GetSpeed's Dubai Debut

GetSpeed Racing Embarks on a New Challenge at the 24 Hours of Dubai

GetSpeed Racing is set to embark on a new adventure at the start of 2024. The successful GT3 racing team, hailing from the business park just down the road from the Nürburgring, will make its debut in the Hankook 24h Dubai from the 26th to the 28th of January 2024. The team will be fielding a Mercedes-AMG GT3, driven by an impressive lineup including Antony Barthone, Al Faisal Al Zubair, Dominik Baumann, Fabian Schiller, and Martin Konrad.

Team principal Adam Osieka expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "It's fantastic to kick off the new year with a 24-hour race. It allows us to build momentum for the upcoming season. The race in Dubai has evolved impressively over the years, attracting strong teams from across the globe for the first showdown of the year."

The event faced logistical challenges, leading to its postponement from its initially scheduled weekend. This rescheduling resulted in Luca Stolz being unable to participate due to a clash with the 24 Hours of Daytona. Consequently, Dominik Baumann rejoins the GetSpeed roster, returning to the team with whom he celebrated his first VLN victory in 2019 alongside Fabian Schiller.

Schiller, who secured the pole position last year with AlManar Racing but faced difficulties during the race, shared his insights, "The race hinges on two critical factors: strategy and traffic. Missteps in these areas can lead to significant time losses or gains. Timing the fuel stops is crucial, especially since all vehicles share the same eight normal fuel pumps. Moreover, with 60 cars on the track, ranging from GT3 behemoths to TCR touring cars, navigating the 5.390-kilometre Grand Prix course is comparable to the 24-hour race on the Nordschleife in terms of complexity."

Despite these challenges, Osieka remains undaunted, drawing confidence from the team's extensive experience in multiclass racing and their strategic acumen. He also noted that four out of the five drivers have previously competed in Dubai, familiarising them with the race conditions. One of the team's crowning achievements was securing a double podium at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in 2022, where GetSpeed finished second and third.

The schedule for the Hankook 24h Dubai is tightly packed, with free practice and qualifying taking place on Friday. The race begins at 13:00 local time (10:00 UK time) on Saturday, lasting for an exhilarating twenty-four hours. Fans can follow the action live, as both qualifying and the race will be streamed for free on the YouTube channel of the 24h Series.