SunEnergy1 to Make 24H Dubai Debut with SPS Support

Kenny Habul’s SunEnergy1 Racing outfit will contest the Hankook 24 Hours of Dubai for the first time next month, with support from SPS Automotive Performance.

Habul, who has previously entered IMSA and Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli races with SunEnergy1, will bid for outright honors in a lineup featuring Mercedes-AMG factory drivers Jules Gounon and Maro Engel, as well as Mikael Grenier.

Engel finished third in the most recent 24H Dubai edition driving for Haupt Racing Team, while Gounon is set for his first appearance at the event since 2017 when he piloted a Konrad Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3.

The SunEnergy 1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo is one of two being run by SPS, which is also fielding a GT3-Am class car under its own name in the race on Jan. 14-15.

Valentin Pierburg, George Kurtz, Ian Loggie and Reema Juffali will share the German team’s No. 20 Mercedes-AMG.

Pierburg drove for SPS in Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS this year, while Kurtz raced a Crowdstrike Racing Mercedes-AMG in GTWC America.

Loggie is also experienced in AMG machinery and finished second in the British GT standings alongside his RAM Racing co-driver Yelmer Buurman.

Saudi Arabian competitor Juffali is set for her GT3 debut after running in the U.K-based GB3 single-seater championship.

“We are very excited about the first highlight of the season and are incredibly proud to line up with such strong and well-balanced driver pairings,” said SPS team principal Stephan Sohn.

“As it is every year, the opposition will be strong and a lot can happen over the course of the race. However, with a good strategy and a little look, we can be right up there at the front of the field this year.”

SPS last entered Dubai in 2020 when it finished seventh overall with a Mercedes-AMG driven by Pierburg, Dominik Baumann, Tom Onslow-Cole and Lance David Arnold.