Mercedes-AMG will be represented at the 2023 Gulf 12 Hours by seven of the stunning Mercedes-AMG GT3 race cars at Yas Marina Circuit on 10 December.
As part of a strong grid, featuring six of the world’s top supercar manufacturers, Mercedes-AMG will be represented by teams ranging from multiple winners to Abu Dhabi newcomers.
Two-time Gulf 12 Hours winners 2 Seas Motorsport will fight for another overall victory with the #14 Mercedes-AMG Team 2 Seas car, which features a stellar line-up of three Mercedes-AMG Performance Drivers, Maximilian Götz, Jules Gounon and Fabian Schiller.
“I am very happy to be able to race together with 2 Seas Motorsport in Abu Dhabi. I know the team well as we raced together in British GT this year,” Gounon said. “We were able to rack up a couple of race wins, podium results and pole positions. We had many highs and also a few lows, but we always worked together well as a team. I am really looking forward to being able to race together with my teammates and friends Maximilian Götz and Fabian Schiller.”
A year ago, the powerhouse Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM team looked set for a victory challenge after sweeping the front row of the grid, before a frustrating race day which saw neither car reach the chequered flag.
They return to Yas Marina Circuit with another all-star driver line-up. Mercedes-AMG factory drivers Maro Engel, Mikaël Grenier and Luca Stolz share the #99 Mercedes-AMG GT3 while Lucas Auer drives the #77 car alongside two rising stars.
Frank Bird and Lorenzo Ferrari earned their place in Abu Dhabi via the AMG Young Driver test at Valencia earlier this month, which saw 22 talented drivers between the age of 17 and 25 put their skills to the test. “Abu Dhabi will be a long and demanding race in hot conditions,” Ferrari said. “But it’s a unique opportunity for me. I’m looking forward to it.”
Last year’s Pro-Am class winners SunEnergy1 Racing return to defend their crown, with a four-driver crew. Dominik Baumann joins last year’s successful trip of Philip Ellis, Kenny Habul and Martin Konrad.
2 Seas Motorsport will be fighting for honours on two fronts, with an Am victory in their sights as well in a car which includes two drivers from the region in Bahrain’s Isa Al Khalifa and Oman’s Al Faisal Al Zubair (OMA), who partner British racer Ian Loggie.
Gulf 12 Hours newcomers 7Tsix are among the Am class competition with a quarter of drivers; Tom Jackson, Wayne Marrs, Ameerh Naran and Matt Topham. MP Racing enter a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the Gostner family, father Thomas sharing the wheel with daughters Manuela and Corinna as well as son David.
Four qualifying sessions on Saturday 9 December will kick off the live coverage via the official Gulf 12 Hours YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@gulfmotorsport. The race, which runs for 12 continuous hours for only the second time in its history, begins on Sunday 10 December at 10.45am Abu Dhabi time (7.45am In Europe, 6.45am in the UK) and will be streamed in full.