Imagine witnessing the intensity of a race where the lead shifts in just moments – that’s exactly what unfolded in Dubai during the first hour of the Michelin 24H Dubai. And this is the part most people miss: the race’s early stages are often unpredictable and filled with surprises that set the tone for the entire event. Kelvin van der Linde, driving the No. 669 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO, took an impressive leap from fourth position to first on the very first lap. This bold move catapulted him ahead of the competition, immediately announcing his intent to dominate.
Initially, the surprise polesitter, Benjamin Paque, managed to hold onto the lead with a tight line through the first corner, steering the TFT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo with focus and determination. However, Van der Linde's aggressive pace couldn't be contained for long. On the back straight, the BMW sped past Paque, with Loek Hartog in the No. 10 Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R also making a quick advance. Hartog's incredible opening lap echoed the top performance he displayed at the 6-hour race in Abu Dhabi a week earlier, as he stormed from tenth on the grid to secure second place.
Almost immediately, the race was interrupted by a neutralization, with a Code 60 situation called at Turn 9 due to debris caused by the No. 25 Dragon Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 crashing off track. During this pause, Van der Linde narrowly maintained his lead over Hartog and Paque. Once racing resumed after approximately six minutes, the top two began to pull away from Paque, who struggled to keep pace with these more seasoned drivers. By the end of the first hour, Van der Linde held a slim two-second advantage over Hartog, with Paque falling back further.
The turning point for the rookie driver James Kellett came when he overtook Paque at Turn 10 in his Paradine Competition BMW, moving from 12th to third and beginning a rapid ascent up the field. Meanwhile, Paque dropped precipitously through the field, eventually ending the hour in 16th position. On the other hand, Maro Engel was emerging strongly, holding onto fourth in the No. 16 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG, while Augusto Farfus in the second Paradine BMW was close behind in fifth. Jules Gounon also made notable progress from 15th on the grid, climbing into sixth place aboard the Grove Racing by GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG.
Not all drivers enjoyed a smooth start; Elia Erhart, driving the No. 18 Sainteloc Junior Team Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II that had started on the front row, faced difficulties and fell back to 19th place, unable to keep pace with the more experienced competitors.
In the 992 division, the pole-sitting No. 909 Red Camel-Jordans.nl entry from Abu Dhabi maintained its lead and showed resilience in Dubai, avoiding the early-race drama. Meanwhile, the GT4 division also saw stability at the top, with the Cerny Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 holding onto pole position. However, the GTX class experienced a notable change in leadership as Roman Rusinov’s Rossa LM GT overtook the Leipert Motorsport Lamborghini Super Trofeo that had started from pole, highlighting how quickly fortunes can change over the course of a race.
This early hour has set an exciting tone for the race, reminding us that in endurance racing, nothing is finalized until the checkered flag drops. Will Van der Linde’s aggressive start translate into a victory, or will the unpredictable nature of racing throw up more surprises? Share your thoughts—do you agree with the early leaders, or do you see a different contender emerging as the race progresses?
