Women in the Dubai 24 Hours

The Reiter Engineering team in 2017

The Dubai 24 Hours is an endurance race for sports, GT and touring cars, promoted by the Dutch Creventic organisation and run at the Dubai Autodrome. It is a mass-start event with multiple classes and a large field of both professional and “gentleman” drivers. It is now part of a worldwide endurance series run by Creventic.

Women drivers have been involved in every edition of the race, since its inaugural event in 2006. In 2011, Claudia Hürtgen, driving a BMW Z4 for the Schubert squad, was part of the winning team. She has scored several podium finishes in BMWs. In recent years, Swiss Chantal Kroll of the Hofor team has been the leading female driver, with four class wins and a championship class win in 2016. Flick Haigh, from the UK, has also challenged for overall honours, along with her team-mates.

For the 2006-2009 races, the data below may not be complete, as entry lists with full team listings are hard to find. Team names have been included, for those who wish to refer to the earlier results lists.

2006

Schubert Motors 3 Claudia Hürtgen/Pierre von Mentlen/Johannes Stuck/Bernhard Laber/Thomas Jager (BMW 120d) - 9th (class win)

First Motorsport Belgium Kelly Jamers/Kevin Leest/Pascal Nelissen Grade/Dirk van Rompuy (Porsche 997 Supercup) - 20th

Orbit Autosport 1 Sheila Verschuur/Mike Verschuur/Tim Buijs (SEAT Ibiza) - 25th

Realizer Team Kati Droste/Stephanie Halm/Nicole Lüttecke/Catharina Felser (Mazda RX8) - DNF

2007

Pro Speed Competition 1 Alexandra van de Velde/Rudi Penders/Franz Lamot/Stephan Schrauwen (Porsche GT3 RS) - 3rd

Team Rhinos Stefanie Manns/Marcel Leipert/Joe Schmidtler/Igor Skuz/Vitaliy Bilotserkivskyy (Ford Fiesta) - 41st

Seyffarth Motorsport Gina Maria Adenauer/Jan Seyffarth/Hannes Plesse/Christian Hohenadel/Philipp Wlazik (Porsche GT3) - DNF

2008

Schubert Motorsport Claudia Hürtgen/Stian Sorlie/Heinz Schmersal/Jörg Viebahn (BMW 120d) - 15th (class win)

G Force Racing Catherine Desbruères/Daniel Desbruères/Philippe Greish/Christian Kelders (Porsche 997) - 18th

Achterberg Motorsport Renate Sanders/Frank Wilschut/Pim van Riet (BMW 120d) - 25th

Equipe Verschuur Sheila Verschuur/Harrie Kolem/Mickey Bertram (Renault Clio) - 26th

2009

Al Faisal Racing Claudia Hürtgen/Stian Sorlie/Paul Spooner/Abdulaziz al Faisal (BMW Z4 Coupe) - 2nd (class win)

TeamA Sweden Sandra Oscarsson/Per Oscarsson/Anders Frid/Jimmy Johansson (Volkswagen Golf) - 51st

2010

Al Faisal Racing Claudia Hürtgen/Abdulaziz al Faisal/Marko Hartung/Khaled al Faisal 9BMW Z4) - 3rd

Nicholas Mee Racing 2 Corentine Quiniou/Jalal Mahmoud/Tarek Mahmoud/Greg Audi (Aston Martin V8 Vantage) - 49th

RED Motorsport Karolina Lampel-Czapka/Marco Deutsch/Martin Roos/Gunther Deutsch (Lotus Exige) - 62nd

First Motorsport 1 Catherine Desbruères/Daniel Desbruères/Philippe Greish/Christian Kelders (Ferrari F430 GT3) - DNF

2011

Need for Speed Schubert 1 Claudia Hürtgen/Tommy Milner/Edward Sandström (BMW Z4 GT3) - 1st

Auto Sport GT 2 Caroline Grifnée/Thierry Mulot/Fabien Vericel (Renault Clio) - 29th (class win)

Besaplast Racing Team 2 Cora Schumacher/Franjo Kovac/Martin Tschornia/Rainald Mattes/Christian Leutheuser (Mini Cooper) - 30th

K&K Racing Valek Motorsport Karolina Lampel-Czapka/Michaela Peskova/Marcel Kusin/Petr Vallek (BMW 130i) - 40th

Nooren Autosport 2 Liesette Braams/Maurice Bol/Rich Pham/Sunny Wong BMW 123d) - 67th

