Having been the pioneering team in Asia to campaign the Aston Martin, CMRT Eurasia and drivers James Cai and Kenneth Lim to enter the SRO organisation’s new-to-Asia Blancpain championship, which is set to become Asia’s premier sportscar series having boasted a field of 30 cars for the Sepang opener.

Competing in the all amateur class, CMRT Eurasia will be seeking to enhance their reputation for developing drivers of all ages and abilities and so it proved as James Cai and Kenneth Lim claimed a double podium with third place in both rounds one and two at the Malaysian track.

The weekend was not all plain sailing as the team had to be very resourceful to bring the car to the grid for Saturdays opening race after a late component failure left the team unable to take up its grid position by the engineers worked tirelessly to solve the issue.

Despite the pit lane start and dropping a lap to the field, the drivers raced on undeterred to keep the pressure on the other Am/Am competitors and take the final step on the podium.

Sundays second race saw less drama at the start, but ultimately the same result as the drivers were left slightly disappointed not to have taken second after a close battle with rival class runner. CMRT Eurasia Director Martin Quick was pleased for the drivers and the result for the team.

“It’s great to be back on track with GT3 and Aston Martin, who we enjoyed a lot of past success with, the partnership with CMRT allowed it to happen and the guys did a great driving job despite their relative inexperience of racing at this level.
 
“I am also pleased that we were able to avert a possible disaster on the car with some typical engineering prowess that our crew possess when under pressure!”

CMRT Eurasia will now move on to Buriram, Thailand for the next round of the six-round series on 20-21 May.

Proudly sporting numbers 1 and 2 on the cars as last year’s leading GT team FFF Racing entered cars for the Silver/Silver pairing of Alberto Di Folco and Aidan Read – who at 21 and 18 years old respectively are the youngest GT3 pairing of any GT3 Lamborghini team racing in the world this year – and a Pro/Am car for Chinese pairing Ho Pin Tung and Zhu Junhan.

As part of a strong 30 car field, that included a number of new manufacturers brands and some other top line drivers, the Chinese team used its winning experience and mentality to compete for a second successive title racing GT3 cars in Asia. The weekend however, as in the first round last year, proved to be one that would see the team getting to grips with the cars and its new driver pairings as part of a learning curve to achieve the best results.

Mr Fu, Team Owner stated that Sepang is a circuit he knows well as he has raced there on several occasions and knows how difficult the conditions can be so is delighted that our young drivers have started there Asian Super Trofeo campaign with a podium.

The weekends format of two drivers sharing a one hour race, with each taking a turn to start the race and qualify the car, proved at times tough as an interrupted qualifying session saw Tung the best placed qualifier with a fourth start for race two.

Race one was soon interrupted by a start line crash that brought out the Safety Sar and at the restart both novice GT3 drivers did well to hold their respective positions before handing over to the more experienced partners. Each pushing to the flag but was unable to break into the points scoring positions overall, but did however pick up some valuable class points.

Sunday’s race proved to be a much more successful campaign the Di Folco/Read pairing in car #1 Lamborghini. Di Folco made a great start from 14th to run eighth on lap one and handed over to Read at the mid-point. Read continued the progress, bringing the car home in sixth overall, which was fourth in class. The result also leaves the pairing fourth in the Silver/Silver standings.

The #2 car fared less well as Tung starting fourth but contact with another car in the first corner melee dropped him to the midfield before being forced to retire to the pits towards the end of the race.

“I think getting the car home in sixth position today, the leading Lamborghini GT3 in the field, was the best we could have hoped for today,” stated FFF Racing Team Owner Sean Fu Songyang. “The team and the drivers put in a lot of work this weekend to improve the car and in race two especially showed well.
 
“We move on to the next round in Thailand optimistic that we can push further up the results with what we have learned and the gains we have made here in Malaysia.”

Round two of the six round championship now heads to Buriram in Northern Thailand on 20-21 May.

After qualifying on pole position with the fastest lap on Saturday morning, Phoenix Racing Asia’s three-time Audi R8 LMS Cup champion Alex Yoong led the field away but was quickly under fire from WEC star Rui Aguas in a Ferrari 488, the Portugese driver using a different tyre strategy to attack early, but it didn’t last, the experienced Malaysian campaigner almost immediately back at the front of the pack.

Behind him Shaun Thong’s start was thwarted by an errant Lamborghini, China’s Ho-Pin Tung spinning on the exit of turn two, leaving Thong nowhere to go and forcing contact with another of the Lamborghini’s as he negotiated his way around the melee, fortunately with little damage, but the 21-year old quickly found himself negotiating the grass as he fought for a way to rejoin the pack.

Despite the setback, he focussed on moving forward and latched onto the tail of the top ten ahead of the compulsory pit stop [CPS], the team using strategy to get them out of a battle with the #1 Lamborghini which was stalling Thong’s forward progress.

A slick stop saw Lee rejoin in position seven, before charging back into contention by virtue of a new set of Pirelli slicks fitted during the stop.

Stopping very late in the CPS pit window, Yoong had been consistently the fastest driver in the field (he set the fastest race lap of the race on lap four), handing team-mate Alex Au a six-second lead, but no sooner had the #6 team established that lead, than they lost the advantage during the pit stop after a delay with a tyre change and a subsequent setback with traffic in pit lane, losing eight seconds in the process.

Rejoining a couple of positions ahead of his hard-charging team-mate – the two of them sporting new Pirelli tyres – Au was quickly into a solid rhythm but he could do nothing to stop the #5 Audi Hong Kong Audi from taking a position away, Lee hotly pursued by two charging Mercedes drivers.

Whilst he was happy to allow the Phoenix Racing Asia team leader through, Au was not quite so accommodating with the two charging Mercedes, his 15-minute battle over the closing laps defending and battling wheel-to-wheel was one of the highlights of the race.

Sadly though for the #6 Phoenix Racing Asia the action wasn’t over just yet, Au turned around in a battle for position in the dying stages after contact with Jeffrey Lee. Au had initially been ahead of Lee on the road, but an error at turn seven saw him run wide, allowing Jeffrey Lee back through for position, Au recovering to take the Taiwanese driver at turn 11, but just a couple of corners later, they made contact, spinning Au down the order.

Up front though Marchy Lee was continuing to charge and had worked his way through to second, but behind him, race one winner Mitch Gilbert in the #86 Audi was coming fast, the Australian through with two minutes to go, Lee completing the second round of the season with third outright and a solid haul of points that puts the #5 Audi Hong Kong team equal third on championship points.

For Lee, Yoong and Thong, their next commitment is back at Sepang for the opening round of the 2017 Audi R8 LMS Cup (6-7 April), whilst for Alex Au, he will join Marchy Lee for the opening round of the 2017 China GT Series a week later in Beijing.

Race One

#88 Apex Porsche 911 GT3 R

Jules Gounon started the first race of the season from P5 on the grid and maintained his positon into the first corner. An accident at the start forced a safety car period and once the race was green flagged, Gounon managed another good start to keep his P5 position once again. The Frenchman immediately became locked in a battle and began to close the gap on the car ahead, taking P4 within the next two laps. He worked hard to push the #88 Porsche in search of P3 but he couldn’t close the gap even with his consistently quick lap times. With the pit window now open, Gounon took to the pit lane to hand over to teammate, Joel Camathias. The #88 driver found the pace straight away but quickly came under attack from the Audi and BMW behind him.  He held off their attack for as long as possible but couldn’t match the pace that he needed to stay ahead. Now in P5, Camathias pushed on and continued his fight to the chequered flag. Over the next 15 minutes, the Swiss driver fought hard to bring the #88 Apex Porsche 911 GT3 R home in P7 to score its first points of the season.

#99 VLT Porsche 911 GT3 R

Darryl O’Young kicked off the #99 VLT Porsche’s campaign with a strong start from P3, keeping his position before a safety car period began due to an accident at the start of the race. After the restart, O’Young applied the pressure over the coming laps to snatch away P2 from the Ferrari. From here, O’Young put in a mega stint as he came under constant attack from the competition behind him. The Hong Kong driver displayed a masterclass in speed and defensive driving that allowed him to maintain his second place position before pitting to change to teammate, Peter Li. Li rejoined the fight in P3 and immediately found himself in a multi car battle for position. Still on cold tyres, the #99 driver found it difficult to fend off the advances of those behind. The Chinese driver fought as best he could but was now running in P8 where he would remain for the majority of his stint. Unfortunately, Li would have to make a late pit stop to clear debris from a blocked radiator, dropping the #99 VLT out of the points and forcing them to finish in P17.

#77 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR

Jean-Marc Merlin was in charge of steering the #77 Porsche for the first stint and he made a good start from P2. Following the safety car period, Merlin made his move on the lead GT4 to secure P1. Merlin was faultless for the rest of his stint, building up a significant gap before handing the car over to, Frank Yu. The team lost time during the pit stop, which put Frank back out on track in P2. It wasn’t an issue for the #77 driver as he quickly closed the gap and reclaimed the top spot. As the race progressed Frank expertly managed his tyre wear and the gap between second place, crossing the line with a lead of 3.5s and securing the #77 pair’s first win of the season.

Race Two

#88 Apex Porsche 911 GT3 R

It was going to be an uphill battle for the #88 Porsche with Joel Camathias starting race two from P17. The #88 driver started strong though and began his charge to close the gap to the cars ahead. Camathias was able to make up a position before the compulsory driver change but couldn’t extract the pace necessary to catch the midfield. Gounon knew he had a huge fight ahead of him but kept focused and put the #88 Porsche to work. As the grid reshuffled positions following the closing of the pit window, Gounon was able to find several places over the coming laps and slip into P11 with 18 minutes remaining. From here, the young French driver was able to put the pressure on, and after some tough battles move up into P9. Continuing his push, Gounon muscled the #88 Apex Porsche up a further two places to finish the race in P7, which was an incredible effort for the pair who started the race in P17.

#99 VLT Porsche 911 GT3 R

Peter Li would start race two in the #99 VLT Porsche from P18, and after completing a clean start the former F3 driver began to make his way up the field. Li was pushing himself and the #99 VLT Porsche to the limit and was able to take four positions before handing the car over to O’Young in P16 at the start of the pit window. O’Young rejoined the competition and settled into P14 where he would begin his sprint to the finish. The #99 VLT driver was able to quickly find the car’s limit and use his experience to close the gap between those ahead. Continually gaining ground, the Craft-Bamboo driver was able to snatch another three positions by flag fall to finish the race in P11 just outside the points.

#77 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR

Frank Yu started race two from pole position in the #77 Porsche and while he made a good start he could not find the same level of performance in the car as he had found in race one. An issue with the rear of the car wasn’t allowing Frank to realize the car’s full potential and forced him into P2 for the rest of his stint. Frank did his best to manage the issue and did well to keep hold of second place before handing the car over to Merlin. With a seven second gap to make up, Merlin hit the track and gave chase, dedicating his stint to the pursuit of victory. The experienced Frenchman did a brilliant job in reeling in the lead GT4 car and given a lap or two more, the #77 could have had their second win of the weekend. Merlin finished the second race only 0.5s behind P1, ensuring that the #77 Craft-Bamboo Porsche would be jointly leading the GT4 drivers’ championship and that the pair would secure their second podium of the season in Sepang.

