Six 488 GT3s will line up at the start of the ninth edition of the Gulf 12 Hours, one of the most prestigious motoring events in the Middle East. One of them will be driven by nine-time world motorcycling champion Valentino Rossi will be making his debut in the 488 GT3.
The only rider in history to have won four different classes of the motorcycling world championship, Rossi will share the cockpit of the Monster VR46 Kessel Ferrari with his brother Luca Marini and his friend Alessio Salucci, in the Pro-Am class of this desert marathon. A fellow motorcycling world champion, Loris Capirossi, will drive the 488 GT3 no. 65 of Kessel Racing, partnered by Alexis De Bernardi and Niki Cadei. David Perel, Murat Cuhadaroglu, Marco Zanuttini and John Hartshorne will crew car no. 33 for the Swiss team.
Two Ferraris will take to the track in the colours of Iron Lynx, the no. 60 with Claudio Schiavoni, Andrea Piccini and Sergio Pianezzola, usually involved in ELMS, and the no. 83 driven by the all-female crew of Manuela Gostner, Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting and Deborah Mayer.
Then, last but not least, the 488 GT3 of AF Corse features the quartet of Tani Hanna, the Lebanese winner of the Ferrari Challenge Coppa Shell, Christoph Ulrich, Kriton Lentoudis, and Rui Aguas.
In 2018, the Ferraris of Kessel Racing scored a double victory in the Gulf 12 Hours, triumphing both overall and in the Gentlemen’s class. Alessandro Pier Guidi, Davide Rigon and Michael Broniszewski clinched the win in the Pro class, while Fons Scheltema, Rick Lovat and Murat Cuhadaroglu, assisted by Niki Cadei, emerged victorious in the Gentlemen’s class.
The programme kicks off on Thursday with the first free practice sessions while on Friday, once the unofficial practice sessions are over, qualifying will start at 5 pm local time. On Sunday, the first six-hour stint starts at 9:30 am, while the second and final part sets off at 5:30 pm and finishes at 11:30 pm.