The Dubai 24 Hour 2026 marks the 21st running of the UAE's premier endurance race at Dubai Autodrome, and the entry list and schedule make it one of the most compelling editions in years. The event, officially branded as the Michelin Dubai 24 Hour, runs January 16–18, 2026, and doubles as the opening round of the 2025–26 24H Series Middle East calendar.
Dates and What Happens Each Day
The weekend spans three days. Friday, January 16 handles all practice and qualifying. Saturday, January 17 launches the 24-hour race at 13:00 local time (GST). Sunday, January 18 marks the finish, with 13:00 listed as the key timing marker on the official schedule.
If you want the short version: Friday sets the grid, Saturday starts the grind, Sunday delivers the checkered flag.
Friday Schedule: How the Grid Gets Decided
Friday's full timetable at Dubai Autodrome is structured as follows:
- Free Practice: 10:30–12:30 - GT3 Qualifying: 13:45–14:40 - Class 992 Qualifying: 14:50–15:45 - TCE, GT4, and GTX Qualifying: 15:55–16:50 - Top 10 Shoot-Out: 17:20–17:45 - Night Practice: 19:00–20:30
The Top 10 Shoot-Out is the sharpest hour of the day — the fight for overall pole at Dubai Autodrome in front of the evening crowd.
Entry List: The Names Fans Will Circle
The provisional entry list for the 2026 Michelin Dubai 24 Hour carries a mix of established endurance names and a few standout stories.
Team Parker Racing is one of the loudest talking points. The squad enters a Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo and has confirmed Dario Franchitti in the line-up alongside Robert Huff, Max Lynn, and Shaun Lynn. The car carries an art livery designed by Stefan Johansson, giving it an extra layer of attention in the paddock.
Grove Racing by GetSpeed also fields a Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, with Kai Allen, Jules Gounon, Brenton Grove, Stephen Grove, and Chris Lulham listed among the drivers.
Dragon Racing brings Ferrari interest to the field with a Ferrari 296 GT3. The team's #88 entry lists Giacomo Altoè, Khaled Al Marzouq, Ramez Azzam, and Oscar Ryndziewicz as drivers.
Amna Al Qubaisi Makes Her Dubai 24 Hour Debut
The UAE storyline inside the 2026 Michelin Dubai 24 Hour centers on Rossa Racing, which has listed Amna Al Qubaisi in the Rossa LM GT. Sportscar365 specifically flagged her entry as a Dubai 24 Hour debut — a meaningful moment for UAE motorsport fans following her progress through single-seater and GT categories.
Why This Race Matters
The Dubai 24 Hour is the traditional season-opener for endurance racing in the Middle East, drawing teams from across the European GT scene alongside regional competitors. At 24 hours of racing around Dubai Autodrome's 5.39 km layout, reliability, strategy, and driver management all factor into the result as much as outright pace. The 21st edition adds Franchitti's IndyCar legacy to a grid that already mixes GT3 factory-supported entries with ambitious privateer campaigns.
The full entry list and any schedule updates are published at 24hseries.com.
