Tony fired up for Abu Dhabi return

NORTH East sportscar racer Tony Wells is hoping for great things next weekend when he takes part in the 2017 Gulf 12 Hours.

The Middlesbrough-born driver, who now lives in Northumberland, will team up with Johnny Mowlem and Bon Grimes in the United Autosports squad for the famous 12-hour endurance race.

Held at Abu Dhabi’s famous Yas Marina Circuit, the Gulf 12 Hours has become one of the most prestigious endurance events in the world, with the 12-hour race split into two six-hour races.

Wells and team-mates Mowlem and Grimes have all raced for the United Autosports team previously, with Wells running a full season in this year’s Henderson Insurance LMP3 Cup Championship this year.

Ending the year second overall, with four wins and nine podium finishes over the season, he is looking forward to getting back at the wheel of the Ligier JS P3 machine.

It’s a car which Wells knows very well, having also raced it in the 2017 European Le Mans Series and the Michelin Le Mans series, and he will be more familiar with it than his team-mates.

Both Mowlem and Grimes have been racing a Ferrari GT3 in the GT Cup this season, but they did get an outing in the LMP3 beast when they joined the team for the final round at Donington Park.

This year will be just the second where LMP3 machin- ery is eligible for the Gulf 12 Hours, and comes after an announcement in the summer that it had been backed by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), meaning it now runs to the same LMP3 regulations as all other ACOrun series.

“I’m really looking forward to teaming up with United Autosports once more, joining Bon and Johnny for the Gulf 12 hours,” said Wells.

“They are a strong and established pairing and nice guys with it, so hopefully I can do my bit and give us a chance of a trophy.”

Wells is also looking forward to returning to a track he has raced at many times, back when he was driving Radicals, and he knows this experience could be very beneficial when he gets out there.

“Yas Marina is a circuit I know and love from my Middle East Radical days and I can’t wait to try the LMP3 car there,” he added. “I expect it will be a proper thrill ride around what is surely one of the most spectacular circuits in the world.”

The Gulf 12 Hours weekend kicks off on Thursday, with two free practices, ahead of another two practices and three qualifying sessions on Friday.

The first leg of the race is scheduled to begin at 9.30am on Saturday, with the second half at 5.45pm.