The Leipert Motorsport team completed the prestigious 24-hour race in Dubai (UAE) with flying colours. At the first endurance race of the 2021 season, the team once again celebrated class victory with a strong quintet of drivers from the USA, Germany and Switzerland.
The 2021 motorsport season kicked off for the MOTUL supported German team Leipert Motorsport for the sixteenth year in a row with the Dubai 24 Hours at the 5.377 kilometre Dubai Autodrome. With Fidel Leib (Germany), Kurt Thiel (Switzerland), Oscar Lee (USA), Gregg Gorski (USA) and Gerhard Watzinger (USA), a promising quintet of drivers was arranged.
Fidel Leib took P2 in the GTX class in qualifying
About 6,500 kilometres away from the team’ s home town of Wegberg, the team started the qualifying last Thursday. The performance of the Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO, which was well prepared by the team, was perfect. And the qualifying driver himself also presented his skills: Fidel Leib lined up and took the second GTX class grid position (20th overall) for the endurance race.
Strong duels for the lead during the night – class win on Saturday
Friday noon it was time for the first announcement of the new season: “Drivers, start your engines” – Fidel Leib didn’t need to be told twice. The starting driver of Leipert Motorsport drove a double stint right at the beginning. The Lamborghini #710 led the GTX class after the second hour of racing and ran like clockwork. After 2/3 of the race distance it became extremely exciting at the front due to recurring lead changes in the GTX class. But at the latest after the eighteenth hour of racing it was clear: There was no getting past the Lamborghini #710 from Leipert Motorsport. The driver quintet defended the first position in the GTX class. The driver changes went off without a hitch and both – car and drivers – made it through the race without a hitch. When the chequered flag was waved at the end of the 24 hours, Gerhard Watzinger crossed the finish line as the final driver, several laps ahead of the runner-up. The Lamborghini #710 reached P13 in the overall classification.
The drivers happily accepted the GTX class trophies – due to Corona restrictions there was no podium ceremony for the individual classes. Despite all the Corona imponderables, a successful start into the 2021 motorsport season!
With the first victory in the bag, Leipert Motorsport travels directly to Abu Dhabi for the 6h race at the Yas Marina Circuit. The drivers Gerhard Watzinger, Gregg Gorski and Fidel Leib will give everything next weekend to repeat their success from the 24h race.