Triumph for Kessel Racing by Car Guy at the 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi

The 488 GT3 Evo 2020 Ferrari belonging to Kessel Racing by Car Guy took top honours at the end of the 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi, the final round of the Asian Le Mans Series, accompanied on the podium by the Rinaldi Racing-run Ferrari, claiming another third place, adding to the previous one at the second 4 Hours of Dubai. In Am class, runner-up spot went to the Ferrari of Kessel Racing while the recently-crowned champions Rinaldi Racing were forced to withdraw.

The race was decided with just eight minutes left when Jensen, leading at that moment, entered the pits for the final stop – a quick splash & go – which allowed him to hold on to the lead until the chequered flag. For the 2019 championship series winners, the race marked a sixth victory in three campaigns, adding to the four won in the title season, plus the another scooped at Australia’s 4 Hours of The Bend in 2020. Today's outcome was the result of both fine strategy and excellent stints from Ledogar and Jensen, while Kimura had driven in the opening stages which were hindered by over forty minutes of Safety Car intervention.

The finale, while something of a nail-biting experience for the garage crew of the #57 Ferrari, also featured a second Maranello car courtesy of Rinaldi Racing, with Davide Rigon involved in a three-way battle for second place. The official Competizioni GT driver chased down Renauer's Porsche and Barnicoat's McLaren, managing to outstrip the German driver to move in behind the McLaren, only to be hampered by lapped cars which made it impossible to spring the decisive final attack, eventually crossing the line in third place.

Ferrari crews found themselves involved in various contacts which triggered two Safety Car interventions in the opening hours of the race, which would eventually lead to the retirement of four Maranello vehicles. The accident involving the two AF Corse-run 488 GT3 Evo 2020s, with Francesco Piovanetti and Thomas Flohr at the wheel at the time of the incident, subsequently forced the drivers to undergo checks at the medical centre, whose results turned out to be complication-free. The Formula Racing Ferrari, which had been on yesterday’s podium, likewise retired, as did the car belonging to recently-crowned Am champions Rinaldi Racing, due to a mechanical issue. Second final place, in the latter class, went to the Kessel Racing crew made up of Roda-Zollo-Kohmann.

The result means that Rinaldi Racing wrap up the Asian Le Mans Series season in third place in the GT3 standings, making them eligible to participate in the forthcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans.