Just a year ago, the small HAAS Racing team made its debut in motorsport during the 2023 Dubai 24 Hours… What a long way we have come in one year.
5th overall last year, the Antigua team placed 2nd in the Middle East Trophy ranking and continued its successful debut with a GT3 victory in the European Championship.
Its second CREVENTIC season began with two 8th places, in the general classification of the 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi and today the 24 Hours of Dubai, which allows the AUDI R8 LMS GT3 EVO #21 to be 2nd GT3 Am of the Middle East championship 2023/2024 The team arrived in Dubai with two AUDI R8 LMS GT3s #20 and #21. Unfortunately for the #20, an exit from the track that occurred during private testing on Thursday was definitive for the car; with the chassis too damaged, it could not participate in the race. Only the #21 was going to wear the colors of the HAAS Racing Team and get a good result for their 2nd race in two weeks.
After the GULF 12 Hours of Dubai in December 2023 where it finished 4th in its category and the Hankook 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi last week also 4th Am, the team was determined to do battle for the last round of the Middle East with a crew composed of five pilots: Mathieu DETRY, Stanislav MINSKI, Thomas KIEFER, Torsten KRATZ and Miika PANU. With two endurance races in less than ten days, unlike the two other directly competing teams, HAAS Racing can be proud of its result. Of the 55 cars at the start, 36 took the checkered flag, that’s already a victory in itself.
She finished the race in the top 10, 8th overall and 3rd in GT3 Am. After the free practice sessions necessary for the proper preparation of the car, the team sets off for Saturday’s qualifying and thanks to Mathieu DETRY, Thomas KIEFER and Torsten KRATZ takes pole position in the GT3Am category and starts from the second row in 3rd place overall. As the start was about to be given, the wind deposited sand and dust on the track which forced the teams to be very careful, as grip had become very limited.
Mathieu DETRY started from the second row but unfortunately could not take advantage of the withdrawal of the #63 Lamborghini supposed to start from 2nd place. He still managed to position himself in P2 following an inconclusive start of the #18 (Pro/Am). During his 35-lap stint, he set the best race time in his category in 1:59.534 (and second best time in all categories).
Thomas KIEFER took over and had to undergo the first Code 60 deployed by the track management in order to get a Porsche stopped on the track out. It was during the 2nd Code 60 a few laps later that Stanislav MINSKI took his turn. Torsten KRATZ would also have to maintain his concentration for more than an hour at 60 km/h during his stint. While the first 3 hours have passed, the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo is in 3rd place in its category in a battle with a Porsche (#17) and a Mercedes (#85) and took 1st place, after 76 rounds. The Finnish Miika PANU recovers the #21 at the head of the GT3Am while the 4th hour has just ended. He was closely followed by the #85, but maintained his position until nightfall, even completing a good number of laps at the head of the general classification during his 39 laps. Torsten returns to the track and after 142 laps of the Dubai circuit, the Audi #21 is once again at the head of its category, a position that the German maintains for a few laps before handing over the wheel to the Finn. After 7 hours they are still in front and the fight for the best place on the GT3Am podium begins to be felt with the #85 Mercedes and #50 Porsche and later the #14 BMW and the #26 Audi R8. Mathieu, then Thomas and finally Torsten take turns during the following hours, maintaining the “Podium GT3Am” course.
Halfway through the race after 297 laps, the #21 Audi is still on the provisional GT3Am podium. During the night, when Thomas KIEFER had just overtaken a Porsche competitor (#921), he was hit and the team had to replace the left rear suspension triangle. In the early morning the circuit was also the scene of a nice downpour… But this posed no problem for the Finnish driver then on the track. I’m used to sliding, at home it’s like that all the time » he said, smiling at the end of his relay. After 21 hours of racing, the Antigua team is still in battle to maintain its position on the coveted podium, the fight will be tough until the last moments with the #14 Century Motorsport BMW M4 GT3, the #50 Porsche of Huber Motorsport and the #26 Audi R8 of the Sainteloc Junior team. With 2:30 to go, the team put on slick tires and the humidity in the air kept the dust and sand on the ground, providing a perfectly acceptable track for the competitors. Miika the Finn completes a double stint in 2nd position in the category before handing over to Thomas KIEFER who will lead the car to the checkered flag. But what a relay!! Close behind Mattéo Merafina (Am+ driver) at the wheel of the #26 Audi, he suffered from incredible pressure. The most important thing now is to finish the race without being impressed… The HAAS Racing Audi R8 is 2nd GT3 Am and P7 in the general classification until 12 minutes from the end, but on the 589th lap the #26 takes the advantage to complete the last six loops of the 24 Hours of Dubai. HAAS Racing therefore finished on the 3rd step of the GT3Am podium and in 8th place in the general classification. 36 cars finished the event, we had to be part of it, it’s done and it’s a rather honorable result. Sandrine HAAS : “ It was a hectic race, punctuated by Code 60s, which is not always very pleasant.
The sand, the rain, the pressure… all the ingredients were there for a great race and I am proud of our team and our five drivers who knew how to maintain and preserve the car during these last 24 hours. First of all, we finished in the Top 10, that’s good, and we climbed to the 3rd step in our category, that’s good too. Of course, we are also disappointed that we were not able to finish higher in the rankings. Without the accident which forced us to change a wishbone during the night, we could hope for an overall podium and a class victory.
But with “ifs” we bottle Paris, don’t we? I thank my entire team for their unfailing motivation and hard work. We have reached the end and in endurance it is already a first victory. » Stanislav MINSKI was also delighted with this podium: “ All the drivers performed well, the pace was regular and our mechanics prepared a good car for us, since we suffered no inconvenience. Last night’s accident prevented us from doing better than 3rd Am, but it was a hell of a race, and a really good race. Thank you all for this podium.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