Springbox Cyndie Allemann/Jade Handi/Amandine Foulard/Corentine Quiniou (Renault Clio) - 70th

2012

Saudi Falcons by Schubert Claudia Hürtgen/Edward Sandström/Abdulaziz Al Faisal/Faisal bin Laden/Jörg Müller (BMW Z4 GT3) - 4th

Fach 1 Auto Tech Andrina Gugger/Marco Zolin/Daniel Allemann/Martin Rogginger/Swen Dolenc (Porsche 997 GT3 R) - 13th

Exagon Engineering Catherine Desbruères/Daniel Desbruères/Christian Kelders/Maurice Gouteyron (Porsche 997 GT3 R) - 21st

Besaplast Racing Team 2 Cora Schumacher/Franjo Kovac/Martin Tschornia/Fredrik Lestrup/Reinhard Nehls (Mini Cooper) - 25th (class win)

Besaplast Racing Team 1 Stephanie Halm/Franjo Kovac/Martin Tschornia/Roland Asch/Sebastian Asch (Porsche 997 GT3 R) - 28th

Kuepperracing Chantal Kroll/Martin Kroll/Michael Kroll/Raffi Bader/Bernd Küpper (BMW E46 Coupe) - 36th

Racingdivas Liesette Braams/Sandra van der Sloot/Paulien Zwart/Sheila Verschuur/Gaby Uljee (Renault Clio) - 39th

Gulf Team First Keiko Ihara/Yusuf Bassil/Martin Baerschmidt/John Iossifidis (Aston Martin Vantage) - 50th

2013

B2F Competition Laetitia Tortelier/Pascal Colon/Benoit Fretin/Bruno Fretin (Porsche 997) - 23rd

Racing Divas Team Schubert Liesette Braams/Sandra van der Sloot/Paulien Zwart/Sheila Verschuur/Gaby Uljee (BMW 320D) - 26th (class win)

Optimum Motorsport Flick Haigh/Lee Mowle/Joe Osborne/Ryan Ratcliffe (Ginetta G50) - 27th

Kuepperracing Chantal Kroll/Martin Kroll/Michael Kroll/Roland Eggimann/Bernd Küpper (BMW E46 Coupe) - 35th (class win)

Saudi Falcons Team Schubert 2 Claudia Hürtgen/Abdulaziz Al Faisal/Faisal bin Laden/Jörg Müller/Dirk Müller (BMW Z4 GT3) - 38th

GT Academy Team RJN2 Sabine Schmitz/Peter Pyzera/Alex Buncombe/Steve Doherty/Mark Schulzhitskiy (Nissan 370Z) - 43rd

2014

Walkenhorst Motorsport Claudia Hürtgen/Daniela Schmid/Henry Walkenhorst/Jens Richter/Ralf Oeverhaus (BMW Z4 GT3) - 6th

SX Team Schubert Claudia Hürtgen/Dirk Werner/Paul Dalla Lana/Bill Auberlen/Dane Cameron (BMW Z4 GT3) - 10th

Racing Divas Team Schubert Sandra van der Sloot/Paulien Zwart/Gaby Uljee/Shirley van der Lof/Natasja Smit Sø (BMW 320D) - 31st (class win)

Bonk Motorsport Liesette Braams/Jörg Hatscher/Michael Bonk/Max Partl/Ralf Oeverhaus (BMW M3 GT4) - 40th

Hofor-Kuepperracing Chantal Kroll/Martin Kroll/Michael Kroll/Roland Eggimann/Bernd Küpper (BMW E46 Coupe) - 54th

2015

Bonk Motorsport Liesette Braams/Sandra van der Sloot/Gaby Uljee/Max Partl (BMW M235i) - 23rd (class win)

Speedworks Motorsport 2 Flick Haigh/John Gilbert/Paul O’Neill/Devon Modell (Aston Martin Vantage) - 29th

Hofor-Kuepperracing Chantal Kroll/Sarah Toniutti/Martin Kroll/Hal Prewitt/Bernd Küpper (BMW E46 Coupe) - 34th (class win)

KPM Racing 2 Gosia Rdest/Javier Morcillo/Tom Wilson/Lucas Orrock (Volkswagen Golf) - 51st

Frensch Power Motorsport Lisa Christin Brunner/Martin Heidrich/Reinhard Nehls/Friedhelm Erlebach (Peugeot 207) - 65th

