Williams team principal James Bolles will compete in the Gulf 12 Hours with 59 garage entries following the final race of the F1 season in Abu Dhabi next month.
Although Volles regularly gets behind the wheel himself, he has not competed in a competitive race since 2022, when he was also part of Garage 59 in the Asian Le Mans Series. Since joining Williams in early 2023, Vowles has spent more time in his role as F1 team boss, but has been testing at Garage 59 throughout this year and is scheduled to race at the Yas Marina circuit on December 14.
Baules will share the McLaren GT3 EVO with Alexander West, Mark Sansom and Marco Pulcini.
“It’s great to have the opportunity to put on a race helmet again,” said Vowles. “Garage 59 is a team I know well from our time together in 2022 and the Gulf 12 Hours is a fantastic event with a competitive grid. I’m delighted to be sharing the car with Alex, Mark and Marco and experiencing racing from the driver’s seat again.”
Bowles will be handled by his own team principal as he prepares to return to racing, but Andrew Kirkaldy said the Williams manager had a unique perspective on each race given his background at Mercedes.
“I really enjoyed working with James during the 2022 Asian Le Mans campaign,” Kirkaldy said. “His approach and professionalism, and of course his strategic knowledge, have made for a very enjoyable collaboration. We are all excited to bring him back to the Gulf 12 Hours and we look forward to what we can achieve together in Abu Dhabi.”
Baules’ participation in the 12 Hours of the Gulf follows other F1 entries in recent years, after Kevin Magnussen teamed up with his father Jan to compete in the 2022 race at the same venue, finishing seventh overall.
