SPS automotive performance opens the 2022 motorsport season at the Gulf 12 Hours

For SPS automotive performance, the 2022 motorsport year gets underway on the first weekend in January. The Willsbach-based team will field two Mercedes-AMG GT3s in the Gulf 12 Hours at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

Together with the 24H Dubai, the Gulf 12 Hours has established itself as the second endurance race on the Persian Gulf. From 7th to 8th January, SPS automotive performance will be at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, where it will take on the twelve-hour challenge with two Mercedes-AMG GT3s.

The #75 Mercedes-AMG GT3 will be driven by a very experienced trio. Kenny Habul (AUS), Mikaël Grenier (CAN) and Maro Engel (GER) will alternate at the wheel of the car sporting the SunEnergy1 livery. Habul, the Bronze champion in the 2018 Intercontinental GT Challenge, has shared a cockpit with Grenier for a long time. Together, they have claimed class victories at the Indianapolis 8 Hours and the Suzuka 10 Hours within the Intercontinental GT Challenge, and also finished runner-up at the 24 Hours of Daytona. The duo will receive back-up from Monaco resident Engel. The man from Munich can already look back on many GT successes, including overall victory at the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 2016, the Endurance Cup title in the 2018 Blancpain GT Series, and victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2021.

The number 88 Mercedes-AMG GT3, which lines up in the GT3-AM class, will be driven by Valentin Pierburg (GER), Benno Oerting and Christoph Lenz (both SUI). Pierburg, who finished runner-up in the Pro-Am class of this year’s GT World Challenge Europe, will take to the track alongside the Swiss duo of Oerting and Lenz. Oerting will be contesting one of his first GT3 races at Yas Marina Circuit, while Lenz already has a wealth of experience in different classes of car in many endurance races. The last time SPS automotive performance lined up at the Gulf 12 Hours, the team won the GT3-AM class. The goal for the next outing there, on 8th January, is to repeat that success.

Stephan Sohn, Team Principal SPS automotive performance: “We are pleased to be kicking off the season at the Gulf 12 Hours. We will head to Yas Marina Circuit with two well-prepared cars and highly-motivated drivers. It will be a fascinating race, in which we obviously want to achieve the best result possible.”

 

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