Gulf 12 Hours

Last updated
Gulf 12 Hours
Yas Marina Circuit.png
Venue Yas Marina Circuit
Corporate sponsor Lenovo
First race2012
Duration12 Hours
Most wins (driver) Davide Rigon (5)
Most wins (team) Kessel Racing (4)
AF Corse (4)
Most wins (manufacturer) Ferrari (8)

The Gulf 12 Hours is a 12-hour annual GT endurance racing event that usually takes place at the Yas Marina Circuit in the United Arab Emirates except in January 2021 when it was held at the Bahrain International Circuit. It has been held since 2012. On 29 July 2022, it was announced that Gulf 12 Hours joined the Intercontinental GT Challenge calendar both in 2022 and 2023. [1] The race did not return as part of the IGTC calendar in 2024 after the two-year contract was not extended. [2]

Contents

Winners

Bahrain International Circuit hosted 2020 Gulf 12 Hours in January 2021 Bahrain International Circuit--Grand Prix Layout.svg
Bahrain International Circuit hosted 2020 Gulf 12 Hours in January 2021
Yas Marina Circuit layout used from 2013 to 2019 Circuit Yas-Island.svg
Yas Marina Circuit layout used from 2013 to 2019
YearDriversCarTeamRemarks
2012 (Jan) Flag of Italy.svg Marco Cioci
Flag of the United States.svg Matthew Griffin
Flag of Italy.svg Piergiuseppe Perazzini
Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 Flag of Italy.svg AF Corse 1 299 Laps. First running of the event.
2012 (Dec) Flag of Venezuela.svg Gaetano Ardagna
Flag of Italy.svg Gianmaria Bruni
Flag of Finland.svg Toni Vilander
Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 Flag of Italy.svg AF Corse 1 309 Laps.
2013 Flag of Germany.svg Bernd Schneider
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jeroen Bleekemolen
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg Khaled Al Qubaisi
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg Team Abu Dhabi by Black Falcon Racing308 laps. [3]
2014 Flag of Italy.svg Michele Rugolo
Flag of Italy.svg Davide Rigon
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Stephen Wyatt
Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 Flag of Italy.svg AF Corse 315 laps. [4]
2015 Flag of Poland.svg Michał Broniszewski
Flag of Italy.svg Davide Rigon
Flag of Italy.svg Giacomo Piccini
Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Kessel Racing 301 laps. [5]
2016 Flag of Poland.svg Michał Broniszewski
Flag of Italy.svg Davide Rigon
Flag of Italy.svg Giacomo Piccini
Ferrari 488 GT3 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Kessel Racing 300 laps.
2017 Flag of Poland.svg Michał Broniszewski
Flag of Italy.svg Davide Rigon
Flag of Spain.svg Miguel Molina
Ferrari 488 GT3 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Kessel Racing 302 laps completed. Kessel Racing scoring a Hat-trick of wins.
2018 Flag of Poland.svg Michał Broniszewski
Flag of Italy.svg Davide Rigon
Flag of Italy.svg Alessandro Pier Guidi
Ferrari 488 GT3 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Kessel Racing 313 laps completed. Kessel Racing scoring its record breaking 4th win in a row.
2019 Flag of Germany.svg Christopher Mies
Flag of Russia.svg Rinat Salikhov
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Dries Vanthoor
Audi R8 LMS Evo Flag of Germany.svg Attempto Racing316 laps.
2020Race moved to 2021 due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
2020-21 Flag of Bahrain.svg Isa Al-Khalifa
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ben Barnicoat
Flag of Croatia.svg Martin Kodrić
McLaren 720S GT3 Flag of Bahrain.svg 2 Seas Motorsport341 laps. This edition was relocated to the Bahrain International Circuit. [6]
2022 (Jan) Flag of Bahrain.svg Isa Al-Khalifa
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ben Barnicoat
Flag of Croatia.svg Martin Kodrić
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo Flag of Bahrain.svg 2 Seas Motorsport359 laps. New distance record.
2022 (Dec) Flag of Italy.svg Antonio Fuoco
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg James Calado
Flag of Italy.svg Alessandro Pier Guidi
Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 Flag of Italy.svg AF Corse - Francorchamps Motors 335 laps. [7] First Gulf 12 Hours to be a part of the SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge. [8]
2023 Flag of Germany.svg Maro Engel
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mikaël Grenier
Flag of Germany.svg Luca Stolz
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo Flag of Hong Kong.svg Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing348 laps. [9] Last Gulf 12 Hours to be a part of the SRO IGTC. [2]
2024 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Gilles Magnus
Flag of Germany.svg Dennis Marschall
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Bihuang Zhou
Audi R8 LMS Evo II Flag of France.svg Saintéloc Racing 353 laps. [10] The No. 69 Optimum Motorsport McLaren driven by Todd Coleman, Frederik Schandorff and Aaron Telitz crossed the finish line first, but lost victory after receiving two 30 second penalties post-race for speeding in pit lane. [11]

