Gulf 12 Hours sets pre-registration record

A record number of competitors have pre-registered for the 2023 Gulf 12 Hours, the Middle East’s premier GT3 endurance race, which takes place on 10 December at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

A full starting grid is expected after pre-registration closed with 81 individual cars, from 49 teams representing the world’s most prestigious sportscar manufacturers, on the initial pre-entry list.

For the first time, entry to the Gulf 12 Hours is open exclusively to GT3 cars, which reflects the event’s continued growth, and its position as an essential end-of-season fixture for drivers, teams and manufacturers.

The grid is limited to 36 cars to ensure high-quality garage and team facilities for every competitor at the state-of-the-art Yas Marina Circuit, and the process of confirming the final entry list has now started.

Gentlemen drivers have been fundamental to the growth of the Gulf 12 Hours and are a key part of its future. To maintain the mix of gentlemen and professional competitors which creates a unique Gulf 12 Hours atmosphere, entries including at least one bronze-ranked driver will be given priority.

At the same time, the Gulf 12 Hours will bring the curtain down on the 2023 Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) season and the final entry list will include representatives of the three manufacturers - BMW, Mercedes AMG and Porsche - competing for IGTC honours.

Andrea Ficarelli, head of Driving Force Events, said: “The strong response to pre-registration for the 2023 edition is further proof that the Gulf 12 Hours has established itself as the go-to event for GT3 drivers, teams and manufacturers. We are of course aware that several teams that have registered their interest will not necessarily be able to formalise their entries, but nevertheless the level of interest this year is truly record-breaking. We therefore expect to achieve sold-out status very soon on the way to another capacity Gulf 12 Hours grid.”

Information to competitors interested in participating in the Yas Island 6 Hours will be issued later this week. The Yas Island 6 Hours takes place on 9 December, qualifying day for the Gulf 12 Hours, and is open to GT2 and GT Cup cars.