Dunlop 24h in Dubai

Our friends over at Grove & Dean Motorsport headed to Dubai this month to compete in the Dunlop 24-hour endurance challenge. The Dubai Autodrome is one of the most challenging modern day tracks, with a variation of high-speed straights and hard-to-manoeuvre corners. The clever design of the track allows for 3 different circuits to be in place running alongside each other but still maintaining a safe environment for the drivers and their cars.

Andy Hancock, the Director of Grove & Dean Motorsport Insurance, joined the squad in Dubai managing the Grove & Dean Motorsport team which consisted of 4 drivers; Gavin Spencer, Frank Pettit, Carey Lewis and Brett Woodman. Andy himself is a driver, however, on this particular event he decided to take the back seat and manage the event and ensure that everything ran as it should.

The car that was submitted into the endurance race was the Seat Leon Supercopa which is based on the original MKI Cupra R model. Released in 2006 the Supercopa has been a choice for many teams across Europe. The Supercopa is in simple terms a special edition of the Leon FR+ and the 2.0 TSI petrol version offers a healthy 208bhp. Also added to the Supercopa is a one-off body kit only available for this model which has been adapted for a more aggressive motorsport look.

Grove & Dean Motorsport Insurance live and breathe the true passion of motor racing and understand all the needs for both the driver and their team. The results of this have meant that Grove & Dean Motorsport Insurance are now a part of Europe’s top On-Track insurers from anything in the Professional GT Series to Single seater racing teams.

Against teams with more financial backing, and employing professional drivers, Grove & Dean Motorsport qualified a more than creditable 57^th out of the 79 car grid, and right in amongst the other teams in their class. After a terrific opening stint, the team rose into the Top 50 at the first pit stop. However, it soon turned sour – and on the 2^nd driver’s out lap, the Seat was collected by a faster GT3 car and without the necessary parts to repair the car, the team had to retire. A disappointing end to a promising weekend.

Congratulations to Stadler Motorsport (#20) in their Porsche 997 GT3 R, the Swiss team managed to get 1^st place after doing a total of 603 lap which totalled a distance of 3,250.17 kilometres, for those who work in miles that’s a total of 2019 miles!

The next instalment for the 24-hour series starts on the 14^th of March in Italy with the 12H Italy which is then followed by the 12H Zandvoort in the Netherlands.  So make sure to keep any eye out!