Quotes

Richard Coleman, CEO of Craft-Bamboo Racing

“It was a solid start for the GT3 team in the Blancpain GT Series Asia this weekend in Sepang. Unfortunately, a little bit of bad luck kept us from the podium but I am glad we scored points in both races.  I’m delighted for Frank and Jean-Marc to have a win and a second place in GT4 establishing a championship challenge right from the start of round one. There is a lot of work to do but we now look forward to Thailand.”

#88 Apex Porsche 911 GT3 R

Jules Gounon

Race One: “We had a good strategy with our engineer and managed P2 after the pit stop. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough speed to carry that position to the end so we finished in P7 but we still have more to do so we can improve.”

Race Two: “It was fantastic for us to take the car from P17 to P7, so we made some improvements to the car. It was a good way to finish the weekend with two P7s for the team. Thank you to Craft-Bamboo who gave me the opportunity to race this car and I hope to be back with the team for another round when I don’t have clashes with my European calendar. The team was fantastic and I am really happy to have driven with this team.”

Joel Camathias

Race One: “I discovered a nice track I didn’t know and it was a real pleasure to work with such a professional team like Craft Bamboo Racing. Clearly, we hoped for better results than seventh, but the positive note is that the team worked perfectly, and Jules and I gave our utmost.”

Race Two: “Again P7 in today’s race, it seems this was our position this weekend. We did the best we could, starting from the second part of the grid, we managed to climb up several positions, with Jules very strong at the end. Our strategy was perfect and the team did a great job, really there is little we could have done better. We have in front of us the same cars of yesterday, which are really unreachable, under current conditions.”

#99 VLT Porsche 911 GT3 R

Darryl O’Young

Race One: “There was a safety car early on and I managed to hold my P3 position. On the restart I was able to get off to another good start and overtake the Ferrari in turn 4. That got me into P2 and I was able to hold that position for the remainder of the stint. I couldn’t catch the P1 car this weekend; they just had too much pace. I was able to fight off some quicker cars today so I am happy with my drive.”

Race Two: “Race two was tough, we lost a lot of time somehow between Peter passing me the car. The pitstop went well but we still lost 3-4 seconds, so we need to look into that because that really affected my race. We lost a lot of time to the cars ahead and also got caught in the pack that was coming back around. That really cost us some time. The team did a good job this weekend, but we still need to work hard to make improvements. I feel the team has progressed but we need to push hard to go further.”

Peter Li Zhi Cong

Race One: “In general the car has been very good and we continually worked on finding the best setup. I struggled in Q2 to find a clear space for a clean flying lap. For the race, I was driving the second stint but we lost three seconds during the pitstop which cost us a lot. During the race it was tough at the beginning with cold tyres coming out from the pitlane. I was overtaken by the cars from behind with fresh tyres. Further into my stint I got a water temperature alarm and I had to pit and fix the problem. I feel I can improve on tyre management and traffic management during the race.”

Race Two: “There was an accident on the first lap so I dropped off the pace a bit. After the middle of my stint, I managed to catchup to my teammate in car #88, so I felt my performance was good. On the in lap I lost 3-4 sec on entry which cost us a lot. But I found good improvement during the race which I thought was much better than Race 1 with more consistent lap times. I’m happy that we finished both races and we still made some progress. Thank you to Porsche China who gave me good support this weekend and also to my teammate Darryl who gave me good advice during the whole week.”

#77 Porsche Cayman Clubsport MR

Frank Yu

Race One: “Jean-Marc started the race. There was a big incident at the race start but he managed to avoid the incident. Jean-Marc did a fantastic job and took one position to get us into P1. He passed the car to me and I came out in P2, we had some issue in the pit stop and fell behind, unfortunately losing the hard work that Jean-Marc put in before. I managed to take back P1 after a few corners and from that point on it was about nursing the car back as the tyres were quite shot during the final ten minutes. I want to thank the team and my engineer Matt Harvey for doing a fantastic job.”

Race Two: “We started in pole position but there was some issue with the rear of the car. I wasn’t able to push at all and was losing about a second a lap to the front runners. When I passed the car to Jean-Marc I think the lead car had a 6-7s gap on me. I spent most of my stint keeping to myself and pushing to get the car over to Jean-Marc as best I could.”

Jean Marc Merlin

Race One: “The car was very easy to push. I was able to overtake the pole sitter early and after that it was mostly managing the lead and looking after the car for Frank. It was a great start. The pairing with Frank Yu is ideal as we have comparable pace and we share the same goal: race hard while having fun!”

Race Two: “I had a really enjoyable stint chasing the leader. I could not fully take advantage of their braking issues at the end, but I would have only needed a few more turns to pass and claim victory. Great results and a very good start to the season.”

The team opted to stop earlier than their rivals and reaped the rewards by moving from sixth to first once the 10-minute pit window closed. OD Racing’s Mitch Gilbert and Aditya Patel used a similar strategy and overcame their 10s success penalty – the result of winning yesterday’s race – to finish second and again claim Silver Cup honours ahead of Marchy Lee and Shaun Thong’s Phoenix Racing Asia-run, Audi Hong Kong-entered R8 LMS GT3, which completed the podium.

T2 Motorsports’ Greg Teo Bee Tat and David Tjiptobiantoro got one over on their KCMG rivals Naoto Takeda and Takuya Shirasaka to also give Ferrari the Am/Am class win, while Byron Tong Siu Kau and Eric Lo Piu scored theirs and EKS Motorsports’ first victory in the GT4 ranks.

Rui Aguas’ demon start initially helped his Spirit of Race Ferrari jump from fourth on the grid to first on the opening lap after relieving pole-sitter Alex Young of the lead. It took the Team Audi R8 LMS Cup driver 10 minutes to find his way back past before building a three-second gap ahead of the pitstops.

Franky Cheng ran third after Team WRT Asia’s front row-starter Will Stevens dropped to fourth as a result of banging wheels with Ho-Pin Tung at Turn 3 on the opening lap, which sent the FFF Racing Team by ACM driver spinning.

Rizzo was also in the mix before being passed by Raffaele Marciello, who started 20th as a result of his GruppeM Mercedes-AMG failing post-qualifying scrutineering yesterday. The Italian responded the only way he knows how by claiming eight places on the opening lap before carving his way through to fifth before the stops.

BBT were the first of the front-runners to pit, a decision that ultimately won them the race. A clear, unimpeded pit area plus Liu’s quick out-laps and delays for others helped the Ferrari emerge with a healthy advantage once the stops had shaken out. Indeed, his lead of 17s had increased to 26.7s by the end of the race.

The battle for the remaining podium places swung backwards and forwards as the second stint developed. A poor pitstop for Yoong initially dropped co-driver Alex Au to third, Aguas’ co-driver Nasrat Muzayyin span on his out-lap, and Sun Jingzu – who’d taken over the Milestone Racing Audi driven by Cheng – dropped to 12th as the race developed.

Instead it was yesterday’s winner Gilbert who made the most of his and OD Racing’s opportunity. Co-driver Patel spent the opening stint running in the outer reaches of the top-10, and with a 10s pit-stop success penalty to serve appeared well out of the reckoning. But the team’s decision to pit and switch to fresher tyres as soon as possible breathed new life into their challenge. Gilbert found himself in sixth after the stops but gradually picked off his rivals before relieving Marchy Lee of second late on.

There was still much for Audi Hong Kong to celebrate, though, given that Lee’s co-driver, Thong, originally pitted from 11th. The team owner was soon on the attack, first passing Au and then Jeffrey Lee in quick succession before succumbing to Gilbert late on.

Hunter Abbott continued co-driver Marciello’s good work by bringing the #999 GruppeM Mercedes-AMG GT3 home fourth, with his combative second stint helping to overcome the seven-second success penalty the pair inherited as a result of finishing second overall yesterday.

Team-mate Tim Sugden, who shared the other GruppeM Mercedes-AMG with Jules Szymkowiak, finished a further 6.6s back, while Aidan Read and Alberto Di Folco (FFF Racing Team by ACM Lamborghini) and Jules Gounon and Joel Camathias (Craft-Bamboo Racing Porsche) both took advantage of Jeffrey Lee and Au’s penultimate lap issues to finish sixth and seventh. Spirit of Race’s Xin Jiang and Massimiliano’s Ferrari rounded out the points-paying positions in 10th.

Am/Am again developed into a straight fight between yesterday’s race winning KCMG Audi driven by Takeda and Shirasaka, and T2 Motorsports’ Ferrari of Teo Bee Tat and Tjiptobiantoro. The latter pair finished second in the opener but went one better today thanks to Teo Bee Tat’s pass on Takeda after the pit-stops. The CMRT Eurasia Aston Martin driven by James Cai and Kenneth Lim completed the class podium.

Meanwhile, in GT4, EKS Motorsports’ Tong overcame a brake issue in the second stint to beat yesterday’s winner Merlin by just half-a-second. Their co-drivers had swapped positions at the start, Lo making the decisive move on Craft-Bamboo Racing’s pole-sitter Yu to lay the foundations for victory.

The end of Blancpain GT Series Asia’s opening weekend – the first of six events comprising 12 races across the continent – sees OD Racing’s Gilbert and Patel lead the overall and Silver Cup standings. GruppeM’s Abbott and Marciello top Pro/Am while Takeda and Shirasaka are tied with Teo Bee Tat and Tjiptobiantoro after claiming one Am/Am victory apiece. It’s a similar story in GT4 where Merlin and Yu are equal with Tong and Lo.

Blancpain GT Series Asia resumes at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand on May 20/21.

DRIVER QUOTES

Davide Rizzo, #37 BBT Ferrari 488 GT3: “We tried a different strategy: originally we were going to run long with the tyres like everyone else but then saw we might be at an advantage to stop earlier. I got caught up with an Audi at the start but managed to avoid the spinning Lamborghini. Then there was no chance to overtake the guys ahead so I just hung in there before the stops and let Anthony do the rest!”

Mitch Gilbert, #86 OD Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3: “That was a tough race; I’m still destroyed! Every lap had to be a qually lap in order to make up the 10s, which wasn’t easy. I told the team when I got up to third that we were going after Marchy [Lee]. They were like, ‘you’re good in third’, but there was no way I was backing off. The car was amazing and I reeled him in quite quickly. Before that I’d seen all the cars coming out of the pits ahead and doubted we’d have much chance of a podium, but the car had so much grip so I was able to just drive around people. Credit to OD Racing for giving us that, and also to Aditya [Patel] who had to hang in there on my quali tyres in the first stint.”

Marchy Lee, #5 Audi Hong Kong Audi R8 LMS GT3: “I tried my best and pushed every lap. But I was on a used set of tyres for the stint so it’s very difficult to compare with the guys on fresher rubber. Still, a podium is a great result for the team at the first event of the season. We didn’t know what to expect before this weekend but both cars have been competitive and a lot of that credit must go to the team, Audi Hong Kong and Audi Sport Customer Racing Asia.”

