Reigning SEAT Supercup Ireland Champion Erik Holstein has landed a drive in the prestigious Dubai 24-Hour Endurance race that takes place this weekend (12-14 January) in the United Arab Emirates. Winning the 12 round Irish SEAT Leon Supercopa based championship at Mondello Park last September in his Enniscorthy Motor Company backed Leon Supercopa, it was his race winning experience of the factory built SEAT Sport car that lead to the County Kildare driver getting the call to join the three driver line-up that will debut Audi Sport’s brand new 2017 Audi RS3-LMS. Sharing driving duties with former British Touring Car Championship driver James Kaye and Julian Griffen in the Cadspeed Racing with Atech entered car, Holstein faces a completely different type of racing as he takes on one of motor racing’s toughest challenges, a 24-hour endurance race, and lines up on the 99 car grid racing for honours in the TCR Touring Car class. With a wealth of sprint race experience, claiming numerous championship titles, this will be the former international showjumper’s first attempt at 24-hour racing but he will not be alone in the experience as the race will also mark the 24-hour race debut of Formula One race winner Robert Kubica.
Following his successful SEAT Supercup Ireland campaign representing SEAT dealer Enniscorthy Motor Company, the Wexford motor group’s newly opened Audi dealership Audi Wexford will join forces with Holstein for his Dubai 24-hour adventure to highlight the release of the road going 400bhp version of the RS3 Saloon. Set to defend his SEAT Supercup Ireland title in 2017, the opportunity to race in the Dubai 24-hour race is not just great recognition of Holstein’s 2016 exploits. The track time in Dubai is also certain to be of bene t in terms of his preparations for a return to the wheel of his SEAT Supercopa for opening round of the championship on April 9th at Mondello Park. Holstein will travel to Dubai today (Tuesday) before getting his first taste of both the RS3 LMS and the 5.39 km circuit on his arrival on Wednesday.
