Reema Juffali delivered a solid performance in her return to GT3 at the 24 Hours of Dubai, having battled for the class podium until a mid-race issue and ultimately securing sixth in the GT3 AM class which still showcased her pace in a strong GT3 field.
Reema Juffali delivered a very solid performance at the 24 Hours of Dubai, battling for the top five in the GT3 AM class for most of the race. Despite a technical issue that cost the team several laps midway through, the Haupt Racing Team drivers staged an impressive recovery drive to ultimately secure sixth place in class, a promising result given the circumstances.
This marked Juffali’s return to GT3 machinery since her last appearance in the GT World Challenge Europe in 2023, where she competed under her own Theeba Motorsport banner in a Mercedes-AMG GT3. Since then, the Saudi star made a one-off appearance in the all-female F1 Academy championship as a wild card entry during her home round in Jeddah. It was her first return to single seaters since 2021, and she narrowly missed scoring points, finishing P11 in Race 1 at the 2024 season opener.
Later in the year, Juffali returned to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit for the GT4 Europe season finale, making her series debut. In her first-ever GT4 race, she demonstrated her versatility and racecraft by stepping onto the AM class podium.
Returning to the 24 Hours of Dubai - the race where she had made her sports car debut in 2022 - Juffali joined Haupt Racing Team in the #4 Mercedes-AMG GT3 alongside Hubert Haupt, Salman Owega, and Romain Andriolo—a competitive AM class lineup aiming for a podium finish in the 20th edition of the endurance classic.
The team showed promise early on, setting the seventh-fastest time in the pre-event test. They climbed to third in class during official practice with a best lap of 1:59.247. Qualifying brought even more optimism: Hubert Haupt opened with a 1:59.412 in Q1, followed by Juffali’s solid 2:00.577 in Q2.
Salman Owega’s 1:58.883 in Q3 sealed a combined effort that placed the #4 Mercedes second in the GT3 AM class and ninth overall on the starting grid—a strong position in a highly competitive field.
On Saturday morning, the 2025 racing season officially got underway with a 64-car grid, one of the largest in recent years. Hubert Haupt took the start in the #4 Mercedes, maintaining second place in GT3 AM and holding a spot in the overall top ten through the opening laps.
Despite briefly dropping to third after being overtaken by the HAAS RT Audi, Haupt settled into a consistent rhythm, running close to the #8 ProAm Ferrari and maintaining a solid margin over the next AM competitor.
As the first hour ended, the pit stop cycle began. Salman Owega took over driving duties, rejoining the race in second place despite a slightly slower pit stop. His strong pace kept the team in contention.
The first Code 60 caution was triggered when the #990 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup crashed into the pit wall. Many teams, including the #4 crew, capitalized on the yellow flag to refuel. Owega’s excellent pace allowed him to snatch the GT3 AM lead just before the neutralization.
The second hour was marked by another Code 60, caused by a crash at Turn 2 involving Frederic Jousset’s Motopark Mercedes. When racing resumed, Reema Juffali began her first stint in the race. Immediately finding a competitive pace, she reclaimed third in class and closed in on the cars ahead. Navigating traffic from ProAm GT3 cars, Juffali executed a clean overtake on Bert Longin’s Haas RT Audi after a prolonged battle, moving into second place before pitting and handing over to Romain Andriolo.
The Frenchman impressed during his stint, advancing from fourth back to second place with a strong drive. After his pit stop, Haupt returned to the car and maintained second position through a consistent and steady run.
However, an unscheduled pit stop for a technical issue midway through the race dropped the #4 Mercedes to seventh in class. The setback cost the team four laps, but the drivers remained determined to recover.
Juffali returned for a night stint and continued to impress, delivering strong lap times and climbing back into sixth place as the sun rose over the Dubai skyline.
Morning stints saw Salman Owega and Romain Andriolo continue the team’s recovery.
Strategic refueling during caution periods allowed the team to remain in a position to attempt a recovery for the top five. Juffali’s pace during her later stints helped secure crucial positions, including a clean overtake that moved the car into fifth place temporarily.
With three hours and 45 minutes remaining, another Code 60 allowed the team to refuel again. Haupt took the car for the final stint, running consistently faster than the #20 Huber Motorsport Porsche ahead. In the final 25 minutes, Haupt closed a six-second gap and executed a decisive overtake to secure sixth place in class.
"We deserved a better result but this is endurance racing. I’m proud of the team and the effort everyone put in", Juffali commented. "Huge thanks to my teammates and the entire crew at HRT for their hard work and dedication. More to come!"
In her second 24 Hours of Dubai, Reema Juffali once again demonstrated her strong pace, and consistency, even after a year away from GT3 competitions. The Saudi driver is set to return to action soon for the 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi in just a few days.
I was really impressed with Reema Juffali's performance at the 24 Hours of Dubai! Despite the technical difficulties midway through the race, the fact that she fought for the top 5 for most of the race showed her resilience and talent. The race was as exciting as I was conquering the match in Basket Random. You can try it out!