•    Exciting ‘shoot-out’ added to Michelin 24H SERIES Middle East Trophy finale
•    Dubai hosts first running in Michelin 24H SERIES of extra single-lap qualifying session
•    Important BOP revisions for headline GT3 class in Michelin 24H DUBAI

Gennep, Netherlands (13 November 2025):
January’s Michelin 24H DUBAI, the third and final race of the 2025/2026 Michelin 24H SERIES Middle East Trophy, will – for the first time ever across the entire Michelin 24H SERIES – deliver even more drama and excitement in qualifying, with the introduction of a new Top 10 ‘Shoot-Out’ session.

Event organisers Creventic first applied the concept in this year’s Michelin 992 Endurance Cup powered by Porsche Motorsport, at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. Proving incredibly successful, the format was popular with drivers, teams and race fans alike. 

As a result, the single-lap Top 10 Shoot-Out – which follows straight after the conclusion of the regular qualifying sessions – now forms part of the Middle East Trophy’s blue riband event in the UAE on 16/17/18 January. 

Importantly, the new session is only for the fastest 10 cars on aggregate times from the preceding three GT3 sessions. The selected driver from each of the respective GT3 entries will then have one out-lap from the pits before then going straight onto the single flying lap to try and achieve the best possible position on the first five rows of the grid.

The second highlight change to the Middle East Trophy regulations for Dubai is the Balance of Performance grading which covers cars in the headline GT3 class. In order to ensure there is the most level playing field possible in the aforementioned Top 10 Shoot-Out, all GT3 cars will be at the same mechanical level of performance whether run as PRO, PRO-AM or AM entries. 

As has always been the case with Creventic’s championships, the goal of the organisers is to ensure all of the many manufacturers and car models within GT3 have their performance equalised as much as possible to ensure the fairest competition practicably possible.

This new change means AM class entries will no longer have more power compared to the PRO-AM and PRO teams, and the additional ballast which full PRO entries carried – in comparison to the PRO-AM and AM entries – will no longer be imposed. 

The chief intention of the revisions to the Balance of Performance is to enable AM graded drivers who are running in PRO-AM and PRO teams to now be able to measure their individual performance levels against similarly graded drivers in AM entered teams. By extension, this means the Top 10 Shoot-Out at the Michelin 24H DUBAI will be the fairest battle possible between the quickest drivers. 

Casper de Kort, Sporting and Technical Coordinator at Creventic:
“The success of the shoot-out has been proven during the 992 Endurance Cup, so it makes perfect sense to introduce it in our biggest event as well. It has also triggered a system change in the BOP, which is not only beneficial for the shoot-out. All our teams, including those in GT3 PRO and PRO-AM, have at least one AM driver, who now benefit from the same BOP as the AM teams.

“The performance is slightly below the former AM BOP. Although the GT3s are the fastest cars on track, AM drivers can struggle with the 992 and GTX, especially in the PRO-AM and PRO classes. With this change, it will also become easier for AM drivers in the PRO-AM and PRO classes to overtake within their respective classes.”

For all the latest news from the Michelin 24H SERIES Middle East Trophy and the Michelin 24H SERIES European Series, visit www.24hseries.com