Technical devil strikes: No chance of a top result for Benjamin Mazatis at 24h Dubai
- Benjamin Mazatis at the start of the Dubai 24-hour race for the second time
- Seven-hour break due to technical defect prevents top result
There was an incredible tension in the air when the car finally started.
Although we were behind without a chance, we were all motivated.
Around 350 drivers, 74 cars, 30 degrees and 24 hours of action! The 24-hour race in Dubai took place last weekend. Benjamin Mazatis was at the start with Reiter Engineering in the KTM X-Bow in the SPX class. The man from Bruckmühl was only asked to be a driver by his team shortly before the race and spontaneously agreed.
Together with his team-mates Adam Galas, Jan Krabec and Nicolai Elghanayan, Mazatis had lined up to finish on the podium in his class. As the team's fastest driver, he was selected to contest qualifying.
Team-mate Elghanayan started the race, but headed for the pits after just 30 minutes. The KTM X-Bow engine had caught fire for an as yet unexplained reason. Although it seemed almost hopeless, the mechanics began repairs and the KTM X-BOW actually returned to the track around seven hours later. With no real chance in the overall standings, Mazatis and his team-mates showed fighting spirit and tried to make up ground. This was not rewarded, as the quartet finally retired just half an hour before the chequered flag after another technical defect.
Three questions for Benjamin Mazatis
You were allowed to take part in qualifying for your team. Was that a special challenge?
Yes, yes. I was the fastest in the team in practice and my performance recommended me for qualifying. My team-mates also picked me. The pressure was a bit higher than normal for me, because I also had responsibility for my three colleagues. It was also not easy to get a clear lap with around 56 GT cars. But I'm super happy with my fastest lap. I had a small skid and there was traffic at one point, but it would only have been a maximum of two tenths of a second.
How did you experience your temporary cancellation?
We were all still full of adrenalin, as the race had only just started when Nicolai turned into the pits again. Nobody really believed that it would go on again - not even the mechanics themselves. Nevertheless, they worked hard and actually managed it during the night - they really did an incredible job! There was incredible tension in the air when the car finally started. Although we were behind without a chance, we were all motivated, because in a 24-hour race you never know what might happen.
What was it like to start the race so far behind?
Of course, we all knew that we wouldn't be able to fight for a top result now. The aim was to do a bit of testing and get rid of the winter rust - although that wasn't necessary for me in the end. We managed a pretty good race to catch up. It was a bit difficult in my night stint because not all the lights were on at the front and I had to approach the corners blind. The turbo also only came back later. When it got light, things went much better and we were even able to make up time on our pursuers and were absolutely competitive. Unfortunately, the race still didn't end well because we retired half an hour before the end with another technical problem. I felt particularly sorry for the mechanics. They would have deserved the chequered flag after their hard work.