TFT Racing secured a landmark pole position for the Michelin 24H Dubai, as Benjamin Paque produced a stunning lap in the series’ first-ever GT3 ‘Top 10 Shoot-Out’. Consequently, the Belgian driver placed the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO firmly at the front of the grid.
Paque’s decisive lap of 1m55.597 seconds proved untouchable. Not only did it secure overall GT3 pole, but it also delivered class honours in GT3 PRO-AM. Meanwhile, Pierre Kaffer pushed hard in the Sainteloc Junior Team Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II but ultimately finished 0.252 seconds behind.
After the session, Paque reflected on his performance: “I’m feeling great, so happy to be on pole”, said Paque, “I put in everything I had so I’m super happy. We worked together as a team, we had a good car, so thank you to my mechanics, engineers and my team-mates [Patrick Charlaix, Jordan Boisson, Marvin Klein] for the support. We’ll see what happens in the race.”
Tight margins define Top 10 Qualifying battle at 2026 24H Dubai
The fight behind the front row proved equally intense. Optimum Motorsport’s McLaren 720S GT3 EVO, driven by Benjamin Goethe, secured third place on the grid. Notably, he edged Kelvin van der Linde in the Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO by just 0.033 seconds.
Earlier in qualifying, competition remained fierce. The Winward Racing Mercedes-AMGs initially dominated the sessions, locking out provisional front-row positions. However, when it mattered most, neither car could replicate that pace in the Shoot-Out, finishing over a second adrift of pole.
Furthermore, drama unfolded before the Shoot-Out began. The No.777 Ferrari lost its top-10 place due to a technical infringement, allowing the McLaren entry to step in—and capitalise.
Outside the Shoot-Out contenders, Paradine Competition once again demonstrated consistency. Darren Leung, Ahmad Al Harthy and James Kellett secured GT3 AM pole for the second consecutive year in their BMW M4, underlining their strength across qualifying formats.
Red Camel leads competitive 992 category
In the 992 division, Red Camel-Jordans.nl emerged on top after a closely fought battle. Fabian Danz, alongside Rik and Luc Breukers, delivered the best average performance to secure class pole.
Muhlner Motorsport pushed them throughout, finishing just 0.3 seconds behind. Additionally, the 992 AM category proved exceptionally tight, with Rabdan by Fulgenzi clinching pole by less than three hundredths of a second.
Leipert edges GTX thriller as Cerny and SRS dominate lower classes
The GTX category delivered one of the most dramatic qualifying sessions of the weekend. Leipert Motorsport ultimately claimed pole, but only after a tense duel with Team CMR.
Initially, only fractions separated the leading contenders. Nico Prost brought the Ginetta close, narrowing the gap to just 0.005 seconds at one stage. Nevertheless, Brendon Leitch responded decisively with a superb lap of 1m58.804 seconds, securing pole by just over seven hundredths.
Elsewhere, Cerny Motorsport controlled the GT4 category from start to finish. Florian Sternkopf, Ivan Krapivtsev and Joshua Bednarski maintained a commanding advantage, comfortably securing pole in their BMW M4 GT4.
Similarly, SRS Team Sorg Rennsport delivered a dominant performance in TCE-TCX. Their Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS (982) consistently outpaced rivals, eventually sealing pole by a significant margin.
In contrast, the TCE-TC class saw a standout moment from the all-female TG-RR trio. Rio Shimono, Miki Onaga and Aimi Saito guided their Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO ‘B Spec’ to class pole, highlighting both precision and teamwork.
TCE, GT4, GTX Qualifying results
Anticipation builds for 24-Hour showdown after dramatic 2026 24H Dubai Qualifying
As a result of an action-packed qualifying, anticipation continues to build ahead of the 21st running of the Michelin 24H Dubai. With multiple classes finely balanced and momentum shifting between teams, the race promises intense competition.
Ultimately, all eyes will remain on TFT Racing to see whether their qualifying dominance can translate into endurance success over the gruelling 24-hour contest.