Greg Teo Bee Tat, #75 T2 Motorsports Ferrari 488 GT3: “I overtook a couple of the Pro/Am cars but, crucially, KCMG’s Am entry during my stint, which was enough in the end. We started in one-make racing but this is a real step up. And we’ve been looking at the Blancpain GT Series for a while, so now it’s in Asia what better time to do it?!”

Byron Tong, #77 EKS Motorsports Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR: “My partner Eric did a great job in the first stint so I had a big advantage when I jumped in, which was just as well because my car developed some sort of brake problem towards the end. I was having to brake much earlier than normal, which allowed the Craft-Bamboo car to catch me. One more lap and I wouldn’t be sat here as the winner! I was losing three or four seconds per lap, so thanks to Eric [Lo] for giving me the gap.”

After having learnt the track during the practice and qualifying sessions, held with very changing weather conditions that made difficult setting up the car, Joel and his young team mate finished 7th in Race 1 on Saturday, after fighting for the top positions with much faster cars.

In Race-2 on Sunday, same result but different screenplay, with the Porsche duo catching up positions throughout the race to finish again 7th and again behind the same faster rivals.

Joel Camathias:

“It has been an intense and not easy weekend, but very interesting and positive. I liked Sepang a lot, it’s a nice circuit to drive, even if the frequent showers in the first two days have somehow disturbed our setting-up work. It was clear from the beginning that the Porsche did not have a favorable Balance of Performance, and there is little we could do against the faster cars, basically the same six, as proven by lap times and gaps. In Race-1, the long safety-car period at the beginning, has partially mitigated the disadvantage and we were among the frontrunners after the pit stop, but it was impossible to maintain the position. In Race-2, we started from the second half of the grid but we have been able to climb up positions to finish again 7th, behind the same top cars. The positive note is that we gave everything and achieved the best we could do. We did two nice and closely-fought races, and the team did a great job, technically speaking but also in terms of strategy and pit stops. To work with such a professional team as Craft Bamboo Racing has been a real pleasure and overall, this has been a very nice experience to add to my record.”  ​

After three days of testing and free practice, two frenetic qualifying sessions of fifteen minutes each took place on Saturday morning. Stuvik went out in Q1, a session which was red-flagged twice, once at the halfway point and again with two minutes left. The session was not restarted leaving Stuvik on row four, fifth in class. Kodric took over for Q2 which saw an almost identical situation with an unwelcome red at the halfway point. Further improvements were impossible when the session restarted and Kodric qualified on row seven, again 5^th in class.

Stuvik took the start for race one and behind him a start-line accident bought out the safety car which neutralised the race for four laps. The track went green on lap five and much of the first part of the race was spent with the top six fighting their way past Liu’s Ferrari. The number 86 Audi was the first to get ahead and the eventual race winner streaked off into the distance creating a gap which proved unbeatable. On lap nine Stuvik passed the Ferrari to move into 5^th and started chasing down Gounon’s Porsche. The pit window opened and on lap thirteen VSR called Stuvik in to hand over to Kodric. When the pit window closed and the race settled down the Croatian found himself down in 10^th place. His pace during his stint allowed him to pick off two places and he spent his last laps defending 8th from a train of Audi’s.

Kodric lined up on the grid for Sunday’s race in 11th place and after making a good start ran wide in turn three and was forced to return to the pits to have grass removed from the front radiator. He rejoined the race still on the lead lap but over a minute and a half behind the leading cars. With no safety car to bunch up the field there was little to be done in the hour long race except show the potential pace of the car. Kodric was soon one of the fastest men on the track and quickly caught and passed the GT4 cars as he fought to close up on the GT3 pack. On lap fifteen he pitted to hand the Lamborghini over to Stuvik who continued to push hard as he reeled in the back of the pack. When the chequered flag came out the Thai driver had come back up to 16th place overall, 7th in the Silver Cup. The points earned in both races have left the drivers in 5th place in the Silver Cup standings.

The next round of the Blancpain GT Series Asia will be at the Chang Circuit in Buriram, Thailand on 20th – 21st May.

The pair led from lights to flag barring a couple of laps during the mandatory pit-stop window while a phenomenal scrap and stunning comeback developed behind. Ultimately it was Hunter Abbott and Raffaele Marciello who came through from 22nd to score an unlikely second place overall and Pro/Am class victory ahead of FIST – Team AAI’s Ollie Millroy and Jesse Krohn, who had lined up 10th.

A start-line accident as the lights went green immediately eliminated Clearwater Racing’s McLaren 650S and FIST – Team AAI’s Am/Am-entered BMW M6. And when the inevitable Safety Car period came to an end with 45 minutes of the hour-long race remaining pole-sitter Gilbert was able to sprint clear of Anthony Liu’s BBT Ferrari 488, which had shared the front row.

While the Audi made good its escape Liu was left to defend from Darryl O’Young’s Craft-Bamboo Racing Porsche, which found a way past on the opening lap. That helped bring Marchy Lee into contention, and the Hong Kong Audi driver was also soon out-dragging and then out-braking his Chinese opponent around the outside into turn one.

The battle for second then became five cars strong, with Jules Gounon in the second Craft-Bamboo Porsche and Sandy Stuvik’s VSR Lamborghini moving into contention. But it was Liu’s battle with Lee that eventually broke the deadlock, their on-track clash leading to the Ferrari heading for the pits early to make repairs.

All of this played perfectly into the hands of Gilbert, who had established an 11s lead before the mandatory pit-stops began. He was soon in to hand over to Patel, who ultimately inherited a 23s advantage once the stops played out. The Indian could afford to manage his pace thereafter and cruised to a routine victory.

Behind, there was nothing routine about the battle raging for second.

O’Young and Lee inherited first and second when Gilbert stopped, but their decision to run longer before the pit window closed allowed rivals to pounce. While O’Young’s co-driver Shaun Thong rejoined third before relieving Joel Camathias of second, he soon had Krohn – whose co-driver Millroy had moved their BMW from 10th to sixth during the opening stint – for company.

Krohn forced his way through at the final corner, but any thoughts of setting off after Patel were soon dashed by Marciello who passed Thong three corners later.

The Italian’s co-driver Abbott had lined up 22nd and inherited two places amidst the start-line accident, but spent the rest of his opening stint picking his way through the field and eventually handed the Mercedes-AMG GT3 over in ninth. Marciello’s progress was equally rapid thereafter, and although Krohn offered stern resistance, the Italian eventually swept around the outside at turn five’s long left-hander.

With nine minutes remaining and Patel 20s up the road any chance of victory looked lost, but the GruppeM ace gave it a go nonetheless and twice set fastest lap to end up just nine seconds adrift at the chequered flag.

Krohn and Millroy completed the podium ahead of GruppeM’s second Mercedes-AMG driven by Jules Szymkowiak and Tim Sugden, which started eighth, and Thong/Lee’s Audi. The Spirit of Race Ferrari driven by Massimiliano Wiser and Jiang Xin smoked its way to sixth while Camathias and Gounon’s Porsche ultimately slipped to seventh.

VSR’s Martin Kodric and Sandy Stuvik were first of the Lamborghini crews home, Milestone Racing’s Jingzu Sun and Franky Cheng fought their way through from 13th to ninth, and Alex Au/Alex Yoong’s Audi R8 LMS Cup entry completed the points-paying positions despite the latter – who starts tomorrow’s race from pole – being tagged into a spin.

GT3’s Am/Am class boiled down to T2 Motorsports vs KCMG, and it was the latter’s all-Japanese crew of Naoto Takeda and Takuya Shirasaka that ultimately prevailed by almost 23s.

Elsewhere, Craft-Bamboo Racing’s Jean-Marc Merlin and Frank Yu claimed GT4 class victory. The pair started second but beat EKS Motorsports’ pole-sitters Byron Tong and Eric Lo by just 3.5s in the category’s first ever event as part of a multi-class pan-Asia GT championship. HubAuto Racing’s Alan Yeo and Ringo Chong completed the podium.

This weekend’s second hour-long race begins at 11:45 local time tomorrow. The championship’s Facebook page and website will both carry live coverage, along with SRO’s GT World Youtube channel.

Aditya Patel, #86 OD Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3: “It was pretty easy in the end after Mitch did the hard work early on! I was just hoping for the car to stay together, because when you have such a comfortable lead you hear every noise it makes. I was in touch with my engineer who told me the pace I needed to maintain and it worked out perfectly.”

Hunter Abbott, #999 GruppeM Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It was a good first stint but my objective was to simply get into a position where Raffaele [Marciello] could make progress. We were aiming for the top-10 and I pitted ninth after starting 22nd, so I was pretty happy with that! It was good fun out there, and a lot like being in touring cars again! Raff’s a phenomenal driver and I had the greatest confidence knowing that he’s going to a) get the car home and b) do a great job with it. And he most definitely did that today!”

Ollie Millroy, #91 FIST – Team AAI BMW M6 GT3: “I made a good start and was on a roll during the first lap when everyone else had bunched up, so it was a shame to have the Safety Car period. Obviously I spent some of my stint behind it but was able to push really hard after the restart, and I think we were running P6 when the pitstops began. Jesse jumped in and did a mega job, but you can probably see from the lap times that it was tough for us out there. We’ll definitely take that at the start of the weekend.”

Jean-Marc Merlin, #77 Craft-Bamboo Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport: “I loved the car but I’m still learning after coming from prototypes. It was a lot of fun and I must say everyone was very courteous, not too much pushing around, so a pleasant experience. I managed to pass the pole-sitter at the start and then stay ahead after the Safety Car period, so for me it was quite straightforward. Hopefully we can do the same from pole tomorrow.”

“Our teams were very competitive today against a strong field of international marques,” said Bernd Goeres, Director of Audi Sport customer racing Asia. “The partnership between Audi Sport customer racing Asia and Blancpain GT Series Asia has got off to a flying start.”

The incident-fuelled race started with a literal bang, as an accident in the middle of the pack right after the lights went green on the rolling start took two cars out of the race and brought out the safety car. Gilbert, who started in pole after recording the fastest lap in the morning’s first qualifying session, held off an early attack from last season’s Audi R8 LMS Cup driver Anthony Liu in the Ferrari behind to hold position just before the yellow flags were waived.

When the safety car went in, Gilbert got away impressively and did not look back, putting clean air between his OD Racing car and the field behind. His teammate, Aditya Patel, took over driving duties half way through the race over 23 seconds ahead of the second placed car and took the chequered flag without incident for an impressive opening win.

Fighting at the front of the pack for the majority of the race were the Audi Hong Kong pair of Marchy Lee and Shaun Thong in the #5 entry. After starting in fourth, Lee was at his aggressive best, making a clean pass to get by the Ferrari ahead of him to come in for the driver change in third place.

