixth overall.
Car Collection Motorsport experienced mixed fortunes during qualifying. Their #21 Porsche 911 GT3 R topped the Am class for amateur driver crews. However, their #12 car, which had shown promise in practice, suffered a significant setback due to a crash during the second qualifying session, causing a delay in the event for barrier repairs.
The much-anticipated Lenovo Gulf 12 Hours race is set to commence on Sunday, 10 December, at 10.00 am Abu Dhabi time, with live streaming available for global motorsport enthusiasts on YouTube.
