DOHA: Swiss driver Marc de Siebenthal clinched victory in the second final race of the Lusail Classic Endurance Race, held alongside the Qatar 1812 km – the opening round of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship.
The event took place over three days at the Lusail International Circuit, showcasing a lineup of iconic endurance racing cars from the sport’s golden era.
Driving a 1971 Porsche 908/03, De Siebenthal delivered an exceptional performance, securing the win in a competitive field of 28 veteran drivers from nine countries. He completed the race in 30 minutes, 47.07 seconds, finishing 12.339 seconds ahead of British driver Jamie Constable, who placed second in a 1971 Chevron B19 with a time of 30 minutes, 59.346 seconds.
French driver Ludovic Caron, piloting a 1975 Chevron B31, secured third place with a time of 31 minutes, 33.255 seconds. British driver Tony Brooks, driving a 1968 Lola T70 Mk.3B, finished fourth in 31 minutes, 39.502 seconds, while fellow Briton Mark Birch, in a 1971 Chevron B19, rounded out the top five with a time of 32 minutes, 15.254 seconds.
The Lusail Classic Endurance Race brought a nostalgic touch to the weekend’s events, reviving the essence of historic endurance racing with some of the sport’s most legendary machines roaring around the Lusail International Circuit.
Earlier in the weekend, Jamie Constable claimed victory in the first race of the Lusail Classic, held on Thursday. Driving a 1971 Chevron B19, Constable completed the 25-lap, 135.45-kilometer race in 1 hour, 1 minute, 5.27 seconds, narrowly edging out De Siebenthal, who finished 1.499 seconds behind in second place. Tony Brooks, in the Lola T70 Mk.3B, secured third with a time of 1 hour, 1 minute, 17.219 seconds.
In the qualifiers, De Siebenthal set the fastest lap time of 2:02.236 minutes on lap four, securing pole position in his Porsche 908/03. Lee Sharon, in a 1975 Chevron B31, clocked the second-fastest time at 2:03.350 minutes, followed by Jamie Constable, in a 1971 Chevron B19, who recorded 2:04.282 minutes.
During the free practice session, British veteran Charlie Hight topped the timing sheets in a 1975 Chevron B31, posting a best lap of 2:02.525 minutes. Jamie Constable followed closely in second, just 2.079 seconds behind, while De Siebenthal placed third with a time of 2:05.308 minutes.
