Dunlop Dubai 24 Hours – Hour 22 Report
Getting Dusty

Max Buhk makes a potentially costly error with just under three hours remaining, when he dips below the #6 Mercedes’ reference time. With all their Jokers used up, this should incur a drive-through penalty and make their chase that much harder.

Jörg Müller commits the same transgression in the fourth-placed BMW, although both penalties have yet to be officially confirmed. One that has been is the second for the #5 BMW.

The #38 MRS GT Porsche has been in the garage for more than an hour and has dropped out of the top ten. The #99 Attempto Racing Porsche of Nicki Thiim moves into tenth.

11:18 Cars 1&9 have been given a drive-through; the penalty being rather more significant for the BMW than for the Lamborghini, we imagine.

The Besaplast Mini #80 has retaken the lead of A2 from the LAP57 Honda.

11:30 The #6 makes a scheduled stop – no sign of any drive-through yet.

#36 United Autosports Audi rejoins after its new gearbox is successfully installed.

Peter Kox drops in a 2:02.600. Penalty?

The Attempto Porsche stops out on track and is recovered the short distance to the pit.

A mini dust storm is blowing across the circuit, dumping fine sand on the track.

11:36 The second placed SP3 Black Falcon BMW is serving a very, very long stop & hold penalty. Its driver is fanning himself with the door as the four minutes tick down.

A sandstorm is definitely approaching as more and more buildings on the horizon disappear from view. Already cars are slipping on the newly changed surface.

11:45 Kox sets a 2:01.921.

11:50 VDS Mustang very slowly into the pitlane; looks to have lost drive, or has run out of fuel. It’s advantage over the #100 Nissan is 16 laps, so there is plenty of time to effect repairs.

11:53 Gerard Lopez pits the #15 Gravity Charouz Mercedes from sixth.

VDS Racing are ready to fit an entire live rear axle to the Mustang.

The Race Director is not impressed by the #5’s latest BOP-related drive-through, as the following timing screen message attests “No tanking. Do it again!”

Mark Patterson drives the #26 into the garage for his Audi’s 21st stop.

Two hours to go.