Hamburg Racing Team enters Dunlop 24H Dubai

Friday, January 06, 2012




HRT will enter three Aston Martin V8 Vantages in this year’s Dubai 24 hours. The VLN regulars have been working tirelessly since their last race of 2011 to prepare for the challenge that awaits them.

"One of the most challenging aspects of a 24H race is the high discipline” says team manager Michael Budde “To prepare a car and race with the car for 24 hours is an exciting experience for every team and racing driver. Our goal is to bring the Astons over the finish and to get in the Top 20 overall and to conquer a Top 3 position in the SP3 class," said Budde. "Since the last VLN race we are working hard on the right setup of our cars for Dubai."

"The main reason for entering the Dunlop 24H Dubai is because of the amazing international flair. Even when in January the season in Europe has ended, it is very exciting to meet race teams from all over the world on a very nice track, in such an interesting country."

Experienced endurance racer Shane Lewis will make his Dubai 24H début with the team.

"I am really excited about this chance to race at Dubai” said Shane. I've raced all over the world but never in the Middle East so that is going to be exciting. The fact that this race has so quickly become one of the major endurance races on the world calendar adds to that. I have great teammates for this race. Vic and I have raced together so many times I have lost count. There aren't many guys out there as quick and as reliable as Vic is and you can't ask for more in a teammate. Vic and I raced together with Karl Pflanz at Nürburgring and had a lot of success and I have heard really good things about Kim Hauschild. HRT is really experienced. They know their stuff and they have put us into one of the hottest rides out there. The Aston Martin Vantage is a legendary car and one of the few makes I have never run. I can't wait to race the car!"

“The challenges for Dubai are exciting. New car, new circuit, new team and 90 cars on a three-mile lap! HRT is a well-run team with plenty of experience. Michael Budde, the team owner, has been to Dubai recently to look everything over: the track, the pit box, the lighting, everything so we will have a leg-up on that. We'll also have the added benefit of working out of the Team Oryx garage in Abu Dhabi the week before the race. Vic and I are all over YouTube watching lap-after-lap of in-car footage to learn the circuit. The track looks like it has a nice flow. So, with all the cars and the momentum of the lap, working traffic is going to be the biggest deal. If we can stay out of trouble, I think we have a great shot in the Aston Martin."

Three Three HRT Aston Martins will compete in the extremely competitive SP3 Class in which Aston Martin team HMR finished second in 2011.

Qualifying starts at 4:00pm (local time) on Thursday, with the race starting at 2:00pm on Friday, January 13.

#31  Kersten Jodexnis, Ed Nicelife, Marcel Belka, Max Braams
#125 Kim Hauschild, Karl Pflanz, Vic Rice, Shane Lewis
#127 Oliver Bliss, Harald Schlotter, Eric Vaissiere, Philippe Ulivieri
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