Klaus Bachler

From Dubai to Daytona: World champion back on tour

A man and his car: Klaus Bachler is back in the Porsche(Bild: AFP/APA/KARIM JAAFAR)

After a short winter break, Austria's "Motorsportsman of the Year" gets straight into action with a 24-hour race in Dubai. Klaus Bachler will mainly be seen in the USA and the Middle East this year. But more races are to follow.

On Saturday evening, Klaus Bachler will receive his award as Austria's "Motorsportsman of the Year" in Salzburg. The guests at the gala will only get to see the endurance world champion in a short video message, as the new season has already begun for Bachler.

Halfway around the world
As a "warm-up", the 33-year-old from Unzmarkt is taking part in the "24 Hours of Dubai" this weekend in a Porsche from the Dinamic GT Team. The first classic of the year follows two weeks later at Daytona - the starting signal for his full season in the American sports car championship IMSA.

"I still have a score to settle there," explains Bachler. "In 2023, I finished fourth in the championship and only just missed out on the podium. And Daytona is definitely a race I want to win once in my life." Bachler has the best conditions for this in the USA: "I'm driving for last year's championship-winning team and have the reigning champion Laurin Heinrich as my team-mate."

From Asia to America and back
Eleven races are on the program in the IMSA this year. After the season opener in Daytona, however, Bachler will first return to the United Arab Emirates in February, where he will finish the season in the Asian Le Mans Series in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

"I'm currently in talks for more races. There will be some cool races in 2025 - real season highlights," promises the "Motorsportsman of the Year", who is still waiting for final confirmation from the relevant racing teams.