2025 Gulf 12 Hours: GT3 Class Entries Confirmed
The 2025 Gulf 12 Hours is shaping up with 22 teams officially announced for the GT3 class, as confirmed by organizer Driving Force Events. Notably, AF Corse stands out as the only former winner on the grid, while defending champion Saintéloc Racing will not return to compete for the title.
In 2024, Saintéloc’s Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II was overtaken on track by Optimum Motorsport’s McLaren GT3 Evo, which was ultimately classified second due to pit lane penalties. Optimum Motorsport is set to return, entering two teams: Optimum Motorsport and its new partner, Inception Racing.
Inception Racing will debut at the Gulf 12 Hours with its Ferrari 296 GT3, driven by its established IMSA crew of Brendan Iribe, Ollie Millory, and Frederik Schandorff. This marks a significant move, as it is the team’s first outing with the Ferrari outside of North America.
Additional entries include Pellin Racing and Tigani Motorsport. The latter’s team owner, Nathan Tigani, expressed confidence in their chances: “Having Brendon as part of the Tigani line-up is exciting. We’re looking forward to competing for trophies in Abu Dhabi.”
Other notable teams entered include Tsunami RT with a Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) and GetSpeed Performance, maintaining its driver roster of Stephen and Brenton Grove alongside Jules Gounon in a Mercedes-AMG.
The GT3 class will feature a total of 24 cars across five brands: Audi, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, and Porsche. Returning teams include 2024 class winners Garage 59 and Herberth Motorsport, along with other former champions such as Car Collection Motorsport and Dragon Racing.
The 2025 Gulf 12 Hours will take place at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on December 14, 2025. Further details, including team car counts and machinery specifics for the new GT1X1 class, are expected to be released soon.