Car Point S Racing Schmieglitz Cyndie Allemann/Daniel Schmieglitz/Axel Wiegner/Heine Bo Frederiksen/Heinz Jürgen Kroner (SEAT Leon Supercopa) - 79th

2016

Hofor Racing Chantal Kroll/Martin Kroll/Roland Eggimann/Christiaan Frankenhout/Kenneth Heyer (Mercedes SLS AMG GT3) - 4th (class win)

Optimum Motorsport Flick Haigh/Ryan Ratcliffe/Joe Osborne/Frank Stippler (Audi R8 LMS) - 5th

Artthea Sport Nanna Gøtsche/Martin Gøtsche/Klaus Werner/Jens Feucht (Porsche 991) - 22nd

Century Motorsport Anna Walewska/Nathan Freke/Tom Oliphant/Aleksander Schjerpen (Ginetta G55 GT4) - 24th (class win)

Bonk Motorsport Liesette Braams/Michael Bonk/Axel Burkhardt/Volker Piepmeyer/Phillip Bethke (BMW M235i) - 49th

Team Altran Peugeot Sarah Bovy/Thierry Boyer/Jérôme Ogay/Michael Carlsen/Mathias Schläppi (Peugeot 208 GTI) - DNF

Sorg Rennsport Rebecca Jackson/Ricardo Flores/George Richardson/Chris James/Ahmed al Melaihi (BMW M235i) - DNF

Car Collection Motorsport Claudia Hürtgen/Markus Winkelhock/Heinz Schmersal/Pierre Ehret/Peter Schmidt (Audi R8 LMS) - DNF

2017

Optimum Motorsport Flick Haigh/Ryan Ratcliffe/Joe Osborne/Christopher Haase (Audi R8 LMS) - 4th

Hofor Racing Chantal Kroll/Martin Kroll/Roland Eggimann/Christiaan Frankenhout/Kenneth Heyer (Mercedes SLS AMG GT3) - 7th (class win)

Zest Racecar Engineering Gosia Rdest/John Allen/JT Coupal/Philippe Ulivieri/John Weisberg (SEAT Leon TCR) - 52nd

Reiter Engineering Naomi Schiff/Anna Rathe/Marylin Niederhauser/Caitlin Wood (KTM X-Bow) - 72nd

2018
Phoenix Racing Gosia Rdest/Joonas Lappalainen/Philip Ellis/John-Louis Jasper (Audi R8 LMS) - 26th
Besagroup Racing Cora Schumacher/Franjo Kovacs/Roland Asch/Sebastian Asch/Fidel Lieb (Mercedes AMG GTR) - 33rd
Hofor Racing Chantal Kroll/Martin Kroll/Roland Eggimann/Christiaan Frankenhout/Kenneth Heyer (Mercedes AMG GT3) - DNF

2019
MRS GT-Racing Gosia Rdest/Helmut Rodig/Wolfgang Triller/Yutaka Matsushima/Christopher Zochling (Porsche 991) - 18th
Hofor Racing Chantal Prinz (Kroll)/Alexander Prinz/Michael Kroll/Kenneth Heyer/Christiaan Frankenhout (Mercedes AMG GT3) - DNF
Hofor Racing/Bonk Motorsport Liesette Braams/Martin Kroll/Michael Fischer/Gustav Engljaehringer/Michael Schrey (BMW M4 GT4) - DNF
ERC Sport Katarina Kyvalova/Ryan Ratcliffe/Jon Minshaw/Gabriele Piana (Mercedes AMG GT4) - DNF

2020 (race stopped at 7h due to track flooding)
MRS GT-Racing Gosia Rdest/John Hartshorne/Ollie Hancock/Jukka Honkavuori (Porsche 991) - 18th
Cicely Motorsport Katarina Kyvalova/Adam Morgan/Jon Minshaw/Adam Butel/Jake Giddings (Mercedes AMG GT4) - 37th
ST Racing Samantha Tan/John Boyd/Nicklas Wittmer/Jon Miller (BMW M4 GT4) - 38th
Heide Motorsport Rahel Frey/Heinz Schmersal/Alex Welch/Mike Beckhusen (Audi R8 LMS GT4) - 41st
3Y Technology Beitske Visser/Gilles Vannelet/Nidal Baumgartner/Petr Lisa (BMW M4 GT4) - 57th

2021

ST Racing Samantha Tan/Jon Miller/Chandler Hull/Nick Wittmer (BMW M4 GT4) - 15th (class win)

Vortex V8 Karen Gaillard/Lionel Amrouche/Philippe Bonnel/Alban Varutti (Vortex V8) - 35th