Multiple winners

By driver

WinsDriverYears
5 Flag of Italy.svg Davide Rigon 2014–2018
4 Flag of Poland.svg Michał Broniszewski2015–2018
2 Flag of Italy.svg Giacomo Piccini 2015–2016
Flag of Italy.svg Alessandro Pier Guidi 2018–2022 (Dec)
Flag of Bahrain.svg Isa Al-Khalifa2020–2021, 2022 (Jan)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ben Barnicoat 2020–2021, 2022 (Jan)
Flag of Croatia.svg Martin Kodrić 2020–2021, 2022 (Jan)

By manufacturer

WinsManufacturerYears
8 Flag of Italy.svg Ferrari 2012 (Jan), 2012 (Dec), 2014–2018, 2022 (Dec)
3 Flag of Germany.svg Mercedes-AMG 2013, 2022 (Jan), 2023
2 Flag of Germany.svg Audi 2019, 2024

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bahrain International Circuit</span> Motorsport track in Bahrain

The Bahrain International Circuit is a 5.412 km (3.363 mi) motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 Series, and the annual Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East. Beginning in 2006, Australian V8 Supercars raced at the BIC, with the event known as the Desert 400. However, the V8 Supercars did not return for the 2011 V8 Supercar season. 24 Hour endurance races are also hosted at BIC. The circuit has a FIA Grade 1 license. The circuit also has multiple layouts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suzuka 1000 km</span> Endurance sports car event

The Suzuka 1000km, also known as the Suzuka Summer Endurance Race, is an annual sports car endurance race that has been held at the Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, Japan since 1966. After a five-year hiatus, the event is scheduled to return in September 2025 as part of the SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yas Marina Circuit</span> Motorsport race track in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The Yas Marina Circuit is the venue for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The circuit was designed by Hermann Tilke, and is situated on Yas Island, in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Yas Marina was the second of four Formula One tracks in the Middle East, with the first being in Bahrain and subsequent tracks in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Juncadella</span> Spanish racing driver

Daniel Juncadella Pérez-Sala is a Spanish racing driver who currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for TF Sport. He is son of Xavier Juncadella and nephew of José María Juncadella, Àlex Soler-Roig and Luis Pérez-Sala, also racecar drivers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raffaele Marciello</span> Swiss-born Italian racing driver (born 1994)

Raffaele "Lello" Marciello is a Swiss-born Italian professional racing driver who currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup for BMW M Team WRT. A former member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, he was the 2013 European Formula Three Champion, a reserve and test driver for the Sauber Formula One team in 2015, and spent three seasons competing in the GP2 Series. He switched to GT racing in 2017 and became a works Mercedes-AMG driver ahead of the 2018 campaign, where he stayed until leaving in 2023 and subsequently signing with BMW. In 2022, Marciello earned his first major endurance race victory by winning the Spa 24 Hours.

The 2020 Intercontinental GT Challenge was the fifth season of the Intercontinental GT Challenge. The season again features five rounds, starting with the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour on 2 February and concluding with the Kyalami 9 Hours on 12 December. Dennis Olsen is the defending Drivers' champion and Porsche is the defending Manufacturers' champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020–2021 Gulf 12 Hours</span> 10th Gulf 12 Hours endurance race

The 2020-21 Gulf 12 Hours was the tenth edition of the Gulf 12 Hours held at Bahrain International Circuit on 9 January 2021. The race was contested with GT3-spec cars and GT4-spec cars. The event promoters were the Driving Force Events (DFE). This edition has been relocated from Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit to Bahrain International Circuit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">January 2022 Gulf 12 Hours</span> 11th Gulf 12 Hours endurance race

The 2022 Gulf 12 Hours was the 11th edition of the Gulf 12 Hours, and was held at Yas Marina Circuit on 8 January 2022. The race was contested with GT3-spec cars and GT4-spec cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luca Stolz</span> German racing driver

Luca Stolz is a German racing driver who currently competes in the ADAC GT Masters and GT World Challenge Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alessio Rovera</span> Italian racing driver

Alessio Rovera is an Italian racing driver. He is a Ferrari factory driver and currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship with AF Corse.

