DETERMINED Carmarthen racing driver Rhys Lloyd is hoping it’ll be third time lucky when he pulls on his helmet to take part in the Dubai 24hr race this weekend.
Frustrated but resolute Rhys, aged forty, has competed in the gruelling endurance race in the United Arab Emirates before but was thwarted both times.
The multi-talented Welsh driver Rhys, with varied motor racing experience gained over many years under his belt, believes he is in the best shape ever, both mentally and physically, to compete at the highest level.
“I’m absolutely determined to get the job done this time and drive over the line; for me, for my family, for Wales and for my team.
“I can’t wait to get back on circuit. I’ve been working really hard behind the scenes on my fitness and preparation. I know that I can bring lots of experience to my team having competed in numerous 24hr events.
“As a team we must first get through the tough night part of the race which is a massive challenge with the long dark nights.
“I believe that we have the car and the experience to get a fantastic result in Dubai”
Part of a four-man French team, Circuit Toys with Toyota Gazoo France, Rhys is the only Welshman competing in the race among almost 286 drivers in 68 cars.
The Welshman will be competing in a Toyota Supra GT4 Evo2 against drivers from as far afield as America, Australia, Japan and mainland Europe.
The Dubai 24 Hour is an endurance motor race first held in 2006 at the Dubai Autodrome in the United Arab Emirates. The race was created as a winter endurance event, giving teams of four to five drivers, especially from Europe, a major race during the off-season.
Carmarthen-based property businessman and multi driving trophy winner Rhys said: “There is no doubt that this is a major global endurance motor race which over the years has seen some of the top drivers from across the world compete over the 24-hr event.
“The race is regarded as being one of the toughest 24hr races on the calendar due to it being listed on the darkest 24 hours in the calendar with sunset at 5.30pm and sunrise at 7.15am meaning that more than 14 hours of the race is in darkness.
“The race, which is sanctioned by the 24H Series and originally organized by Dutch promoter Creventic, has become one of the most important endurance races outside Europe.
“Over the years, major manufacturers such as Porsche, Mercedes-AMG, Audi, BMW, and Ferrari have all competed and won overall honours.
“A distinctive feature of the event is its day-to-night-to-day racing in a desert climate, where teams must manage temperature changes, sand, and long green-flag runs.
“By the 2010s, the Dubai 24 Hour had established itself as the traditional season opener for international GT endurance racing and remains a key fixture on the global motorsport calendar.”
Qualifying for the event begins on Friday (January 16) with the actual race starting on Saturday (January 17).
Rhys competed in 2020 and 2021 In the Dubai 24hr but on both occasions the team failed to finish, once due to a mechanical issue and the other time due to a retirement as the result of an accident.
From the start, the Dubai 24hr Race was open to a wide mix of cars, ranging from GT3 and GT4 machines to touring cars and amateur entries, which helped it grow quickly in popularity. This multi-class format made the event accessible to professional teams as well as semi-pro-outfits.
Rhys Lloyd has had a varied and evolving motorsport career spanning rallying, saloon cars and endurance racing in TCR and Britcar competitions. The entrepreneur is the founder of Dragon Sport, a racing team that competes in national endurance and tin-top championships and runs a driver development scholarship.
