Date set for all-GT3 Gulf 12 Hours in 2023, additional race announced- entry package 13.12.2022: • Next date confirmed: 10 December 2023 • Gulf 12 Hours reserved for GT3 cars only • Additional six-hour night race for non-GT3 cars The next edition of the prestigious Gulf 12 Hours will be an all-GT3 contest taking pla

•       Next date confirmed: 10 December 2023

•       Gulf 12 Hours reserved for GT3 cars only

•       Additional six-hour night race for non-GT3 cars
 



The next edition of the prestigious Gulf 12 Hours will be an all-GT3 contest taking place on 10 December 2023 at the glamourous Yas Marina Circuit.



Following the 11th running of the event at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix venue last weekend, which featured the most significant grid of GT3 cars ever assembled in the Middle East, promoter Driving Force Events has confirmed next year’s race will retain its traditional December slot.



Since the first Gulf 12 Hours in 2012, the event has set new standards for endurance competition in the region and last week joined an elite group of the world’s top GT3 races when it hosted the season finale of the 2022 Intercontinental GT Challenge.



A capacity all-GT3 entry list is expected to be reached early next year following unprecedented demand, with organisers committed to maintaining the Gulf 12 Hour’s exclusivity as well as its exceptional team and driver experience.



With GT3 entry requests exceeding availability in 2023, combined with an increasingly professional grid, organisers have created an entirely new additional race, the Yas Island 6 Hours, inspired by the Gulf 12 Hours’ roots as a multi-class contest originally targeted mainly at gentlemen drivers.



The inaugural Yas Island 6 Hours will take place under lights on the evening of Saturday 9 December 2023 when cup cars, such as Porsche 911 GT Cup (992), KTM X-Bow GTX, Lamborghini Super Trofeo and Ligier JS2R, will be able to fight for overall victory.



Andrea Ficarelli, head of Driving Force Events, said: “It is fantastic to see how the event has evolved into a continuous 12-hour race, with the highest quality GT3 field ever which is thanks also to our great cooperation with the SRO.


 At the same time, it is also important to create something equally special for other types of cars, such as those which participated in previous Gulf 12 Hours. So, to a certain extent, we are going back to our roots with the Yas Island 6 Hours, which will add to the spectacle of the 2023 Gulf 12 Hours.”



An attractive entry package, including efficient logistics solutions, will be announced shortly for the inaugural Yas Island 6 Hours. Teams, drivers, media, and all interested in the event can register for further information via: https://www.gulf12hours.com/info/




About the Gulf 12 Hours


Launched at the beginning of 2012, the Gulf 12 Hours established itself as a benchmark for GT motorsport events in the Arabian Gulf region.


The first eight editions took place at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates between 2010 and 2019. Bahrain International Circuit hosted a special edition of the Gulf 12 Hours in January 2021 before the event returned to its spiritual home at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, for its 11th edition on 8 January 2022.


The 12th edition of the Gulf 12 Hours took place at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, on Sunday 11 December 2022 and for the first time joined the world’s elite GT races as part of the prestigious Intercontinental GT Challenge season.
The event is owned and promoted by Driving Force Events.
 



Driving Force Events Limited - photos SRO  Jakob Ebrey