2008 FIA GT3 European Championship
Victory clinches title for Arnaud Peyrolles and James Ruffier
The FIA GT3 European Championship title was decided in emphatic fashion at Dubai Autodrome on 5 December 2008 when French duo Arnaud Peyrolles and James Ruffier, driving for the Martini Callaway Corvette team, powered to victory and as a result secured the coveted title. For the winners the triumph was a major achievement as they started in eighth place and both drivers put in canny stints behind the wheel to challenge for the lead with less than ten minutes to go in the one hour race. Shortly after that they took the lead and stayed ahead until the chequered flag drop for a double jackpot: race win and Championship title.

Of the seven drivers who in Dubai with a chance of taking the Championship it was Ian Khan and Thomas Mutsch of the Matech Ford GT Racing squad who were expected to be the main challengers for the crown. However their problems started early as they were straddled with problems which saw them start low down on the grid after which they never really posed a threat to the eventual winners, despite finishing fourth overall and setting the fastest lap of the race.

Second place went the Hexis Racing Aston Martin combo of Thomas Accary and Pierre-Brice Mena who started from fourth and were at the sharp end of proceedings throughout, leading for most of the race. They were followed home by third placed Alex Mortimer and Bradley Ellis driving the Ford GT of the Matech GT Racing squad who qualified on pole. The latter two managing to contain the eventual winners for the first half of the race.

At the end of the day, as the sunset on Dubai Autodrome, the glory belonged to Peyrolles, Ruffier and their hard working Martini Callaway Corvette team crew. Their final road to the Championship and crowning as FIA GT3 European Champions was witnessed by a record crowd who turned up at the circuit for the first day, of the two day, Grand Racing weekend.
• FIA GT3 Race 1 Results