B-Quik Racing is pleased to announce that it will enter the 2015 Asian Audi R8 LMS Cup. Daniel Bilski, who was also recently confirmed to drive for the team this year in Thailand Super Series’ Super Car Class 2-GTM, will drive the car.
The B-Quik Racing-entered Audi R8 LMS Cup car will be on the grid when the leading Asian ‘one make’ series kicks off next weekend (21-22 March) in Zhuhai, China, and will contest the following five rounds in Yeongam (Korea), (TBN) Taiwan, (Sepang) Malaysia, Fuji (Japan) and Shanghai (China). The latter two rounds will support the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).
B-Quik Racing stepped out of Thailand to contest the MMER Sepang 12 Hours last August and this will be the team’s next major international commitment and it clearly emphasises its growing overseas ambitions.
B-Quik Racing has taken on this challenge satisfied that it’s well prepared and ready to make this next step forward. The team is happy that Daniel will bring important strengths to the challenge; he raced in selected rounds of the Audi R8 LMS Cup in Asia last year and was also on the B-Quik Racing driving strength for last year’s Sepang 12 Hours, with podiums on all occasions.
Daniel Bilski: “I’m very excited to be contesting the Audi R8 LMS Cup as a B-Quik Racing driver,” said the Australian. “It’s an absolutely phenomenal series and I am so proud to be carrying the B-Quik name onto such a big international stage. This is a big step for B-Quik and I can’t thank Henk enough for taking it. It will be a fantastic opportunity for the team to gain international experience with a dedicated focus on the Audi R8 LMS Cup car. B-Quik Racing will be campaigning an identical Audi R8 LMS Cup Car in the TSS this season, so the boys will have even more opportunity to learn and develop their skills with the car. The series races on some iconic circuits, so I can’t wait for it to start.”
Daniel Bilski (interview)
Daniel is delighted to have been chosen to drive in the Audi R8 LMS Cup Asia, which will more than double his commitments with the Bangkok-based team this year. He will also need no acclimatization to the Audi racecar – or the series. “I was fortunate to drive in the Audi R8 LMS Cup during the Japan rounds last year,” the Australian driver says. “Racing in Japan was just just fantastic. Fuji turned out to be an awesome circuit for me as I finished on the podium in both races, including a Class win. It was a very important weekend for me and served as perfect preparation for the 2014 MMER 12-Hour with B-Quik in the Audi the following month. I’ve also previously raced in Zhuhai in the series and managed a podium finish there as well. I know from those results I can be very competitive in the AM-Class, and I am so excited to represent B-Quik Racing Team as their driver in the series.
Having run an Audi R8 LMS Cup in TSS for a full season as well as during last year’s MMER Sepang 12 Hours, B-Quik Racing is very well positioned to capitalize on this experience and use if to good effect in chasing Audi ‘Cup’ honours. “This is a big step for B-Quik and I can’t thank Henk enough for taking it,” says Daniel. “It will be a fantastic opportunity for the team to gain international experience with a dedicated focus on the Audi R8 LMS Cup car. B-Quik Racing will be campaigning an identical Audi R8 LMS Cup Car in the TSS this season, so the boys will have even more opportunity to learn and develop their skills with the car. That experience will be brought back to Thailand and used in TSS as well shared with the rest of the B-Quik team. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the team to develop further and work with some of the best people in the business, at some of the best tracks in the world.”
Daniel, who is based in Hong Kong, also reckons that the team has already more than proved that that can take on big international challenges in their stride. “The B-Quick boys showed what they are capable of with the fantastic result in the MMER 12-Hour last year,” he says. “Securing second in the GTC Class was a huge result which they richly deserved. We’re not starting from scratch here; we’re coming from a position of strength and looking to get even better. I have total confidence in the commitment and drive this team has to succeed.”
The driver is confident that this is the right step – and the right series – for B-Quik to take. “The Audi R8 LMS Cup is a highly respected and proven series which has some amazing drivers competing,” says Daniel. “Audi invest a lot in this series and it shows. It’s fantastically run, with great drivers and is ultra-competitive in both the ‘Pro’ and ‘Am’ classes. This is where the B-Quik Racing Team will gain invaluable experience with not only the detailed technical side of the car, but being involved in another high-level competition. Race formats and circuits will be new to the team and will provide even more opportunity to learn.”
Daniel says it’s going to be a tough test for everyone, driver as well as team, as the racing is evenly matched and highly competitive. B-Quik will need to work hard to succeed. “Given the series is a one-make series, the team need to work even harder to find gains due to the closeness of the competition,” he says. “Everyone has the same car, so it’s really up to the performance of every single person in the team to ensure good team results. The team will be working with the some of the best Audi Racing technicians there are, so I am sure we will all learn a lot. I’m really looking forward to working with the team and bringing all of the experience I have had to date in one-make and GT racing to the table.”
B-Quik Racing has sky-high ambition, so does Daniel, and neither have gone into this programme to make up the numbers. “Whilst it’s going to be a fantastic learning opportunity, we are there with a very clear intent for the season,” affirms Daniel. “We are there to be serious contenders – the class championship is our goal. I can’t wait to see the B-Quik Racing Team boys in Zhuhai and get our season underway with the Official Test Weekend this weekend.” It’s game on.