Gulf 12 Hours announces new January date

The 16th edition of the Gulf 12 Hours will take place on 10 January 2027 instead of December 2026. The change restores the event’s traditional four-day structure and allows teams to benefit from an expanded preparation programme.

Driving Force Events made the announcement at Yas Marina Circuit during the 15th edition of the Gulf 12 Hours, currently underway.

The change follows the 2024 and 2025 editions, which adopted a compressed two full-day format due to the revised schedule of the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix. While this format suited the overall event environment, it limited the ability of a long race such as the Gulf 12 Hours to fully deliver its traditional endurance experience, particularly in terms of preparation time and operational flexibility for teams and partners.

By shifting to January, the event returns to its traditional format, offering more track time and a clearer structure across four days. In parallel, Driving Force Events is developing a new short-format GT race as the first step towards a future landmark event on the international calendar. Scheduled for 13 December 2026, on the weekend immediately following the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix, it will strengthen and further elevate a date traditionally linked to top-level GT racing. The format is designed to create closer synergy with the Formula 1 weekend and to offer GT competitors a prestigious additional end-of-season opportunity.

Andrea Ficarelli, Founder of Driving Force Events, said: “The European racing calendars now finish later in the year and sea-freight from Europe to the UAE takes longer than before. Moving the Gulf 12 Hours to January allows us not only to protect the standards of the event, but to further enhance its quality, sporting value and overall experience, while creating the right conditions to launch a new world-class event and to deepen our 15-year relationship with Yas Marina Circuit.”