Youngster Thong started his stint explosively, getting by the car in front to place second, but lost his position with 15 minutes remaining of the 60-minute race. Battling impressively with the experienced professionals around him, Thong brought his Phoenix Racing Asia serviced car home in fifth overall.

Cheng Congfu put his vast experience in the Audi R8 LMS into action, taking over driving duties of the Absolute Racing serviced Milestone Racing car from Sun Jingzu in the middle of the field. After recording the fourth fastest lap time of the race, the Audi R8 LMS Cup star finished ninth overall, third in the Pro/Am class.

Crossing the finish line within one second of the Chinese pair were the #6 Team Audi R8 LMS Cup and #7 Team WRT cars, both piloted by former Formula One drivers in Alex Yoong and Will Stevens respectively.

Both drivers, who will also fight it out on the track in this year’s Audi R8 LMS Cup, put in impressive lap times, Stevens recording the second fastest of the race and Yoong the fifth. With final placings of 10th overall for Yoong and teammate Alex Au, and 11th for Stevens and Jeffrey Lee, the teams just missed out on the Pro/Am class podium.

KCMG’s Japanese duo Naoto Takeda and Takuya Shirasaka topped the Am/Am class podium after placing 18th overall.

The race capped off a great day on the track for the brand with four rings, with Gilbert clocking the fastest time in qualifying session one in the morning and Marchy Lee securing a second row start for round 1. After an even quicker second qualifying session, Team Audi R8 LMS Cup of Yoong and Au and Team WRT of Stevens and Jeffrey Lee start Sunday’s round 2 on the front row, with the Milestone Racing pair of Cheng and Sun just behind them in third.

In the only downside for the Audi teams, the free practice pace-setters Martin Rump and Rick Yoon in the #18 KCMG by Champion Racing Team car were unable to participate in either qualifying session or the race after an engine problem ended their official practice earlier in the day. The engineers are working hard on making the car race-ready for round 2.

The second race of Blancpain GT Series Asia season kicks off at 11:45 (UTC +8) on Sunday 9th April.

The Chinese driver, who shares the Absolute Racing-run Audi R8 LMS GT3 with Sun Jingzu, posted a best lap of 2m04.132s during Wednesday’s first track test. That time would remain unbeaten over the subsequent three sessions.

Indeed, Cheng’s second session-topping time was also faster than anyone else could muster over the two days.

Second fastest went to another Pro/Am Audi crew, the Phoenix Racing Asia-run, Team Audi R8 LMS GT3 Cup-entered car of Alexs Yoong and Au. The pair’s fastest time from Thursday afternoon moved them to within two tenths of Cheng, while another Absolute Audi – the OD Racing example driven by leading Silver Cup pair Mitch Gilbert and Aditya Patel – finished third overall after producing its best on Wednesday morning.

The first of two Ferraris was next up, Davide Rizzo and Anthony Liu’s BBT 488 GT3 pipping the similar Spirit of Race car driven by Massimiliano Wiser and Jiang Xin by little more than a tenth.

KCMG’s full-season Audi in the hands of Martin Rump and Sanghwi Rick Yoon made it five Pro/Am crews in the top-six, while GruppeM’s pair of Mercedes-AMG GT3s rounded out the first eight, Tim Sugden and Jules Szymkowiak’s #888 beating the sister car of Hunter Abbott and Raffaele Marciello.

Fastest of the Am/Am runners and a very impressive 12th overall was KCMG’s all-Japanese crew of Naoto Takeda and Takuya Shirasaka whose best of 2m05.851s was comfortably quicker than their nearest rivals Vincent Wong and Andrew Haryanto aboard their X-ONE Racing Lamborghini.

Meanwhile, HubAuto Racing’s Ringo Chong and Alan Yeo ended up quickest of the GT4 continent. Their best of 2m19.039s from Thursday’s final session helped them vault to the top of the class by seven tenths ahead of EKS Motorsports’ Eric Lo and Byron Tong.

Friday sees two hour-long free practice sessions take place ahead of official practice, qualifying and race one on Saturday. A single hour-long race rounds out the weekend on Sunday.

WRT will run two cars for the ten-race, five-stop 2017 Audi R8 LMS Cup season. 25-year-old Stevens will drive for the WRT-serviced Castrol Racing Team, with the driver of the Team WRT Asia car to be announced soon. Stevens, a Brit with highly impressive credentials, was LMP2 runner-up at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year, is an FIA World Endurance Championship race winner, and has 18 Formula One grand prix starts under his belt.

“The addition of Team WRT Asia underlines the Audi R8 LMS Cup’s role as an entry point into the burgeoning Asian GT market for the world’s leading teams,” commented Bernd Goeres, Director of Audi Sport customer racing Asia. “With the series debut of Will Stevens – a driver who has competed at the very pinnacle of our sport – the Cup line-up for 2017 is shaping up nicely.”
 
Audi R8 LMS Cup star Jeffrey Lee will join Stevens as part of the Team WRT Asia entry into the new Blancpain GT Series Asia, seeing the in-demand Stevens combine a full Blancpain GT Series season in Europe, including both the Sprint and Endurance Cups, with his Asian campaigns.

“Audi Sport customer racing Asia has been at the forefront of the rapid expansion of Asian motorsport that has taken place in recent years,” said Vincent Vosse, Managing Director of WRT. “Building on our long-held connection to Audi Sport, this partnership is the perfect fit for our Asian championship debut.”

Belgium-based WRT has enjoyed great success with Audi R8 LMS GT3 cars in the eight years since the team’s launch. WRT’s illustrious list of achievements in that short period includes victories at Spa 24 Hours, Nürburgring 24 Hours and last season’s FIA GT World Cup in Macau.

WRT, Stevens and Lee will make their competition debut together on April 8-9 as the new Blancpain GT Series Asia gets underway at Malaysia’s Formula One track, the Sepang International Circuit, while the sixth season of the Audi R8 LMS Cup roars off the grid on May 6-7 at the same venue.

Stevens, who is undertaking only his second season of GT3 racing after a successful 14-year motor racing career in karts and single-seaters, will miss one event in each of the Blancpain Asia and R8 LMS Cup due to clashing Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup (Brands Hatch) and Endurance Cup races (Paul Ricard).

Will’s Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup season began in unfortunate circumstances at Misano (IT) last weekend (1 Apr). Starting Saturday evening’s qualifying race from 11th position – the best-placed Audi – Will’s R8 LMS was hit from behind at Turn 6. The Stevens Audi was spun around with the race being stopped after the multi-car pile-up. Six cars were not able to re-start including the Stevens/Markus Winkelhock R8 LMS which was too badly damaged to start Sunday’s Main Race.

2017 Blancpain GT Series – Asia
8-9 Apr: Sepang (MAL)
20-21 May: Chang (THAI)
24-25 Jun: Suzuka (JAP)*
19-20 Aug: Fuji (JAP)
23-24 Sep: Shanghai (CH)
21-22 Oct: Zhejiang (CH)
(2 x 1hr races each event)
*Will not enter

2017 Audi R8 LMS Cup
6-7 May: Sepang (MAL)*
10-11 Jun: Suzuka (JAP)
15-16 Jul: Korea (KOR)
9-10 Sep: Shanghai (CH)
20-21 Oct: Zhejiang (CH)
(2 races each event)
*Will not enter

Will Stevens (GB): Lives: Surrey, England. Aged 25.

“I’m delighted to join Audi Sport customer racing Asia and Team WRT Asia to compete in Asia. I’m already racing for WRT in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint and Endurance Cups in Europe. Contesting the inaugural Blancpain GT Series in Asia, combined with the hugely popular and competitive Audi R8 LMS Cup for WRT, is a good additional opportunity for me. I made the decision this year to concentrate on GT racing and race the Audi R8 LMS as much as I can to forge stronger links with Audi. I’m looking forward to getting this new Asian programme underway and returning to some tracks that I know from my days in Formula One. Asia is a fast-emerging market and I’m happy to be a part of both series.
 
“Misano was hugely disappointing. The Audis looked to be at a disadvantage generally in Italy but I was the fastest of those in Qualifying 3 so to that extent, I was happy with that. Then in the race, after only a couple of corners, I was hit hard and spun around. The [chassis] damage was too severe to repair for Sunday’s race.”

A total of 60 drivers and 30 cars – comprising 24 GT3s, five GT4s and one Invitational entry – representing Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche will take to Malaysia’s 3.445-mile, 5.543-kilometre FIA Grade 1 circuit as part of SRO Motorsports Group’s first pan-Asia GT championship event.

It’s an entry list packed with established Asian talent, both in terms of drivers and teams, but also represents the wider GT racing spectrum thanks to a number of international stars and champions eager to showcase their skills far from home.

THE CONTENDERS: GT3

The start of a new era features a bumper GT3 entry list, with 24 cars scheduled to start at Sepang. The sport’s traditional Pro/Am format has proven most popular with 11 different crews entered, while Silver Cup line-ups feature in eight cars and the remaining Am/Ams in five. Pro/Am and Am/Am will receive their own dedicated podium ceremony following the overall classification’s.

With no reigning Blancpain GT Series Asia champions to choose from it’s only right to begin with last season’s GT Asia Drivers’ title winners, FFF Racing Team by ACM, who field a pair of Lamborghini Huracan GT3s. Carrying #1 is a Silver crew with an average age of just 19. Italian racer Alberto Di Folco has spent the past three years racing Lamborghinis, first in Super Trofeo Europe – he won the Pro-Am title in 2014 – before finishing fifth at the wheel of a Huracan GT3 in Italian GT last season. Meanwhile, his 18-year-old Australian co-driver Read has contested the Asian Le Mans Series’ LMP classes for the past two years and makes his GT3 debut in Sepang.

Its second, Chinese Pro/Am crew features very different levels of experience, with former F1 reserve driver and two-time Asian Le Mans Series champion Ho-Pin Tung joining GT debutant Zhu Junhan.

Absolute Racing secured 2016’s GT Asia Teams’ titles with Bentley but switch their focus to solely running Audi R8 LMS GT3s on behalf of Milestone Racing and OD Racing Team. The former reunites GT Asia team-mates Sun Jingzu and Franky Cheng, while Audi R8 LMS Cup graduate Aditya Patel joins forces with Mitchell Gilbert, who finished third in last season’s Porsche Carrera Cup Asia.

The region’s heavyweights just keep on coming in the form of Phoenix Racing Asia, whose pair of R8 LMS GT3s – entered under the Audi Hong Kong and Audi R8 LMS Cup banners – are driven by 2016 GT Asia runners-up Marchy Lee and Shaun Fong, and Alex Au and Malaysian home favourite Alex Yoong, respectively.

Craft-Bamboo Racing claimed the GT Asia Drivers’ crown with Darryl O’Young in 2015, and that combination – plus 2013 GT Asia champion Peter Li – are bound to be victory contenders with their Porsche 911 GT3 R. Its second crew is also Silver rated and pairs ADAC GT Masters front-runner Jules Gounon with former International GT Open champion Joel Camathias.

