Herberth Porsche Leads at Six-Hour Mark in Dubai

Photo: John Dagys

It’s a Porsche 1-2 at the six-hour mark, with the No. 911 Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R out front in the Hankook 24 Hours of Dubai.

Ralf Bohn holds a 1 minute and 16-second lead over the No. 12 Manthey Racing Porsche of Jochen Krumbach, in a race that has gone the way of the German manufacturer so far.

Bohn’s co-driver, 2015 FIA World Endurance Champion Brendon Hartley, enjoyed a strong stint, his first in race conditions in a GT3-spec Porsche, before handing over the German driver just prior to the top of the hour.

The pole-sitting No. 2 Black Falcon Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Manuel Metzger runs in third, one just 11 seconds behind Krumbach’s Porsche, after an equally solid and trouble-free run.

The top-three have exchanged the lead through the rotation of pit stops, in what’s been a relatively trouble-free race up front.

The only contending A6-Pro car to hit trouble has been the No. 4 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS of Ruben Maes, who had contact with the No. 963 Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracan GT3, while battling for eighth.

Maes’ Audi stopped on track in Turn 1 to bring out a local yellow.

No fewer than three Code 60s slowed the field since the second hour, most notably a 45-minute neutralization period when Adrian Amstutz’s No. 964 Grasser Lamborghini became lodged on the No. 303 Red Camel Racing Seat Leon after contact.

Safety workers struggled to free the two cars, causing a lengthy delay.

Moments after the race resumed, there was another Code 60 for a multi-car pileup, although not involving any of the overall leading contenders.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John