Dubai is having its very own 24-hour race for a couple of years now and this year it’s going to be bigger than ever. One sign of it is the presence of three Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 racers which alone can bring in a lot of spectators! This even is the last test run for the SLS GT3 and marks the completion of the development programme for the racing version of the car before the deliveries start in February 2011. The three cars are being entered by the customer teams Black Falcon and Heico Motorsport.
Next Dubai 24-hour race starts at 2 p.m. (local time) on Friday, 14 January 2011.
Press Release:
The official starting time is 2 p.m. (local time) on Friday, 14 January 2011. The 24-hour race on the 5.39-kilometre Grand Prix circuit of the Dubai Autodrome is being held for the sixth time in 2011. Around 90 cars are expected to take part, with drivers and teams from more than 30 countries registering for this long-distance race.
One victory and one third place in the autumn 2010 VLN races
As part of the development and test programme that started in June 2010, the customer sport version of the gull-wing was entered in three VLN races (VLN = Association of Nürburgring Endurance Cup Organisers) in autumn 2010. The ninth VLN race was won by Thomas Jäger and Christopher Haase in the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 entered by Black Falcon, and in the tenth race Bernd Schneider and Christian Mamerow (Mamerow Racing team) achieved third place overall.
Bernd Schneider and Thomas Jäger have absolved the entire development and test programme for the SLS AMG GT3. With five championship titles in the DTM, one in the ITC and one in the FIA GT Championship, Bernd Schneider is one of Germany’s most successful racing drivers. Jäger was a DTM driver for Mercedes-Benz from 2000 to 2003. Last year he won the championship title in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, and in 2010 he took part in the ADAC GT Masters (Germany). Like Bernd Schneider, Thomas Jäger is a member of the instructor team at the AMG Driving Academy. Since 1 October 2010, Jäger has also acted as a coordinator for the AMG customer sport department. As the central point of contact, he supports the customer teams in all organizational and technical matters.
Deliveries commencing from end February 2011 after FIA homologation
Production of cars intended for customers began at the end of December. After homologation and definition of the “Balance of Performance” by the FIA, deliveries of the SLS AMG GT3 will commence at the end of February 2011. The selling price is € 334,000 (excl. VAT)/€ 397,460 (incl. 19 % VAT).
SLS AMG GT3 integrated into AMG Driving Academy from 2011
In the coming year, customers of the AMG Driving Academy will be able to drive the SLS AMG GT3 on the racetrack themselves during selected events. The programme for 2011 envisages that only SLS AMG GT3 cars will be used for the “Masters” level, the most demanding level in terms of driving skills. With these unique events, the AMG Driving Academy will be offering a motor racing experience at first hand, and at a previously unattained safety level, from 2011.