Another name synonymous with success is 2015/16 Asian Le Mans Series champions Clearwater Racing whose McLaren 650S GT3 will be driven by Richard Wee – who has raced Ferraris for the Singapore squad since 2014 – and reigning Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup champion Rob Bell.

Two BMW M6 GT3s will take the start in Sepang courtesy of another highly successful Asian outfit, FIST – Team AAI. Jun San Chen and Lam Yu comprise one of the GT3 grid’s five all-Am pairings, while the Taiwanese outfit’s Silver line-up – long-time AAI driver Ollie Millroy and factory BMW ace Jesse Krohn – should be overall victory contenders.

The same goes for GruppeM Racing’s two all-European Mercedes-AMG GT3 crews. Jules Szymkowiak claimed two Silver Cup victories and one outright podium at Blancpain GT Series’ Misano opener last weekend, and he’s joined in the first of the team’s entries by former British GT champion Tim Sugden. Ex-Ferrari Formula 1 reserve driver Raffaele Marciello also tasted champagne on his GT debut last weekend and partners Hunter Abbott as stand-in for Maxi Buhk aboard GruppeM’s second car.

Four Ferrari 488 GT3s – two entered by Spirit of Race and another pair by BBT and T2 Motorsport – add yet more variety to Sepang’s grid. Reigning FIA WEC champion Rui Aguas teams up with Singaporean Nasrat Muzayyin, and Anthony Liu and Davide Rizzo reprise the successful partnership that helped them claim third in GT Asia last season. Jiang Xin and Massimiliano Wiser comprise the Italian marque’s third Pro/Am crew, while Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific race winners David Tjiptobiantoro and Greg Teo Bee Tat should prove a very competitive Am/Am proposition.

But that’s not all.

Aston Martin make it eight different GT3 manufacturers confirmed for Blancpain GT Series Asia’s maiden race weekend, with a single V12 Vantage entered by CMRT’s James Cai and Kenneth Lim.

Hong Kong squad KCMG has tasted success inside and outside of Asia, and enters a pair of Audi R8 LMS GT3s at Sepang. Its full-season ‘Champion Racing with KCMG’ Pro/Am entry of Rick Yoon and Martin Rump, who finished third in last season’s Audi R8 LMS Cup, is joined in Malaysia by a second R8 for Japanese Am crew Naoto Takeda and Takuya Shirasaka, who will compete at four of 2017’s six events.

The German marque’s seventh and final entry – the most of any GT3 manufacturer at Sepang – comes from its factory team, WRT, which has claimed multiple Blancpain GT Series titles and race victories, including the 2015 Motul Sepang 12 Hours. Its Pro/Am line-up pairs works driver and former F1 racer Will Stevens with highly experienced Taiwanese driver Jeffrey Lee, who has campaigned Audis in a variety of championships since 2011, including en route to second in the 2015/16 Asian Le Mans Series.

Elsewhere, former single-seater drivers Martin Kodric and Sandy Stuvik form Vincenzo Sospiri Racing’s exciting young Silver Lamborghini crew, while X-ONE Racing’s Huracan GT3 is piloted by 2016 Super Trofeo Asia Am class top-two Andrew Haryanto and Vincent Wong.

GT3’s 24th and final entry features home hero Fairuz Fauzy, who is best known for finishing second in 2009’s Formula Renault 3.5 Series and subsequently becoming Lotus/Caterham Formula 1 reserve driver. He’s joined aboard Arrows Racing’s Pro/Am Porsche 911 GT3 R by experienced GT racer Philip Ma.

THE CONTENDERS: GT4

SRO’s GT4 category continues to grow in stature around the world and will be used in a pan-Asia GT championship for the first time this season. Five all-Am GT4 crews will race in Malaysia, all of which have opted for Porsche’s Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR.

HubAuto Racing were the first to confirm their Blancpain GT Series Asia plans back in December on the same weekend as they won the Motul Sepang 12 Hours’ GT4 class. Ringo Chong and Alan Yeo are on driver duty in Malaysia this weekend.

Taiwan Top Speed Racing’s Cayman will be driven by former GT Asia competitor Keo Chang and his ex-Taiwan Speed Festival rival Jeremy Wang, whose CV also includes recent Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia outings.

Meanwhile, team founders Tony Fong and Terrence Tse share their TTR Team SARD-entered Porsche. Both have significant experience of racing across Asia, with Fong appearing at Macau and the Sepang 1000km, as well as numerous CTCC Challenge events over the past 15 years. He was also the 2014 HKAA 1600cc Stock Car Challenge champion, a title Tse relieved him of one year later. Tse has also appeared in TCR Asia, Formula Renault Asia and Clio Cup China, and competed in Sepang’s 1000km race, as well as the Guia touring car event at Macau.

Craft-Bamboo Racing’s 911 will share garage space with its GT4 machine, which features a driver crew with previous experience of racing for the Hong Kong squad. Frank Yu was part of the line-up that finished fourth in last season’s GT Asia GT3 Teams’ standings, but makes the move to GT4 aboard the same car with which he claimed third in the 2016 Dubai 24 Hours. Co-driver Jean-Marc Merlin partnered Yu in a Craft-Bamboo-prepared Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 at the 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour, but is perhaps best known for his Porsche exploits, having competed in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and Le Mans 24 Hours aboard a Porsche 911 RSR. Last season he raced in the European Le Mans Series’ LMP3 class.

EKS Motorsports’ Cayman, driven by Hong Kong pairing Eric Lo and Byron Tong, completes the GT4 entry for Sepang. Both drivers are best known for their Clio Cup China exploits, with Lo claiming the 2012 crown before Tong finished as runner-up a year later.

A sixth Cayman, also entered by EKS Motorsports and driven by Swen Herberger/Nazim Azman, will also compete at Sepang, albeit outside of the GT4 class and general classification owing to the latter’s FIA grading.

CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Sepang stages the inaugural event of Blancpain GT Series Asia’s maiden season on April 8/9. Here’s what you need to know about the championship:

Blancpain GT Series Asia is a multi-class GT championship predominantly catering for GT3 and GT4 cars. GTC cars can also compete, as well as Invitational entries (at SRO’s discretion).

Each of the championship’s six race weekends feature two one-hour races: one on Saturday and the other on Sunday. Two 15-minute qualifying sessions – one to decide each race’s grid – are staged on Saturday. Practice takes place on Friday and Saturday.

To maintain a level playing field each driver’s ability has been graded one of four different colours by motorsport’s world governing body, the FIA: Bronze (amateur), Silver, Gold and Platinum (professional).

Drivers’ Championship points count towards an overall GT3 classification, as well as:
Pro/Am – one Bronze driver paired with a Platinum, Gold or Silver
Silver Cup – all-Silver crews reserved for that class
Am/Am – all-Bronze crews

Only Am/Am pairings are eligible to compete in GT4, with points counting towards a single class championship.

Points also count towards the overall GT3 and GT4 Teams’ Championships. A team can enter a maximum of three cars under the same licence but only its top two finishers will score points towards the Teams’ Championship.

GT3 and GT4 cars compete on-track simultaneously but fight for their own class victory. There are overall GT3 and GT4 podium ceremonies, plus separate rostrums for GT3 Pro/Am and Am/Am. Points are awarded to the top-10 overall GT3 and GT4 finishers, plus those entered in Silver Cup, Pro/Am and Am/Am.

Each car is shared by two drivers. A mandatory time-controlled pit-stop and driver change takes place between 25 and 35 minutes of each hour-long race.

The top-three overall finishers in GT3 and GT4 receive a ‘time success penalty’ to be served during the following race’s pit-stop. Sunday’s top-three finishers will serve their success penalties during the first race of the following event.

These time penalties are:
1st 10sec – 2nd 7sec – 3rd 5sec

Each driver contests one of two 15-minute qualifying sessions that decide the grid order for Saturday and Sunday’s races. The pair’s highest rated driver must take part in race two’s qualifying session.

Blancpain GT Series Asia weekends also typically feature three practice sessions.

Points are awarded to the top-10 finishers overall and in class:

1. 25pts – 2. 18pts – 3. 15pts – 4. 12pts – 5. 10pts – 6. 8pts – 7. 6pts – 8. 4pts – 9. 2pts – 10. 1pt

2017 CALENDAR

The inaugural Blancpain GT Series Asia season will comprise 12 races spread across six rounds in four countries.

R1/2    Apr 08/09    Sepang, Malaysia
R3/4    May 20/21    Chang International Circuit, Thailand
R5/6    Jun 24/25 Suzuka, Japan
R7/8    Aug 19/20    Fuji Speedway, Japan
R9/10    Sep 23/24    Shanghai, China
R11/12    Oct 21/22 Zhejiang, China

SEPANG TIMETABLE

Friday 7 April
12:15 – 13:00: Free Practice 1
16:05 – 16:50: Free Practice 2

Saturday 8 April
08:15 – 08:45: Official Free Practice
10:40 – 10:55: Qualifying – Race 1
11:05 – 11:20: Qualifying – Race 2
15:10 – 16:15: Race 1 (1 hour plus lead lap)

Sunday 9 April
11:45 – 12:50: Race 2 (1 hour plus lead lap)

TV COVERAGE

Qualifying and both races will be streamed live on the Blancpain GT Series website and GT World Youtube channel this Saturday and Sunday (see timetable above), while Fox Sports 3 Asia will re-run both races at 23:30 on Saturday at 19:30 on Sunday.

As the son of a former Formula 1 driver, Gounon had motorsport in his blood and he quickly rose through the karting ranks to be crowned the iame x30 world champion and European Vice champion in 2012. This catapulted him onto motorsport’s world stage, scoring a drive in Formula 4 where he took second place in the drivers’ championship. The Frenchman continued to get noticed and scored the French Porsche Junior Scholarship in 2014 before joining the Porsche Carrera Cup France and becoming a race winner in 2015. Gounon kept impressing and joined the ADAC GT Masters in 2016 where he would finish 3rd overall. Not content with sticking to sprint racing, the 22 year old took on the 24 Hours of Daytona and finished 2nd in the GT class before taking 4th place at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Gounon now returns to Porsche with Craft-Bamboo Racing and is intent on finding success this weekend against the best GT teams and drivers in Asia.

Camathias, who hails from Switzerland, is a masterful GT driver who cut his teeth on karting and then Formula cars, culminating with a drive for Dale Coyne Racing in the Champ Car series in 2003. Camathias’ switch to GT cars in 2006 proved to be the right choice, taking the Le Mans Series title in a works Porsche. He would go on to win again in a Porsche, taking the International GT Open title the following year and once again in 2009. Camathias entered the WEC in 2012, scoring wins and podiums in the Porsche 911 RSR. Over the next few years he would go on to race in the International GT Open and Italian GT championship before making a return to WEC in 2016. The hugely experienced Camathias will now compete for opening round glory in the #88 Apex Porsche, a manufacturer he knows well and one that has been responsible for much of his career success.

The joining of Gounon and Camathias makes for a formidable pairing, fusing together championship winning experience and extensive time behind the wheel of a Porsche. However, the GT drivers will need to work hard to learn the circuit in the opening sessions to ensure they are in top form for qualifying on Saturday.

