Dubai 24 Hours beckons for DK  

2023 will pick up from where the DK Engineering team left off as James Cottingham is confirmed for entry into the Hankook 24H Dubai. In a switch from his previous GT3 competition, James will race the latest model from McLaren, as part of an Am entry with British-based squad, 7TSIX.

James will join the team during early January for this latest challenge, taking on the 24-hour endurance event at the Dubai Autodrome. Double the distance of his previous GT3 event, just last month, but making a debut in the DK-branded 720S GT3. It will be a baptism of fire, with the Dubai venue presenting new challenges, with its flowing layout and extreme darkness as the sun sets over the desert.

The Am line-up will see James joined in the car by former McLaren Professional Driver and International GT Open-race winner Fran Rueda, alongside Ferrari Challenge graduates Andrew Gilbert and Matúš Výboh.

7TSIX completed a first season of competition during 2022 running with the McLaren 720S GT3, racing against James in the Intelligent Money British GT Championship. The team successfully scored points at all-but-one round during the season, narrowly missing out on a podium with a season-best result of 4th place.

Following the announcement of his entry into the Hankook 24H Dubai, James explained: “It’s another exciting challenge, and great to keep the dk flag flying in the motorsport paddock in the middle east with 7TSIX. From a business perspective, we had a fantastic opportunity to engage with clients on a different level during 2022 when we competed in British GT and at the Gulf 12 Hours, but we were hit with a lot of bad luck which stopped us showing our true potential on track. I am really looking forward to pushing myself again, beyond anything I have done before in racing, and seeing what we can achieve together as a team. It will be a steep learning curve over the event, racing the McLaren for the first time while learning a new track, but I can’t wait to keep the momentum building and get 2023 started.”

The Hankook 24H Dubai takes place over the weekend 13-15 January, and the race starts at 11.00 GMT / 15.00 GST on Saturday 14 January.