Pia Ohlsson claimed victory in the TCE class of the 24 Hours of Dubai on her debut in the Creventic endurance classic that traditionally opens the motorsport calendar, bringing the AsBest Racing Seat Leon Cup Racer across the line after a thrilling race that saw the team surviving technical issues mid-race.
Pia Ohlsson claimed victory in the TCE class of the 24 Hours of Dubai on her debut in the Creventic endurance classic that traditionally opens the motorsport calendar.
The German driver shared the wheel of the AsBest Racing Seat Leon Cup Racer with Thomas Alpiger, Mohammed Al Owais, Nadir Zuhour, and Christian Ladurner. The quintet ran a very consistent race and overcame some technical issues in the latter stages, which they had the margin to absorb, ultimately taking the chequered flag first in the TCE category.
Ohlsson was one of six female drivers on the grid and the only one to bring home a class victory in the 2025 running of the race.
Born in 1993, Ohlsson developed a passion for motorsport early. At the age of 11, she received her first motocross bike, and three years later, she transitioned to karting. By 16, she competed in several Dacia Logan Cup races, then founded Nano Racing and gained experience in touring cars across Germany and Europe.
Since 2020, she has competed in the NES 500, also partnering with Ladurner since 2023. Endurance racing, including at the Nürburgring, is therefore not new territory for Ohlsson, who relied on her experience to manage the challenges of her first Dubai 24 Hours. She joined AsBest Racing in the #101 Seat Leon Cup Racer for the TCE class, sharing driving duties with a well-rounded lineup.
In Friday testing, the #101 Seat was third in class, later improving by two seconds in official practice to a 2:18.621 lap, with the top three in TCE separated by just one-tenth of a second.
During qualifying, Zuhour clocked a 2:17.696 in Q1, followed by Ladurner’s 2:18.068 in Q2. Ohlsson completed Q3 with a 2:21.429. Their combined efforts placed the team second in class, setting up a competitive race where staying out of trouble would be vital.
On Saturday morning, the 2025 racing season began with a 64-car grid, one of the most impressive in recent years. Christian Ladurner took the start in the #101 Seat Leon Cup Racer. Maintaining a clean approach, he stayed third in TCE early on, then passed the sister AsBest Racing car driven by Obermann to claim second after 20 minutes. When the class-leading #127 Porsche spun, Ladurner moved into the lead within the first 30 minutes of the race.
As the race progressed, Ladurner fell back to third, battling with the #102 Cupra, while the Porsche 718 Cayman reclaimed the lead. At the one-hour mark, the first round of pit stops began. Ladurner stayed out longer, cycling back into second during the stops.
The first Code 60 caution was triggered when Kiwamu Katayama’s #990 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup crashed into the wall on the main straight. Many teams opted to pit under caution, including the #101, where Ladurner handed over to Mohammed Al Owais. Al Owais resumed in second place and navigated multiple cautions and restarts, maintaining a consistent pace with a solid one-minute advantage over the #102 Cupra.
As the race reached its fourth hour, Pia Ohlsson took over driving duties from second in TCE, starting her first stint in the race. Although one lap behind the leading Porsche, the #101 Seat was running smoothly; Ohlsson quickly settled in her position, pulling away from third place and delivering a trouble-free stint as the sun set over the UAE.
Pitting for fuel on lap 113, Ohlsson safely handed over to Alpiger while the car remained in second. The #102 sister Cupra car encountered issues approaching the sixth hour, leaving the #101 unchallenged for second place.
Nadir Zuhour completed a clean stint, maintaining a steady pace. Ohlsson returned behind the wheel for her second stint in the ninth hour. Drama unfolded with 14 hours remaining when the TCE-leading SRS Team Sorg Rennsport Porsche stopped on track, triggering a Code 60: this handed Ohlsson the race lead on lap 212, with a three-lap advantage over the sister AsBest Racing Cupra.
Ohlsson extended the gap over the following laps before handing over to Ladurner. The #102 AsBest Racing Cupra served a penalty, further increasing the #101's lead. At the race's midway point, Ohlsson’s team led TCE with a 24-lap margin.
Just after the 12-hour mark, the #101 hit trouble and was forced into a long pit stop. Despite the setback, both TCE competitors also encountered issues, allowing the #101 to retain its position. After nearly 90 minutes in the garage, the Seat Leon returned to the track with Alpiger at the wheel during another caution period.
As dawn broke over Dubai, Ladurner experienced further delays, extending the team's stop to over an hour and a half. The #102 Cupra closed the gap to 50 laps with four hours remaining, however, the #101 rejoined with a comfortable lead and stayed clean through the final stages of the race.
In the last 90 minutes, Ladurner took the wheel during a prolonged Code 60 for barrier repairs. The #102 Cupra came to a halt in the final minutes, cementing the #101’s victory in the TCE class.
Pia Ohlsson crossed the finish line to claim her first Dubai 24 Hours win, becoming the only female class winner in the race’s 20th edition.
The team’s strategy and clean runs, incuding Ohlsson’s solid stints and ability to navigate traffic of the faster classes were key to their success: Pia wrapped up a remarkable debut with a well-deserved win in the 24H Series' flagship event.
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