Darryl O’Young and Peter Li are ready to get their season underway in the #99 VLT Porsche 911 GT3 R and are confident that will be able to deliver results when the lights go out on Saturday. Both drivers have extensive experience at the Sepang International Circuit, scoring podiums and race wins. This will give them the chance to quickly focus on perfecting the cars setup. To give them even more of an edge, Official Porsche Motorsport Junior Coach Sascha Maassen has been on hand to help Li maximize his performance and get to grips with the Porsche 911 GT3 R as best as possible.

Frank Yu and Jean-Marc Merlin are looking to make history by winning the inaugural GT4 class race in Sepang this weekend. Frank Yu is no stranger to Sepang, having competed at the circuit in a variety of high end machinery. Yu was also able to further get acquainted with the Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR during a test session a few weeks ago, boosting his confidence and in turn his performance in the new GT4 racer. Merlin has not raced at Sepang before and will have to work hard to get accustomed. Thankfully, Craft-Bamboo has extensive experience at the Malaysian track, and paired with his knowledgeable teammate, the French driver will be up to speed in no time.

Race Schedule (GMT +8)

Friday, April 7th

12:15 – 13:00 Blancpain GT Free Practice 1 (45 min)
16:05 – 16:50 Blancpain GT Free Practice 2 (45 min)

Saturday, April 8th

08:15 – 08:45 Blancpain GT Free Practice 3 (30 min)
10:40 – 10:55 Blancpain GT Qualifying 1 (15 min)
11:05 – 11:20 Blancpain GT Qualifying 2 (15 min)
15.10 – 16:15 Blancpain GT Race 1 (1 hour plus leader)

Sunday, April 9th

11:45 – 12:50 Blancpain GT Race 2 (1 hour plus leader)

Quotes

Richard Coleman, CEO of Craft-Bamboo Racing

“We are very much looking forward to the start of the Blancpain GT Series Asia season this weekend in Sepang. It is a new series and one that we will be competing in with both GT3 and GT4 cars. We have a very strong lineup for Sepang, with some very experienced and successful drivers in all cars.

I would like to welcome Jules Gounon and Joel Camathias to Craft-Bamboo Racing. They are both hugely talented drivers with previous experience in Porsches. Paired together I am sure that they will be very quick this weekend and one of the most competitive packages on the grid.”

#88 Apex Porsche 911 GT3 R

Jules Gounon

“I am very proud to be working with Craft-Bamboo Racing and can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 R and take on the Blancapin GT Series Asia grid. It is a new series, so it is going to be an interesting first few sessions to see where we line up but I will be focused on learning the circuit and getting to grips with the car. I am excited to be paired with Joel Camathias who is an incredibly experienced GT driver and together I think we can deliver a competitive package this weekend with the help of Craft-Bamboo.”

Joel Camathias

“I am delighted at having the opportunity to race in the inaugural event of the new SRO-promoted Blancpain GT Series Asia for a great team such as Craft-Bamboo. I was very pleased when I received their call and I will give everything to reward their trust. Having raced in two rounds of the then GT Asia in 2014, I know a little bit about the Asian GT scene and how competitive it has become. Still, the Blancpain GT Series Asia will be new for everyone, so it is difficult to predict who is going to be where, in terms of competitiveness, but having a look at the entry list, one can realize that the level is high. I have never raced before at Sepang, so my first priority will be to learn the track, but I have very good experience with the Porsche and I am very happy to be associated with Jules, who is a fast and talented young driver. I really look forward to racing at Sepang and I am very motivated to contribute to Craft-Bamboo’s efforts.”

#99 VLT Porsche 911 GT3 R

Darryl O’Young

“It’s the start of a new season and I’m really excited. It’s my 30th year in motorsport, and I’m hoping to make it a special one. I have high expectations this season and really looking to bounce back from what was a tough season last year. Craft-Bamboo Racing is a team full of heart, and everyone deserves a strong year in 2017.”

Peter Li Zhi Cong

“I am looking forward to my first Blancpain GT Series Asia race in Sepang. It will be my first time racing since May last year. I know it is going to be a tough come back but I know I have the support of my teammate and my team. I am new to the car but I hope to adapt quickly and score a good result for Craft-Bamboo Racing and our drivers’ championship challenge”

#77 Porsche Cayman Clubsport MR

Frank Yu

“I am really looking forward to race one. It is a new championship and I am sure the new GT4 class will be a big success. I have a very good teammate, who I trust. Over the two day test we had a couple of weeks ago at Sepang, we produced some pretty strong lap times and with the experience of our team we will do well and fight for the overall win in the championship this year.”

Jean Marc Merlin

“I am very excited to be racing with Craft-Bamboo and Frank after successful races in the past, such as the Dubai 24 Hour and Bathurst 12 Hour. As for the rest, everything else is new for me this season. The Blancpain Series, race tracks, GT4 Class and the sprint format are all new, but I am very much looking forward to the challenge because I hate repetition.”

This marks the first time that the two drivers will share a car together; producing what should be one of the most exciting pairings on the 2017 grid.  Li makes his return to GT cars after a big accident in European Formula 3 saw him ruled out for the rest of the 2016 season. Working hard through the winter, Li has made a full recovery and the #99 driver is hungry to get back on track behind the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 R.  With the young GT driver’s speed and enthusiasm, paired with O’Young’s years of top-level motorsport experience, the two will make for a potent combination of youth and experience.

The #99 Porsche 911 GT3 R debuts with a brand new livery for 2017, offering a fresh and dramatic take on the famous VLT livery that has become an iconic and recognizable figure in Asia. New for this season is a striking a-symmetrical design that uses a solid yellow base overlaid with a geometric green ‘camouflage’. The angular patterns accentuate the lines of the Porsche to create an aggressive and modern statement that will ensure the #99 VLT Porsche proudly stands out when it first takes to the track in just over a week’s time.

Darryl O’Young is a three-time Macau Grand Prix victor in a Porsche, two-time winner of the Bathurst 12 Hour, and a double Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Champion.  In 2015 he won the GT Asia Series drivers’ championship, before contesting the 2016 GT Asia Series in the brand new Porsche 911 GT3 R. With the team working hard to develop the car over the past season, O’Young is confident that big strides will be made with the car’s performance and he is eager to push the #99 VLT Porsche to its limits in search of another championship victory.

Li embarked on his motorsport career in 2006 when he joined the Chinese Karting Championship before rising through the ranks of sports cars and Formula cars. After gaining significant experience in open wheelers, Li made the move to GT cars in 2012 where he found immediate success in the GT Asia Series.  The Chinese driver continued to impress in 2013 and took both the GT Asia Series and AAMC GT Cup championship titles before making the move to Europe.  There he competed in the highly competitive British Formula 3 championship before moving up to the FIA European Formula 3 Championship where he gained tremendous experience fighting against the world’s top junior drivers.

Li now returns to GT cars and joins O’Young in the hunt for Blancpain GT Series Asia glory in the #99 VLT Porsche 911 GT3 R. The former GT Asia champions both have considerable time behind the wheel of a Porsche and with their extensive knowledge and experience at Asia’s most famous circuits; the #99 will be the one to watch when the season kicks off in Malaysia next weekend.

Quotes

Richard Coleman, CEO of Craft-Bamboo Racing

“It is great to have the support of VLT once again for this year’s Blancpain GT Series Asia, and we welcome new sponsor Fishers Village that join us through the support of Peter Li Zhi Cong.  I believe that the pairing of O’Young and Li will be strong and give us a good shot at the drivers’ championship title. Both drivers come from a strong GT background in Porsches and are familiar with the circuits on the calendar, which should help to give the team an edge in performance.”

Darryl O’Young, Driver #99 Porsche 911 GT3 R

“I am really pleased that VLT has continued their partnership with the team. They have been very supportive over the past few years and having achieved the championship in 2015 we are looking to bounce back from a tough season and go for the championship again this year. Craft-Bamboo Racing has delivered a strong car and we believe that we have made a lot of progress with development since last year.  Peter Li is a driver I have known for many years and he is a past champion in GT Asia, so we know he has the ability to drive well.  With his experience over the last few years in Europe, I am sure he has gained a lot of confidence and I look forward to working with him. Having two Chinese drivers together is something special and we will be trying hard to achieve good results for Hong Kong and China.”

Peter Li Zhi Cong, Driver #99 VLT Porsche 911 GT3 R

“I feel confident making my return to racing with Craft-Bamboo Racing and Porsche.  I will be aiming to build up my speed again and will work hard to learn as much as possible early in the season. I have a very good feeling that the Porsche 911 GT3 R will be a strong competitor this season, so combined with the experience of the team, I can really put my focus on driving. I know that Craft-Bamboo Racing is a professional outfit and a perfect partner to make my return to GT racing in Asia. It’s going to be an exciting year and it’s a bonus to be able to partner up with an experienced and successful teammate like Darryl O’Young.”

The #99 VLT Porsche 911 GT3 R’s pursuit of the 2017 Blancpain GT Series Asia title would not have been possible without VLT, Fishers Village, HYT, Gravity, POAD, Orangebus and Stand 21.

As previously announced, the team have opted to join the new SRO-backed series in what is expected to be a tight and competitive GT3 field.

In what will be the Silver-Silver entry, Read comes from a background in Formula Masters and recently competed in both LMP3 and LMP2 machinery in the Asian Le Mans Series. Alberto Di Folco took top honours in Super Trofeo Europe in 2014.  In the Pro-Am entry Ho-Pin Tung is internationally recognised thanks to his extensive single-seater and GT experience while Zhu Junhan is all set for his first season in GT racing.

“It’s a great pleasure to confirm our drivers for the coming season,” stated FFF Racing Team Owner, Sean Fu Songyang. “This is a new championship and a new challenge for us and with these four drivers. It will be interesting to see how quickly Aidan and Alberto get up to speed – and they will – while we know Ho-Pin Tung will be competitive in the sister car. Zhu Junhan is all set for his first full season in sports cars and we believe we can be competitive with both cars.”
 
The championship consists of six rounds, starting with Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia in April and concludes in October at the Chinese Zhejiang Circuit.

After Craft-Bamboo Racing’s first season of competition in the Porsche 911 GT3 R, the team has gained tremendous experience with the car coupled with further development during the off-season. The Hong Kong team expects the Porsche to make significant strides in its performance and the crew has every confidence that they will arrive with a competitive package come the first race in Sepang. Craft-Bamboo Racing is one of the most experienced GT teams in Asia, taking victories and podiums at many of the circuits that will be contested this year. With their strong history of success in Asia and two fresh Porsche 911 GT3 Rs with brand new engines and chassis, the team is set to take the fight to the best GT3 teams and drivers, assured that they will deliver peak performance when the lights go out. Extensive development time has also been devoted to the switch to Pirelli tyres, with the crew focused on preparation to ensure that both their GT3 and GT4 class machines are primed for action on the 8th of April. The team is focusing on finalizing a high claibre driver lineup for their two GT3 Rs and is excited to announce them in the coming weeks alongside fresh livery designs for both cars.