2022

SPS Automotive Performance Reema Juffali/Valentin Pierburg/George Kurtz/John Loggie (Mercedes-AMG GT3) - 9th

Leipert Motorsport Betty Chen/Jean-Francois Brunot/Kerong Li/Joel Eriksson/Brendon Leitch (Lamborghini Huracan) - 16th

ST Racing Samantha Tan/Bryson Morris/Harry Gottsacker/Tyler Maxson/Anthony Lazzaro (BMW M4 GT3) - 25th

Autorama Motorsport by Wolf-Power Racing Jasmin Preisig/Fabian Danz/Constantin Kletzer/Paul Sieljes (VW Golf) - 47th

2023

S'Aalocin by Kox Racing Stephane Kox/Peter Kox/Nico Pronk/Tom Boonen/Dennis Retera (Porsche 911 GT3 R) - 21st

Wolf-Power Racing Jasmin Preisig/Ivars Vallers/Kalle Bergman/Andreas Hofler (Audi RS3 LMS TCR) - 37th

Dragon Racing Rhea Loucas/Leonidas Loucas/Bradley Ellis/Charles Hollings (Mercedes AMG GT4) - DNF

2024

S'Aalocin by Kox Racing Stephane Kox/Peter Kox/Nico Pronk/Tom Boonen/Dennis Retera (Porsche 911 GT3 R) - DNF

Century Motorsport Rianna O'Meara Hunt/David Holloway/Piers Johnson/Nick Halstead (BMW M4 GT4) - DNF

(Image copyright Naomi Schiff)

Liesette Braams

Liesette with the GT4 BMW

Motorsport has long been a big part of Liesette’s life, being married to racer Luc Braams and mother to racer Max Braams. The Las Moras team is run by the Braams family, with Liesette in a senior role. It is therefore not surprising that she took the wheel herself - more of a surprise that she waited so long (she was 36 when she began racing). Her first car was a BMW 120d, in which she did her first races in 2007. Luc started competing at the same time, with Max coming in a little later.

She joined up with the Verschuur team in 2008, who were working with Las Moras. They were competing in the Dutch Toerwagen Diesel Cup, still in a 120d. Her team-mate was Sacha Broer. She was 59th overall in what was effectively her debut year, but still ahead of her team-mate. In the off-season, she joined up with Sheila Verschuur and Luc Braams for the Dutch Winter Endurance Championship. She was 15th overall after five races, behind Sheila but ahead of Luc.

Liesette joined the satellite Mad and Darring team for 2009, still driving a 120d in the Diesel Cup. Her new partner was Gaby Uljee, another Diesel Cup returnee. This season, she was much faster, and closer to the pace of the leaders. The pair scored two podium finishes at Assen, two fastest laps, and were seventeenth and eighteenth overall (Liesette was 18th).

Another run in the Winter Endurance Championship gave her tenth overall, just behind team-mate Duncan Huisman. They were driving one of the Verschuur 120ds. For a change, she also drove a Volkswagen Golf in the VW Endurance Cup in the Netherlands, for three races. For the first time, Liesette, Luc and Max drove as “Team Braams”. They were 32nd overall.

Liesette returned to the Diesel Cup in 2010, a much improved driver. Driving a Verschuur BMW 123d, she achieved her first win, as well as an additional podium place, two pole positions and two fastest laps. She was sixth in the final standings. Her team-mate was Gaby Uljee once more.

After a couple of races in the Winter Endurance series, she started her fourth Diesel Cup season in 2011. Her car was still a BMW 123d, one of the Verschuur cars, but running as the “Techno Marine” team. She gained a new team-mate in Paulien Zwart, an experienced saloon racer who was returning from a year out due to pregnancy. Liesette was not at her 2010 race-winning pace, and she was thirteenth overall, with Paulien fourteenth.

During the 2011 season, Liesette took part in her first 24 hour race, the Toyo Tyres Series event at Barcelona. She shared a Verschuur 123d with Paulien, plus British drivers Paul Follet and Terry Flatt. They did not finish.

Early in 2012, she teamed up with Paulien, Gaby, Sandra van der Sloot and Sheila Verschuur as the "Dutch Racing Divas", for the Dubai 24 Hours. They were 39th and fourth in class, driving a Renault Clio. The team was the project of Sandra van der Sloot, and was supported by Las Moras.

