Solenn Amrouche secured a podium finish on her first Dubai 24 Hours participation, clinching third place in the GTX class, showcasing good speed amidst some technical issues that didn’t prevent the Vortex drivers from celebrating a hard-earned podium.
Solenn Amrouche secured a podium finish on her first Dubai 24 Hours participation, as the Vortex V8 team clinched third place in the GTX class, showcasing good speed amidst some technical issues that didn’t prevent the drivers of the French team from celebrating a hard-earned podium.
Amrouche has contested select rounds in the 24H Series in 2024, as well as in the Ultimate Cup and the Spanish GT Championship (GT-CET), where she finished fourth in the class standings despite a part-time campaign. The French driver has made strong steps forward over the last couple of years, improving in both sprint races and the endurance format, putting in the work and effort as she aims to climb the sports car ladder.
"This race was very special to me because it was my first Dubai race, and I’ve always dreamed of participating in it, of putting myself in a tight spot", Solenn told us. "I trained extensively for this event and was more than ready."
Having gotten to grips with the new Vortex 2.0 machine in 2024, when the new generation of the car was introduced and developed by Solenn alongside her Vortex teammates in several series, the crew aimed for a competitive outing in Dubai.
Amrouche however would have to learn the track, so she focused on that task during the pre-event testing and official practice on Friday. The team recorded a 2:06.767 in the first Friday session and improved to 2:06.369 in the second session - however, the event would be about the long game.
"After very short practice sessions to learn the circuit, I went straight into the qualifying rounds", Solenn explained.
Philippe Bonnel went out first and set a time of 2:05.431, then Solenn's father, Lionel Amrouche, was in the car for Q2 and posted a 2:04.492. Solenn took over driving duties in Q3, and her fastest lap was a very solid 2:04.802, which resulted in a combined effort of an average 2:04.908, placing the #701 Vortex in fourth place in the GTX class ahead of the race.
"I was quite frustrated not to have beaten my father", Solenn said, "but at least we were all within similar times, which is perfect for endurance racing."
"To decide who would start, I met all the criteria according to my team manager", she continued. "However, since it was uncertain how I would cope with the intense heat in Dubai, and because my father had never taken the start in 13 previous participations, we decided that Lionel Amrouche would be the one to start. So, it was a year of firsts: my first race and his first time taking the start."
On Saturday morning, the 2025 racing season got underway with a 64-car grid—one of the most impressive lineups of recent years for the 20th running of the Creventic endurance race. Lionel Amrouche took the start for the first time, moving from fifth to third in class with a clean getaway.
Despite losing a position to Roman Rusinov’s Rossa LM GT early on, Lionel ran consistently through the first stint. The opening hour saw minimal incidents, but as the first pit stop window approached, the race's dynamics began to shift.
The first Code 60 caution was triggered when the #990 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup of Kiwamu Katayama crashed heavily on the main straight. Many teams, including the Vortex crew, opted to refuel under caution.
Once the race resumed, another major incident at Turn 2 involving Frederic Jousset’s Motopark Mercedes brought out a second Code 60. After the two-hour mark, Gilles Courtois replaced Lionel in the #701 Vortex for the second stint. Courtois initially retained fourth in class but faced challenges in traffic as well as in one of the Code 60 procedures. However, he managed to hold on to third in GTX.
Philippe Bonnel then took over and delivered a smoother stint, stabilizing the team’s position. A brief Code 60 for debris allowed the team to pit strategically, and Solenn Amrouche began her first stint of the race.
Rejoining in second place in GTX, Solenn quickly found her rhythm, delivering consistent laps despite a minor mechanical issue that required an additional pit stop. The delay dropped the Vortex two laps behind the #111 IRC GT car, but Solenn’s pace kept the team firmly in contention for a class podium.
Solenn Amrouche was back in the Vortex with 13 hours to to go, taking over from third in class and delivered one of her best stints in the series to date; with great consistency and much improved lap times, she made her way back into second in GTX as the race reached its mid-way point. The tenths neutralization in the race gave her the opportunity to pit under caution and handed over to her father Lionel.
"We began fifth in our category, and little by little, we moved up to second place by midnight to score the mid-race points."
In the second half, however, the race’s intensity continued to escalate.
Lionel returned to the car for a stint but encountered a puncture with 10 hours and 20 minutes remaining. The team’s quick work in the pits minimized the time loss, but the Vortex soon faced another setback when Gilles Courtois brought the car into the garage for repairs.
The #701 Vortex spent 47 minutes in the pits, re-emerging in third place, now over 20 laps behind the second-place #111 IRC GT car. Philippe Bonnel took the wheel and pushed to recover ground, with a smoother run.
As dawn broke, Solenn returned to the track, following her strong run earlier in the evening, with lap times that matched her teammates’ best efforts. However, an issue just 12 minutes into her stint forced the car to a halt, bringing out another Code 60 caution.
The team identified a gearbox problem but could not fully repair it in time to rejoin the race competitively.
"Towards the end of the race, we encountered an issue with the gearbox and couldn’t continue", Solenn summarized. "However, since we had completed more than 70% of the race and had a significant lead over the fourth-place team, we kept our third-place position and finished on the podium."
Despite the technical failure ending their race prematurely, the Vortex team’s earlier efforts secured Solenn Amrouche, Lionel Amrouche, Philipp Bonnel and Gilles Courtois third place in the GTX class.
The young Frenchwoman demonstrated significant improvements, particularly in managing traffic and maintaining consistency during her stints. Her determination, combined with the team’s fighting spirit to overcome the issues thrown at them, resulted in hard-earned silverware and a promising debut at Creventic’s flagship event.
"It’s a shame we didn’t cross the finish line, but I’m determined to do so next year" - she concluded, eager to top her first participation in the future.
With her first Dubai 24 Hours behind her, Solenn aims to carry this momentum into the rest of her 2025 racing season, with her full programs yet to be confirmed.
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