Driving the #77 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR for 2017 will be Hong Kong’s Frank Yu and Jean-Marc Merlin of France. Frank makes the move to the GT4 class in pursuit of the championship title, giving Craft-Bamboo Racing its first foray into the new category.

Frank Yu began his racing career in 2007 and has been continuously developing his race-craft over the past 10 years. Some of his greatest achievements include winning the Malaysian Super Series Championship title in 2012 and taking P3 overall at the Dubai 24 hours in 2013. Yu is best known for his GT Asia title challenges over the last few years in both Aston Martin and Porsche machinery and most recently took P3 once again at the Dubai 24 Hours in the Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR. His extensive knowledge of the Asian race circuits and vast experience in the GT3 class will make Frank Yu a tough competitor this season.

Jean-Marc Merlin is no stranger to Craft-Bamboo Racing, having raced with the team at the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2015. Merlin has a strong history with Porsche Motorsport as well, having competed in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Porsche 911 RSR. The Frenchman has also piloted numerous early 911s, including 2.0 litres, 3.0 litre RS’s, 935’s and 962’s in European historic events. Merlin has recently been competing in the prototype category in the World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series but a move to Asia sees the Blancpain GT Series Asia a perfect fit for the Singapore based driver.

With the combined track record of success between them and aided by the new Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR, Frank and Jean-Marc are shaping up to be one of the strongest pairings in the GT4 class for the 2017 season. The GT4 entry will be further supported by the team’s pair of Porsche 911 GT3 Rs, staking Craft-Bamboo Racing’s serious intent to challenge for both championships from the very start of the inaugural Blancpain GT Series Asia race in Malaysia.

2017 Blancpain GT Series Asia Schedule

April 8/9 – Sepang, Malaysia
May 20/21 – Chang International Circuit, Thailand
June 24/25 – Suzuka, Japan
August 19/20 – Fuji Speedway, Japan
September 23/24 – Shanghai, China
October 21/22 – Zhejiang, China

Quotes

Richard Coleman, CEO of Craft-Bamboo Racing

“We are pleased to announce Craft-Bamboo Racing’s move to the Blancpain GT Series Asia as it gives us the opportunity to run cars in the GT3 and GT4 classes.  Porsche Motorsport has worked hard on the development of both cars over the past year and we have high expectations for the coming season. With the cars fully prepared we will be announcing our high-calibre GT3 driver lineup over the coming weeks. Our lineup of Frank Yu and Jean-Marc Merlin in the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR should prove to be very strong as the pair are hugely experienced with the manufacturer as well as with top level international racing.  With our soon to be revealed GT3 driver lineups we will be aiming to take not only the GT3 title but also the GT4 championship this year as well.”

Alexandre Gibot, Porsche China Manager Motorsport

“We are happy to see Craft-Bamboo Racing choose Porsche vehicles for their entries in both the GT3 and GT4 Class in the Blancpain GT Series Asia. This once again shows the unique role Porsche Motorsport plays in helping to develop Asian Motorsport.  Porsche Motorsport is also proud to support these three entries by providing engineering, technical and parts support.” 

Frank Yu, Driver #77 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR

“I am very excited to join the Blancpain GT Series Asia this year in the GT4 class. I think the GT4 category will become a great success and it is a perfect platform for Bronze drivers. I have a lot of faith in this series and I believe we will put forth a very competitive package that should give us a shot at the championship. I really liked driving the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR after taking a podium finish in the 24 Hours of Dubai earlier this year. I am glad to be back racing with Jean-Marc Merlin, with whom I have teamed up with a number of times in endurance events. We both have driven Porsches in the past and can’t wait to take on the rest of the GT4 field come early April.”

Jean-Marc Merlin, Driver #77 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR

“I am really looking forward to racing once again with Craft-Bamboo Racing and Frank Yu. We will be taking the competition very seriously but we aim to have fun while doing so. I have wanted to compete in the Blancpain GT Series for a long time and I am happy to be participating in what is promising to be a very successful Asian series. I will be making the move back to Porsches again after having competed in the PCCA and 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as many historic races. The biggest challenge for me will be forgetting prototype race techniques after competing in WEC and ELMS in LMP2 and LMP3 Ligiers.”

Cai and Lim, who finished third in the 2015 GT Asia GTM Cup, will be gunning for AM Cup honours this year. The duo took a sabbatical in 2016 in preparation for the move up to GT3 and have already tested at the Sepang F1 Circuit, the venue for the first event on April 8-9, where they set encouraging lap times during their first experience of the Aston Martin Vantage and GT3 power.

“We are now really looking forward to the year in Blancpain Asia” stated Lim. “It’s a step up but it’s something we have both wanted to do for a while now. It’s a good series to get involved with and we know it will be a good experience and a great challenge.”

Eurasia is no stranger to Aston Martin as they managed and ran the cars for two seasons in 2013-2014.  “We are really happy to be back with Aston Martin and in partnership with CMRT we are looking forward to the season,” remarked Team Principal Mark Goddard.

The 12-round series gets underway in April at Sepang, and wraps up at the Zhejiang Circuit China in October.

The team is also expanding its competitiveness beyond its domain in the Asia Le Mans Series (ALMS) by competing in the competitive Audi LMS Cup as well as the brand new Blancpain GT Series Asia. The Malaysian team has put together some well thought out strategic moves that will help take it to greater heights in 2017.

The coming together of both the Audi R8 LMS Cup and the Blancpain GT Series Asia has worked into OD Racing’s favour as the team will be competing on the same track, on the same tyres and with the same car. This gives the team the ideal opportunity to collect more data and knowledge, giving OD Racing a crucial strategic edge over other teams as it will be better equipped with data, giving drivers and engineers the best chance there is to hit the ground running.

Besides acquiring a competitive car, part of the strategic plans designed to secure podium positions is a new driver line-up. In the pilot’s seat for the 2017 Audi LMS Cup is none other than the hugely impressive 22-year old, Mitch Gilbert (Born in Kuala Lumpur) who last year raced in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA) series for the first time and finished third in the championship. Gilbert’s race experience and proven race pace together with the speed and robustness of the Audi R8 GT3 are the perfect combination to bring home some much deserved results.

The Blancpain GT Series Asia however requires a team to have two drivers, so pairing with Gilbert will be a very talented driver, with experience in the Audi R8 GT3 car, as well as knowledge of the Asian race circuits. He will be introduced closer to the first race.

OD Racing is currently preparing for the first race of the year. They will be shaking down the car at the Sepang International Circuit next week, before their launch event at Zouk Club KL. The team will then return to the Sepang International Circuit on the 8th and 9th of April for the first round of the Blancpain Asia Series, looking to secure their first podium of the season.

The Taiwanese outfit will run a pair of BMW M6 GT3s under the FIST – Team AAI banner in Malaysia with a view to adding extra Blancpain GT Series Asia dates to its 2017 schedule. Both driver crews will be announced in due course.

AAI Motorsports boasts more than 20 years of racing experience, and has been a regular in the Asian Le Mans Series’ GT class since its inception in 2015. The team debuted its M6 GT3s in this season’s championship after previously using its Z4 predecessor and a McLaren 650S GT3.

It has also entered Le Mans’ GTE Am class twice – in 2015 and ’16 – and made sporadic GT Asia appearances in recent seasons.

AAI Motorsports is the first team to have announced BMW GT3 machinery for this year’s inaugural Blancpain GT Series Asia campaign. Other manufacturers already confirmed include Ferrari, Audi, Mercedes-AMG, McLaren, Aston Martin and Lamborghini.

AAI Motorsports team owner Jun-San Chen: “Our first experience of the Blancpain GT Series in Europe back in 2012 with our McLaren MP4-12C GT3 and 55 cars on the starting grid proved to us, without doubt, what an amazing organisation the Blancpain GT Series is. Now that the same successful platform has arrived to plant its roots here in Asia, and bringing such strong competition, we at FIST – Team AAI are excited to put our BMW M6 GT3s into the mix at Sepang.”

Championship manager Benjamin Franassovici: “AAI Motorsports represent another fantastic addition to this year’s Blancpain GT Series Asia field. They are well known as one of the continent’s premier GT teams, but have also tested themselves against international competition. So although their busy schedule means this is a one-off entry for now, I have no doubt they will provide very tough opposition for our full-season GT3 teams. Hopefully we will see them again at some point during the year.”

The 23-year-old Thai will again be paired with Italians Michele Rugolo and Alessandro Pier Guidi meaning the driver and car lineup will go into the 2017 season unchanged – offering Pasin a strong platform to build on with his rookie year now behind him.

This year will represent Pasin’s fourth racing in Europe, having contested the British GT Championship (2014), International GT Open (2015) and Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup (2016). Highlights of those three years include winning the Spa 24 Hours Pro-Am, Vice Champion in International GT Open and runner up in the Paul Ricard 1000 km.

Last year Pasin stepped up to the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, the world’s biggest and most competitive series for ‘GT’ sportscars, and it proved to be a tough but rewarding season. Standouts included that superb performance in the Paul Ricard 1000 km, but also starting races from pole positon and being in the thick of the action at most rounds. It was targeted to be a learning year and was a big success in those primary terms and although results didn’t always come and the BoP didn’t always suit the 488 GT3, driving alongside Michele and Alessandro again for another year, it’s a lineup that’s very well bedded in, has bags of potential and is now ready to deliver results. Just like last year the crew will run in the PRO class.

The season follows a broadly similar pattern to last year and after kicking off with the Official Test Day at Paul Ricard this month, the action starts at Monza (Italy) before moving onto Silverstone (U.K.), both are three hour races, while next up it’s Paul Ricard for the 1000 km event. Then it’s back to the Spa 24 Hours (for Pasin, his third time) before the season will wrap up in Barcelona, with another 3-hour race, which is also the only circuit change on the calendar. However, the Thai driver will arrive with track knowledge as he raced on the Spanish F1 track in 2015 during his season in International GT Open where he took a trip to the podium after finishing as runner up.

Pasin will be supported this year by NaRaYa, LaLaMa, NARA by NaRaYa, Tourism Authority of Thailand and Sports Authority of Thailand.

Pasin Lathouras: “It’s great to be back in Blancpain GT and with the same lineup of drivers, team and car, I think we have a good year of gelling with the new car behind us and we are well positioned to push for the podium. I have to thank AF Corse for getting this together, it’s good to be back with them, I’ve spent my whole sportscar career with this team and they have really helped me come on as a driver. Michele and Alessandro drove superbly last year so I think we should be fast out of the blocks. Thanks to everyone that has helped put this together and now I look forward to getting back on track and delivering results.”

SRO’s BoP settings are already used for individual races in the region, such as the Motul Sepang 12 Hours, and for GT3 cars competing in Japan’s Super GT series and the Australian GT Championship. But 2017 will be the first time they’ll govern a pan-continental Asian GT3/GT4 category.

