Bortolotti, Grasser Take Second Consecutive 24H Dubai Pole

Photo: Petr Fryba/Creventic

Grasser Racing Team is on pole for the Hankook 24 Hours of Dubai for the second year running, with Mirko Bortolotti going fastest in Thursday afternoon’s qualifying session.

The Italian repeated his success from the same session last year to put his No. 63 Lamborghini Huracan GT3, which he shares with Christian Engelhart, Rolf Ineichen and Mark Ineichen, on pole.

His lap time of 1:57.446 was over seven-tenths slower than his comparable time set in qualifying 12 months ago, however.

Bortolotti switched places with Car Collection Motorsport’s Christopher Haase late in the 45-minute GT qualifying session, while Haase’s fellow Audi factory drivers Markus Winkelhock and Christopher Mies were also in the mix.

Haase ultimately qualified second with a time 0.189 seconds off the pace, while Mies and Winkelhock put their WRT and BWT by Muecke Motorsport cars on the second row. 

Dennis Lind scored A6-Am class pole for Target Racing, classifying fifth overall and a further five positions ahead of his closest class rival.

GT4 pole went the way of Cicely Motorsport with its Mercedes-AMG GT4 piloted by Frank Bird, ahead of Michael Schrey in the Hofor Racing powered by Bonk Motorsport BMW M4 GT4.

Night practice is next on the agenda and will take place at 7 p.m. local time this evening.

RESULTS: Qualifying

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.