QMMF by HRT’s fight for overall 992 victory at this past weekend’s Hankook 24H BARCELONA might well have been even closer had the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation-affiliated team not been slower by a defective brake disc in the closing stages.  

The Qatar-German entry, which took AM class victory at the previous week’s Michelin 992 Endurance Cup powered by Porsche Motorsport, swapped the overall 992 lead repeatedly with newly-crowned 992 Teams’ champion Red Ant Racing in Barcelona, and was leading the class outright after 19 hours when the brake-less #931 Porsche 992 GT Cup was brought back onto pitroad with only four hours to go. 

The unscheduled change would end up costing the Qatar Motorsport and Motorcycle Federation entry, which continued its collaboration with 24H SERIES staple HRT Performance, more than five minutes in the pits, ultimately dropping the team to 2nd overall in 992. 

Despite the frustration, team PRO Julian Hanses, who also contested the 992 Endurance Cup with QMMF by HRT, was pleased to have picked up a second ‘AM’ class win in succession at Barcelona, despite his late call-up for both events.

“That was a mega event,” Hanses explained, post-race. “I had a lot of fun on-track, but also off it with my team. We work very well together, which is why we are so successful. Apart from the brake disc, the car worked really well and the team always did a great job during the pit stops.

“I'm always happy to be in a car with the guys. The race in Spa and here too were planned at very short notice, so it's all the nicer to be successful. I would like to thank QMMF for their trust and I am happy to have been a part of it all.”

QMMF by HRT got its weekend off to a solid start by qualifying third quickest of the 992-AM runners and 5th overall in 992. A strong opening stint by Julian Hanses meanwhile, who teamed with Qatari teammates Abdulla Ali Al Khelaifi, Ghanim Al Ali and Ibrahim Al Abdulghani for both events, meant the #931 Porsche was up into the top two in-class after two hours, and, remarkably, took the overall 992 lead after four hours. With no on-track issues to contend with, the Qatari-German outfit continued to swap the overall 992 lead with Red Ant Racing throughout the night, with only contrasting pit stop strategies keeping the pair a lap apart.    

“My stints went very well,” Hanses continues. “We were the fastest car in the field and, depending on the strategy and the Code 60 phase, we took turns with our opponents at the top of the overall classification.”

Sadly, the defective brake disc towards the end of Al Abdulghani’s final stint ended up dropping the #931 Porsche four laps behind Red Ant Racing, a cushion the Belgian team retained all the way to the chequered flag.

Ironically, a brake issue similarly denied QMMF by HRT a potential 992-AM class win at the 2023 Hankook 6H ABU DHABI in only the team’s third endurance race start.  

The result however still secured QMMF by HRT the 992-AM class victory in Barcelona as well as its second class win in only its second European start with CREVENTIC. 

After an impressive run at the Hankook 24H BARCELONA, QMMF by HRT has expressed an interest in contesting the 2024/2025 24H SERIES Middle East Trophy following its 992-AM Teams’ title win in 2023/2024.