For most of the year, Liesette drove a BMW 123d for Las Moras in the Burando Production Open championship. She and Sheila Verschuur were back to championship-challenging pace and were fourth overall, after winning three times. This year, Liesette tried out a few different cars: the 123d, the Clio, the 120d she was used to, and a Suzuki Swift. She used the 120d in a couple of rounds of the Dutch Supercar Challenge, and was seventh in class. In the Swift, she made two guest appearances in the Formido Swift Cup.

The Racing Divas reformed for the Dubai 24 Hours in 2013. They drove a BMW 320D supported by Team Schubert, with Liesette as the named lead driver. They were 26th overall, and won the A3T class. Despite this small success, they seriously struggled for sponsorship, and consequently track time, in 2013. Liesette left the team and pursued her own racing interests.

After the Dubai 24 Hours, Liesette drove for Las Moras in the Burando Production Open again, in the BMW. She was eighth overall. She did not manage to win this year, but put in two fastest laps, and ran quite close to the front. As a consolation, she won the Ladies’ award in the BMW Sports Trophy, which takes into account various racing series. She was seventh overall in the Trophy. This followed her most successful run in the Winter Endurance Championship, in which she was third. In a different BMW, she and her team-mates, Cor Euser, Hal Prewitt and Dirk Schulz, won their class at the Hungaroring 12 Hours. They were tenth overall.

Sticking with Eastern Europe, she also took part in the Lotus Ladies' Cup, finishing fourth behind her team-mate, Sheila Verschuur. Her best result was second, at the Hungaroring. The duo were running in Las Moras Elises, and led a small Dutch invasion of the hitherto Eastern European-dominated championship. Mid-season, she did a guest race in a Lotus for a Dutch GT4 championship, too.

For 2014, Liesette teamed up with Bonk Motorsport for the Dubai 24 Hours, driving a BMW M3. She and her team-mates were 40th overall, fourth in class. In the same series, Liesette was part of a team with Michael Bonk and Axel Burghardt for the 12 Hours of Italy, at Mugello. They were tenth overall in the BMW.

She also registered for the European GT4 Championship, in a Las Moras BMW M3 GT4. She and her team-mate, Rob Severs, were front-runners from the start in the "Am" class, finishing their first race, at Misano, in second, and winning the next one, the following day. They secured three more wins, at Zandvoort and the Nürburgring, and were championship runners-up. 
She took part in the Burando Production Open again, driving a BMW 123d. She won Class III at least twice, and was one of the front-runners for the class championship. 

For the first part of 2015, Liesette's year looked promising. She won her class in the Dubai 24 Hours, driving a Las Moras BMW M235. She was part of a Racingdivas team with Sandra van der Sloot, Gaby Uljee and Max Partl, a male driver. They were 23rd overall. Driving for the Bonk Motorsport team, Liesette then won her class again in the Mugello 12 Hours, in the same car. She was 29th overall, as part of a four-driver team.

Unfortunately, she had to sit out the rest of the season, after being diagnosed with cancer, and undergoing treatment. 

In 2016, she managed to return to the racetrack, as her treatment had concluded. She started the year with the Dubai 24 Hours, and was third in the Cup 1 class in a BMW 235, run by Bonk Motorsport. Later in the season, she raced in the GT4 European Series, in a Las Moras BMW M3. Her best finish was fifth in the Am class, at Zandvoort. She was eleventh in the championship. 

She was due to race again in the 2018 Dubai 24 Hours, but she caught 'flu and had to pull out. Her GT4 appearances were limited to the Bahrain rounds, driving the Las Moras McLaren 570S.

2019 started better with another run in the Dubai 24 Hours, in a Hofor Racing BMW M4, although she and her three team-mates did not finish. She went on to compete in the GT4 European Series in a McLaren 570S and was one of the leading drivers in the Am class. Her results included seconds at Monza and Brands Hatch and four third places, on her way to third in class. 

The shortened 2020 season included four races for Liesette. She paired up with Luc and Gaby Uljee in an Equipe Verschuur Mclaren 540C for two rounds of the Dutch Winter Endurance Championship at the start of the year, then raced in the Enna-Pergusa 24H Series double six-hour event in a Verschuur-run 570S. She was 17th in the first race, third in the GT4 class, but did not finish the second part. 

Liesette was signed up by Team Driverse as part of a rotating squad for the ADAC GT4 championship. She raced their BMW M4 at the Red Bull Ring and Zandvoort, earning a best finish of fourteenth in her last outing.

(Image from www.autosport.nl)