HRT, Winward Join 24H Dubai Grid

Mercedes-AMG squads Haupt Racing Team and Winward Racing will both make their returns to the Michelin 24H Dubai next year.

The two teams, which represent the Stuttgart manufacturer in DTM this year, will each field Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo machinery for the event at Dubai Autodrome, which is due to take place on Jan. 10-12.

Mercedes-AMG has gone winless in the 24H Dubai since 2020 and was represented by four cars from GetSpeed Performance, Grove Racing, Heart of Racing by SPS and CP Racing last year.

HRT’s last participation came the year prior with a pair of cars, both of which retired before the halfway point of the race.

Winward, meanwhile, was last on the grid in 2020, when it still competed under the HTP Winward Motorsport banner and entered a single car for Al Faisal Al Zubair, Maximilian Goetz, Maximilian Buhk, Christopher Bruck and Indy Dontje.

Team principal Christian Hohenadel told Sportscar365 that Winward’s Dubai effort will form part of a broader Middle Eastern program, details for which will be revealed at a later date.

Additionally, the two teams look set to be joined by GWR Australia, a team founded by Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS racer Garth Walden, which will also field Mercedes-AMG machinery.

Elsewhere on the entry list, Walkenhorst Motorsport has expanded its previously confirmed Aston Martin effort to add a second Vantage GT3 Evo.