Max endurance is needed for Dubai

NORTH Yorkshire driver Max Coates has revealed he will race in the 2018 Dubai 24-hour in January.

The Scorton tintop favourite will line up alongside BTCC star Adam Morgan in the Ciceley Motorsport team.

Coates, who has just completed his second year in the Renault UK Clio Cup with Ciceley Motorsport, will be back in a Clio as the pair take on the tough endurance race.

The 24 Hours of Dubai forms the opening round of the seven-race 24-hour series, which takes in some of the biggest and best tracks in the world.

Coates and Morgan – who is also a long-standing member of the Ciceley outfit – will head to the track for a week ahead of the big race on January 13, in what will be Coates’ first race overseas.

The pair got their first shakedown of the Clio which they will use in the race at a test at Donington Park on Thursday, and now Coates admits he is feeling confident about the event.

“I’m really excited to be joining the Ciceley Motorsport team for the Hankook 24-hour race,” he told the Sunday Sun.

“It’s my first endurance car race and my first time racing abroad, so the race is going to be a whole new experience and a big challenge.

“We tested on Thursday and everything went well, so it all looks good.”

Coates has been an integral part of the Ciceley squad since 2016, when he signed up to tackle the World’s leading Clio series.

He instantly gelled with the car, and dominated the rookie class, before taking an emotional first overall win at his home track, Croft, in June.

In his second season, Coates had another strong year, ending the season in style when he set a new lap record at Brands Hatch.

And while there are no plans yet finalised for 2018 beyond the Dubai race, he has made no secret of the fact he hopes to move into the British Touring Car Championship.

He made his BTCC debut at Croft back in 2015 with Team Infinity, but budget restraints meant he was unable to finish the season.

He ended up sitting out the rest of the year.

But while he is sticking with Norman Burgess and Ciceley squad at least until January for the Dubai race, he admits this doesn’t mean anything is sewn up with the team for next year’s season.

“It’s great to continue my relationship with Ciceley Motorsport after two great years in the Renault Clio Cup,” he said.

“Hopefully it is something that we can continue into the 2018 season.”