Kessel's Dennis Marschall Looking Forward to Dubai Challenge
Interview with GT Championship Leader
The first two races of the 2025/26 Asian Le Mans Series in Sepang saw plenty of drama and excitement in the GT class, with the no74 Kessel Racing Ferrari 296 heading to Dubai in the championship lead thanks to a 5th place finish in Race 1 and then victory in Race 2 for Dustin Scott Blattner, Chris Lulham and Dennis Marschall.
Highly experienced GT racer Dennis Marschall is no stranger to winning on the big stage, having won the SP9 Pro class at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring in 2024 and then winning the Gulf 12-Hours at Yas Marina later the same year.
The 29-year-old German driver raced for Kessel Racing in last year’s ALMS, securing two podiums and finishing 4thoverall alongside current teammate Dustin Scott Blattner and Ben Tuck.
We caught up with Dennis Marschall as he prepares for the next ALMS event, the 4 Hours of Dubai.
Q: How would you sum up the first two races of the season and the main takeaways heading into the UAE rounds?
DM: “Malaysia was really about getting a solid start to the championship and scoring points to put ourselves in a good position. In the end, it turned out even better than expected with a race win, which was obviously a great bonus. Most importantly, we showed that we’re competitive on pace, and it was valuable to build chemistry within the team—especially with Chris joining us as our new Silver driver, along with several other key new team members internally.”
Q: The GT class is extremely competitive this season. Which teams are you watching most closely, and did anything in Sepang surprise you?
DM: “It’s honestly one weekend too early to rule anyone out. If a car has a strong run starting from Dubai Race 1, they can very quickly become a championship contender. In GT racing, strong Bronze drivers and smart strategy calls are often the deciding factors, and any team that gets those right can win races.”
Q: What are your thoughts on the Dubai circuit?
DM: “I actually like the track quite a lot. Some of the GT ALMS drivers have just completed the 24 Hours of Dubai, and it’s a very technical circuit where the ideal line really makes a difference. Even after doing around 150 laps there last weekend, I’m genuinely looking forward to going back again in two weeks.”
Q: Will the Dubai circuit suit the Ferrari 296?
DM: “Based on our ALMS experience last year, Dubai seems to suit the Kessel Racing Ferrari quite well. That said, I stopped setting expectations for upcoming weekends a long time ago - you never truly know where you stand pace-wise until you hit the track for the first time.”
Q: What is the goal for Dubai, and what would you consider a good result?
DM: “I would be satisfied with two top-five finishes. If we manage to do better than that, I’ll definitely take it.”
