Dunlop Dubai 24 Hours – Hour 8 Report
Not AF Corse’s Happy Hour

It’s hard to believe that we’re already almost a third of the way through this race; even harder to believe that we still have 64 cars circulating. Just six are showing as being in the pits for any significant length of time - #5, #12, #50#, #105, #82 and #32 – and it’s not inconceivable that we’ll see one or more of these again.

Three cars remain on the lead lap, two Mercedes and a BMW.

21:18 The #116 Optimum Motorsport Ginetta G50 has regained the lead of SP3 after dropping to 12th earlier in the race. It now trails the SP2-leading GT3 Viper by just nine seconds.

21:22 Matt Griffin is in the sin bin for a very lengthy stop for the #2 AF Corse Ferrari. Apparently, this was for speeding in the pitlane. “I think both Marco and Niki were picked up for speeding, but I was in the car and had to serve the penalty. Very frustrating to sit there for two minutes.” Jack Gerber takes over the Ferrari.

21:25 The #116 Optimum Ginetta takes its fifth stop.

200 laps have just been completed. Paul Truswell estimates 630 laps will be completed at this rate, which will be another distance record.

21:34 The #2 Ferrari and #101 Viper have had a coming together. Jack Gerber finds himself facing the wrong way at T1 and a long limp home. It doesn’t look good for AF Corse as the car fails to make it round.

21:41 The Ferrari is finally returned to the pitlane behind a tow truck.

The damage reveals itself to be significant, with the right rear requiring a lengthy rebuild. The car’s chances of a fightback are effectively at an end.

"I don't know what happened," said Gerber. "I braked for the corner and then felt a large bang!"

21:48 The Viper pits with a front-left puncture. The impact had dislodged the bodywork around the wheel, which has removed the clearance.

21:51 The Viper rejoins.

Nissan’s Darren Cox confirms that the GT-R is a retirement; “It’s Friday 13th and we’ve had all our bad luck today!”

21:52 Remarkably, the Ferrari is back out in the race; Jack Gerber still behind the wheel and in 17th place.

Despite all the excitement, Christian Frankenhout continued to lead the race in the #6 Heiko SLS, by 45 seconds from Abdulaziz Faisal’s #1 Z4, as the eighth hour expired.