The 2022 Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS was the sixteenth season of the United States Auto Club's GT World Challenge America, and the fifth under ownership of SRO Motorsports Group.The season began at Sonoma Raceway on April 15, and ended at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 8.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casper Stevenson</span> British racing driver (born 2003)

Casper Stevenson is a British racing driver who is currently competing in the European Le Mans Series and the GT World Challenge Europe this year.

The 2022 Intercontinental GT Challenge was the seventh season of the Intercontinental GT Challenge. It comprised four rounds starting with the Bathurst 12 Hour on 15 May with the finale at Gulf 12 Hours on 11 December.

The 2023 Asian Le Mans Series was the eleventh season of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Asian Le Mans Series. It is the fourth 24 Hours of Le Mans-based series created by the ACO, following the American Le Mans Series, the European Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship. The four-event season began at the Dubai Autodrome in Dubai on 11 February 2023 and ended at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on 19 February 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">December 2022 Gulf 12 Hours</span> 12th Gulf 12 Hours endurance race

The 2022 Gulf 12 Hours was the 12th edition of the Gulf 12 Hours, and was held at Yas Marina Circuit on 9–11 December 2022. The race was contested with GT3-spec cars and Porsche 992 Cup spec cars. It was the final round of the 2022 Intercontinental GT Challenge, replacing the Kyalami 9 Hours. This was the first of a trio of Gulf-based events promoted by the Driving Force Events (DFE).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indianapolis 8 Hour</span> Prominent International Sportscar Race

The Indianapolis 8 Hour is an endurance sports car race contested at Indianapolis Motor Speedway using the infield road course, first held in 2020, making it the first ever endurance sports car race at this venue. The event is the US leg of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) and the finale of the GT World Challenge America series.

The 2023 Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup was the eleventh season of the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup following on from the demise of the SRO Motorsports Group's FIA GT1 World Championship, the third with the sponsorship of Fanatec.

The 2023–24 Asian Le Mans Series was the twelfth season of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Asian Le Mans Series. It is the fourth 24 Hours of Le Mans-based series created by the ACO, following the American Le Mans Series, the European Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship. The five-event season began at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang on 2 December 2023 and concluded at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on 11 February 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Gulf 12 Hours</span> 13th Gulf 12 Hours endurance race

The 2023 Gulf 12 Hours was the 13th edition of the Gulf 12 Hours, and was held at Yas Marina Circuit on 8–10 December 2023. The race was contested with GT3-spec cars. It was the final round of the 2023 Intercontinental GT Challenge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Gulf 12 Hours</span> 14th Gulf 12 Hours endurance race

The 2024 Gulf 12 Hours was the 14th edition of the Gulf 12 Hours, and was held at Yas Marina Circuit on 13–15 December 2024. For the first time since 2022 edition of the race, the race is not part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge. With that the race reverts to being split, unlike earlier editions not after 6 Hours but after 8 Hours. Also returning this year is the 992 Cup class reserved for Porsche 992 GT3 Cup cars.

References

    1. "Gulf 12 Hours replaces Kyalami as 2022 IGTC finale". motorsport.com. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
    2. 1 2 Kilbey, Stephen (22 August 2023). "Gulf 12 Hours To Stick With Original 2024 Date". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
    3. "Gulf 12 Hours win seals a dream season for Team Abu Dhaby by Black Falcon". www.gulf12hours.com. 14 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.[ permanent dead link ]
    4. "Victory for AF Corse in 2014 Gulf 12 Hours". www.gulf12hours.com. 13 December 2014. Archived from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
    5. "Kessel Racing win the 5th Gulf 12 Hours at Yas Marina Circuit". www.gulf12hours.com. 11 December 2015. Archived from the original on 19 May 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
    6. "Gulf 12 Hours January 2021 Edition relocates to Bahrain". www.gulf12hours.com. 16 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.[ permanent dead link ]
    7. "IGTC / 12 Ore del Golfo: trionfo Ferrari, Juncadella campione del mondo". FormulaPassion.it (in Italian). 2022-12-11. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
    8. "Gulf 12 Hours joins Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli". intercontinentalgtchallenge.com. SRO Motorsports Group. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
    9. "Gulf 12 Hours – Race" (PDF). 10 December 2023. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
    10. "Gulf 12 Hours – Race" (PDF). Endurance-Info. Gulf 12 Hours. 15 December 2024. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
    11. "Saintéloc Audi Wins Gulf 12 Hours After Optimum Penalised Post-Race". Dailysportscar. 15 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.