On the top step in Dubai as 2025 gets off to a winning start

The Asian Le Mans Series resumed at the Dubai Autodrome over the weekend, and 2 Seas Motorsport got the 2025 campaign off to the best possible start with victory at the opening 4 Hours of Dubai. Drivers Anthony McIntosh, Parker Thompson and Ben Barnicoat climbed from P10 during the four hours, taking the lead in the final minutes to secure a first championship win. A hard fought P6 finish in the second race of the weekend keeps the trio in contention for the overall GT championship heading into the final race weekend in Abu Dhabi.

After the short winter break, the championship arrived in the UAE for the first of back-to-back race weekends, with the second pair of four-hour races. Anthony took on qualifying duties, and pace looked improved from earlier sessions fighting for a top 10 grid slot. A red flag just before the session end slightly hampered progress, but with the grid order for the races set by the two fastest laps of the session, the #96 Mercedes-AMG GT3 lined up P10 for the first race, and P11 for the second.

A solid start to race one moved Anthony up the order on the opening lap, and his pace continued through his entire stint. Moving up to P5 by the first hour mark, the race was then suspended for a prolonged red flag period. With a busy restart leading to a very congested pitlane with more than 30 cars stopping, the team quickly switched over to Parker, and the #96 was back out, and further progress was made as the race entered the final hour.  Pitting for the final scheduled stop from P2 and a switch to Ben, another seamless service kept the fight alive as the pitstops cycled through. Ben then continued the fight and steadily climbed the order, as the race settled into the final stint.

With 30 minutes to go, Ben was 16 seconds off the race lead, closing consistently over each lap of the Autodrome. Into the final 10 minutes, this gap had been reduced by half, and he was firmly in the leader’s wheeltracks with two minutes on the clock when they were forced to make a final fuel stop. This handed the lead to the #96 crew on the final lap, and Ben brought the car home to secure the first race win for 2 Seas Motorsport in the Asian Le Mans Series.

Race 2 started in much the same way as the day before, with Anthony battling hard, and on the front foot to gain positions across the opening laps. Another strong first hour stint saw him repeat his efforts from the earlier race, gaining five positions to be running P6. Several safety car interruptions followed over the middle section of the race, with various fuel and driver time strategies playing out, and Anthony made way for Parker as they continued to work to gain positions. At the third hour mark, they had combined to climb as high as P4, and very much still in the fight with the lead group.

The final driver change saw Ben back on track, and lapping as the fastest in the top-10 to close down the gap to the leaders. He made several passes, battling hard to defend his position while looking to continue his progress. This continued into the closing stages, involved in a three-way fight all the way to the line, eventually rounding out the four hours to cross the line in P6.

“An amazing effort by the whole team to kick off our 2025 campaign, scoring our maiden Asian Le Mans Series win. Also, for me personally, a very proud moment to hear the Bahrain national anthem played on the podium. We were slightly out of position after qualifying, but Anthony, Parker and Ben kept to the plan, and the whole team worked faultlessly across the four hours. The efforts of the pitcrew in preparation and execution, and the fact they delivered the quickest stops across the race, were a major factor in ensuring we were there at the very end to take the victory. It was a genuine team effort across the whole weekend, and it is great to still be in the title fight heading to the final rounds. Looking forward to heading back to Abu Dhabi and hopefully to be fighting at the sharp end for another victory to sign off the season.”

Isa Al Khalifa, 2 Seas Motorsport team co-owner.

The results combined over the weekend keep the #96 entry in the GT title fight, holding P3 in the overall championship standings with two races to go. The Asian Le Mans Series concludes this coming weekend with rounds 5 and 6 at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, 14-16 February.

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