Muhlner Motorsport to run Bahrain, Dubai 24H

Mühlner Motorsport to start in the 24 Hour races in Bahrain and Dubai
Winter season surrounded by palms, camels and desert

The Spa-Francorchamps based Mühlner Motorsport Team will use European motorsport's winter break to contest two 24 hour races in the Middle East with their two 997 model Porsche 911 GT3s. The containers with both cars and all the necessary parts and equipment are already on their way to the land of 1001 nights.

The first race is in mid-December in the form of the 24hrs of Bahrain. The Bahrain International Circuit has been modified for the purpose -- a longer configuration of the grand prix course is used, almost a kilometre longer than the GP version. Nonetheless, the Mühlner Team are hopeful that their experience from the Supercup race held their in March will stand them in good stead. The race, part of the support program to the F1 GP, gave the team, always very successful in endurance racing, ample opportunity to test their cars and find a good endurance set-up.

After Bahrain, the next stop is Dubai which will host its second 24hr race in mid-January. "The competitors who took part in the premiere last year naturally start with the advantage of prior experience of the track but we would hope to compensate for that with our huge experience in 24 hr racing -- we can draw on the experience of 12 class wins in 24hr races. Three times we've achieved a one-two in our class and even once managed a one-two-three" explained team boss Renate Mühlner.

On the driver front, not all decisions have been finalised. Choosing driver pairings which "fit" is a very important factor in possible success. The outright speed of a driver, his experience in endurance racing and resultant reliability and, last but not least, the available budget all have to be matched. "No easy matter" knows Bernhard Mühlner and further explains "we have frequently made the experience that a slightly more cautious but matched pairing can be much more successful than a team of quick, risk-taking drivers. The absolute no-no is putting a quick driver with a cautious one, as they then drive over their personal limits with consequential additional stress on material and higher risk of accidents."

Alongside the two oriental 24hr races -- the "48hrs of the Middle East" - Mühlner Motorsport's 2007 programme includes the 24hr races at the Nürburgring, at Spa-Francorchamps, at Zolder and at Silverstone. This "24hr Race World Tour" will, alongside their activities in the German Long Distance Championship and the Porsche one-make championships -- the Supercup and the Carrera Cup, play a central role in their programme. Furthermore, they are working on an ambitious programme which should allow them to lay the foundations in the 2007 season for a 2008 entry in a further 24hr race.

The "M-Service" department will also continue to support customers in the most varied of series both in the workshop in Francorchamps and on-site at tests and race meetings.

-credit: www.muehlner-motorsport.com