22 December 2009
Cars and equipment on route to UAE for Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai

From various ports all over the world, cars and equipment are currently being shipped to Dubai for the fifth anniversary edition of the Dunlop 24H of Dubai (January 14th till 16th), the annual 24-hour race for GT and touring cars and 24h specials.

“We will have 80 cars on the grid for the race”, says Gerrie Willems on behalf of Dutch agency Creventic BV, promoters and organisers of the Dunlop 24H of Dubai.

In October, 2004, Dutch entrepreneur and hobby racer Ivo Breukers first visited the Dubai Autodrome to attend a round of the FIA GT Championship. Impressed by the facility, Breukers immediately saw the opportunity to stage a 24-hour race there. “Ivo and I had raced together in several endurance events, so he asked me to join him”, recalls Gerrie Willems.

In January, 2005, Breukers and Willems visited the Dubai Autodrome together for the first time and discussed the possibility to have a race there early in 2006. “Circuit management and local authorities were enthusiastic about our plans and we received a lot of support from them”, says Willems.

Thus, the inaugural 24H of Dubai took place in January, 2006. “We had a total  of 67 entrants for our first race and we were quite pleased with that. During the 2005 season, we had promoted our event at other race meetings and we received positive reactions”, says Willems. “After that, our event has shown steady progress.”

The second running in 2007 already attracted 77 competitors and 87 cars took part in the race in 2008. Challenging economic conditions meant that the grid was slightly down at 77 cars for 2009, but Willems is expecting 80 cars for the fifth anniversary edition in January.

Ever since the inaugural race in 2006, Creventic has enjoyed a close and successful co-operation with DNRT, organisers of many endurance events in The Netherlands.

“The DNRT staff, first and foremost its chairman Huub Vermeulen and its secretary Ria Waterreus, has a vast experience in organising race events and they have been very helpful for us over the years”, says Gerrie Willems. “Special features like the ‘code-60’ instead of safety car interventions in case of an accident are among the contributions that DNRT has made to our event and our participants really appreciate that.

Last week, 35 containers with cars and equipment have been shipped from the port of Antwerp in Belgium. Other teams are sending their containers from various ports in Italy, Great Britain, Spain, Australia and Japan. The first activity for teams and drivers in Dubai is the traditional Welcome Party at “The Address” hotel with view of the Burj Dubai.

Track action for the Dunlop 24H of Dubai starts on Thursday, January 14th, with free practice, qualifying and night practice. The 24-hour race will start on Friday, January 15th, at 2 pm. The “Superkart” series, the official support category of the Dunlop 24H of Dubai, will have three races.

Click here for Provisional Entry List for 2010 Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai

15 November 2009
Motorsport News
Huge interest for fifth anniversary edition Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai in January 2010

From 14 to 16 January 2010, the Dubai Autodrome will again host the annual 24-hour race for GT and touring cars and 24h specials. Next year’s running of the race will mark the fifth anniversary edition of the Dunlop 24H of Dubai and already now, the organisers from Dutch agency Creventic BV have received many registrations. “Currently we already have 75 entries, so we expect a full grid again.  All the cars and equipment of the teams will be shipped to Dubai, December 8th from Antwerp in Belgium. So, last minute, teams still have a possibility to enter for the race. However, there are only few places left”, says Creventic’s Gerrie Willems.

After the four successful previous editions, the Dunlop 24H of Dubai has become firmly established on the global motorsport calendar as the first international endurance race of the year. For next year’s fifth anniversary edition, teams from Europe, Australia, Japan, China and the United Arab Emirates have already signed up. “It is positive to see the steady increase in the number of participants from the Emirates”, says Gerrie Willems. “That is a clear sign that motorsport is becoming more and more popular in the Gulf region, too. Moreover, with more teams from Australia and Asia joining us for next year, the worldwide appeal of our event is clear.”

A varied entry with GT and touring cars

The provisional entry lists includes a wide array of competition machinery. Top of the bill are of course the thoroughbred sports cars like Ascari KZ1 R GT3, Aston Martin Vantage N24, BMW Z4 M Coupé, Brokernet Silversting, Ferrari F430, Donkervoort, Dodge Viper, Lotus Exige, Marcos Mantis, Saker and Ginetta and, of course, a large quantity of Porsche 996 and 997 RSR and Cup cars. However, one of the assets of the Dunlop 24H of Dubai is that the race is also open to smaller, less expensive cars like Renault Clio, SEAT Leon Supercopa, Volkswagen Golf and BMW 1- and 3-series, both with petrol and with diesel engines. The event concept with various different classes allows all types of cars to compete for class honours.

“When you look at the entry list, there are at least 20 contenders for overall victory”, says Gerrie Willems. “The winners of the 2009 edition, Land Motorsport, are back with their Porsches, but so are the second- and the third-placed teams, Al Faisal Motorsport with the BMW Z4 and Besaplast Racing with the Porsche. Of course, the Hungarian Bovi Motorsport’s Brokernet Silversting was very strong in the 12H of Hungary while the Petronas Syntium Team from Japan have also joined us with a pair of BMW Z4 Coupés. There is a works-entry from Dutch sports car brand Donkervoort and the Maserati GT4 will also race for the first time in our event. And then there are many, many more.”

Click here for Provisional Entry List for 2010 Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai

Spectacular Superkarts as the official support category

Next to the GT and touring cars that will feature in the 24-hour race, there will be some more powerful machinery on the track: the spectacular International Superkart Series are the official support category for the fifth edition of the Dunlop 24H of Dubai. The programme for the Superkarts includes one free practice session, two qualifying heats and no less than three races! With its wide Asphalt-covered run-off areas, the Dubai Autodrome is perfectly suited for the fast Superkarts that can reach speeds of up to 250 km/h! More information can be found at www.24hdubai.com, the official website of the event.

Press Release by Creventic BV 
E-mail : willems@creventic.com
Web: www.24hseries.com