Balancing performance ensures cars of all shapes and sizes compete equally. But how does the process work, what sets SRO apart from others, and why does it matter so much to modern-day customer GT racing? Here, Blancpain GT Series Asia’s promoter reveals some of the history and secrets behind the science.

Background: the birth of GT3 and BoP

SRO Motorsports Group has run and promoted domestic, regional and world GT championships and series for the past 25 years. It is internationally recognised as the sport’s leading authority on both the GT3 and GT4 categories it originally created and continues to administer around the globe.

However, that expertise wasn’t gained overnight. Instead, it has been learnt the hard way during a quarter-century of competition. Throughout that time it has shaped modern-day GT racing, the cornerstone of which remains SRO’s Balance of Performance regulations.

“We created GT3 at the end of 2005 with the aim of developing customer GT racing using everything SRO and the FIA had learnt over the previous decade,” says SRO founder and CEO Stephane Ratel. “The GT1 and GT2 categories we promoted had their place at the time, but one-make championships organised by individual manufacturers were also popular.

“The key was bringing cars together in a way that would allow different models and engineering concepts to race equally in a cost-effective way without sparking a development war, which inevitably drives up the price of competing and deters customers. Manufacturers and teams never want to lose an advantage but they understood that we would have to level the playing field by balancing their cars in order to create stability and for the business model to work long-term.”

Cars contesting the FIA GT3 European Championship’s debut season in 2006 were very different to those now racing around the world in various GT3 series. But, crucially, manufacturers embraced the concept, and continue to do so 10 years on – now in GT4 as well as GT3 – thanks to the Balance of Performance regulations pioneered by SRO and the FIA.

Now that experience is coming to Asia full-time.

Maintaining the balance of power

Balancing the performance of numerous production-based supercars originally designed to different specifications and using different engines so they achieve approximately the same lap times on a wide variety of circuits is a game SRO has been playing for more than a decade.

The growing popularity of GT3 and GT4 has seen ever more manufacturers from all over the world join both category’s ranks in recent years. To maintain parity each new model or update – be it to engine/powertrain, aerodynamics or chassis – must be assessed in similar conditions to that of its rivals.

Therefore, twice a year, SRO holds a compulsory test at its permanent Race Centre base at Circuit Paul Ricard in southern France where each car is scrutinised and driven by the same professional racing drivers. The data gathered forms the basis of each car’s BoP settings, which can be altered from one circuit to the next depending on their characteristics.

The man overseeing this unenviable task, both at the Paul Ricard tests and then for each of SRO’s championships throughout the year, is the organisation’s technical director, Claude Surmont.

“It’s a lot of work but entirely necessary if we’re to achieve the accurate results required to properly balance the cars,” he says. “Manufacturers, teams and drivers have to trust our BoP – we impose it on them so it’s very easy to blame a poor performance on what they’ve been given by us. It’s a never-ending process because there are always new updates to assess, and usually one or two new models a year.”

So how does Claude and his team keep everyone happy?

“We have a lot of areas to consider but start with those that have the biggest impact on lap time: power, torque, weight and aerodynamics. We look at the car’s original homologation files, what we’ve learnt from the test sessions and also data gathered on the engine dyno. Everything is then added to our in-house simulation software, which creates four separate BoP figures for each car. The type of circuit they race on decides which is used at any given time.

“It’s impossible to devise the perfect equation. But, through experience and interpretation, we’re able to calculate fairly accurate numbers, to the point that we’ll know if someone is running incorrect BoP settings. Ultimately, we’re aiming for each car to be capable of lapping within 0.3 seconds of its rivals on any sort of circuit configuration.”

SRO isn’t the only championship organiser to balance the performance of its cars. Others around the world use their own BoP settings, albeit with a few crucial differences.

“All of the cars are designed to a set of common regulations, which are known parameters; they don’t change,” continues Claude. “But the track data we gather is very important because no-one really knows how a car will behave until it’s being driven hard on the circuit.

“Some other championships that use their own BoP rely on the teams to supply that information, which often leads to accusations of sandbagging and skewed numbers. That can’t happen with SRO’s GT3 and GT4 BoP because we have two drivers working for us in a controlled environment. Every car is assessed using the same tyres, fuel mixture and engine settings. It all comes back to creating a level playing field so that no-one has an unfair advantage.

“Furthermore, instead of collecting data from a specific series – the performance level of which could be affected by its drivers’ and teams’ abilities – SRO examines samples from a large number of championships and events around the world. These range from the Bathurst 12 Hours in Australia to the Pirelli World Challenge in America, and the Sepang 12 Hours in Asia to Europe’s Blancpain GT Series and British GT Championship. The data collected from cars running with so many drivers and teams on so many circuits allows us to extract the true performance of each model.”

With more than 15 manufacturers now producing GT3 cars globally there’s a lot of pressure on SRO to make the correct BoP calculations. And figures from last season’s Blancpain GT Series – where 11 different brands were represented – suggest Claude and his team are doing just that.

For instance, 2016’s Endurance Cup opener at Monza saw the first 30 cars – comprising 10 different models – lap within a second of each other in qualifying, while an average of six manufacturers and 15 cars qualified within a second of pole at the first six Blancpain GT Series events.

Such small differences ensure that drivers remain the most important element in the partnership between man and machine. That’s a rare occurrence in a sport often dominated by the equipment rather than individual.

And it’s exactly what Blancpain GT Series Asia promises to deliver in 2017.

Martin Kodric: I’m delighted to be staying in the Lamborghini family and to be driving with such a strong team. VSR has an amazing pedigree so I’m really looking forward to developing further under their expert guidance. I had a great season last year but I’m ready to step up to GT3 and believe I can compete for silverware once again.

Vincenzo Sospiri (VSR): Blancpain GT Series Asia is a new programme for VSR this season. I’m very happy to be joining one of the SRO’s championships and delighted to be able to confirm our first driver. Martin is a very young driver and this year will be his first season in GT3. He tested with me in the summer and my whole team was impressed with his speed as well as his intelligent and positive approach to working with us. I’m confident that we will grow together and be up at the front this year.

Giorgio Sanna (Lamborghini Squadra Corse): Lamborghini Squadra Corse is very happy with our partnership with VSR, a team who for several years has contributed to our Junior programmes, assisting drivers to move from Formula to Super Trofeo and finally to GT3. The involvement of Martin, a Lamborghini Squadra Corse Junior driver, is another example of the work that we do together.

The team, established in 2011, is well known across the region for its myriad GT racing programmes, which include the likes of GT Asia Series, Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia, and Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific.

Its all-Am Blancpain GT Series Asia line up comprises two drivers already familiar with the team but for whom this season will be their first campaigning GT4 machinery: Keo Chang and Jeremy Wang.

Chang’s CV includes a season spent contesting GT Asia’s GTM class before winning the Taiwan Speed Festival’s GT-N crown two years ago. Meanwhile, co-driver Wang was a title rival during that same 2015 campaign before eventually finishing third, while his most recent experience aboard a Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia-spec Lamborghini Huracan should stand him in good stead for the season ahead.

Taiwan Top Speed Racing is the latest team to commit to the first pan-Asia GT4 series, which builds on the same successful formula and Balance of Performance developed by championship organiser, SRO, in Europe, the US and Australia.

Two of the 488 GT3s will compete under the Spirit of Race banner. Portuguese GT ace Rui Aguas shares one of the cars with Singaporean Nasrat Muzayyin, whose experience includes this and last season’s Asian Le Mans Series aboard a combination of Ferrari 458 and 488 GT3s overseen by Spirit of Race.

Former AsLMS GT-Am champion and 2016 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Pro-Am runner-up Massimiliano Wiser teams up with Jiang Xin, whose existing GT3 experience includes the GT Asia Series, aboard Spirit of Race’s second Ferrari.

The third Spirit of Race machine will be entered under BBT, who together with Italian-Chinese pairing Davide Rizzo and Anthony Xu Liu finished third in last season’s GT Asia Series campaign. All three are now poised to make their Blancpain GT Series Asia debuts in 2017.

Spirit of Race are no strangers to SRO-rules racing in Asia. One of its Ferraris contested December’s Sepang 12 Hours, while it also raced in the European-based Blancpain GT Series last season.

T2 Motorsports will also enter a fourth Ferrari on a race-by-race basis throughout the year for drivers Gregory Teo Bee Tat (Singapore) and David Tjiptobiantoro (Indonesia).

Championship Manager Benjamin Franassovici: “No GT championship would be complete without at least one Ferrari, so to have already secured three of the new 488 GT3s for the full season, and T2 Motorsport who won the 2016 Motul Sepang 12 Hours in AM/AM is great news. More race by race entries will be joining us during the season, in Buriram, Japan and also China. The quality of team and drivers speaks for itself. It will be fascinating to see how last season’s top three GT Asia Series teams fare against a wave of new rivals in 2017.”

VSR might be an Italian team but it already enjoys strong links in Asia thanks to its Japanese Formula 4 operation and selected Asian Le Mans Series appearances at the end of 2016. Indeed, the same Huracán GT3 that raced in the latter now switches to Blancpain GT Series Asia as a full-season entry in 2017.

Today’s announcement also further reinforces the partnership between Lamborghini Squadra Corse and VSR, which enters its Japanese Formula 4 cars under the ‘VSR Lamborghini Squadra Corse Junior Team’ banner. Equally, VSR contests the Blancpain Super Trofeo and Italian GT Championship with Huracáns.

Both of VSR’s drivers will be announced in due course.

VSR Team Principal Vincenzo Sospiri: “I’m delighted to confirm that we will be joining SRO’s new Blancpain GT Series Asia championship and would like to thank Lamborghini Squadra Corse for this opportunity to continue growing with them. We made an encouraging debut with our Huracán GT3 at the Zhuhai round of the Asian Le Mans Series at the end of last year, and I’m looking forward to getting back on track at Sepang in April.”

Head of Lamborghini Motorsport Giorgio Sanna: “We’re very happy about our partnership with VSR who for several years have contributed to the growth of the Lamborghini Squadra Corse Young Driver programme, bringing drivers from Formula 4 through Super Trofeo and up to race in the GT3 cars.”

The opening round of 2017’s inaugural Blancpain GT Series Asia season kicks off at Sepang in Malaysia on April 8/9.

The championship’s inaugural season already features several high-profile names thanks to the recent announcements of FFF Racing Team, Phoenix Racing Asia and Clearwater Racing, but X-ONE Racing’s commitment also proves that SRO’s new series is equally appealing to GT racing newcomers.

Founded in late 2016, X-ONE Racing is the brainchild of Swiss entrepreneur and team owner Benjamin J. Fischer, and former Italian F1 driver turned team principal Domenico ‘Mimmo’ Schiattarella. Together they will manage and race a single Huracan GT3 in Blancpain GT Series Asia and take advantage of the championship’s close allegiance with Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia by also entering the one-make support category.

Indeed, that strategy is linked to the Swiss-based outfit’s plan to develop its gentleman driver racing activities all the way up to long-distance events.

X-ONE Racing Team Owner/Driver Benjamin J. Fischer: “The new Blancpain GT Series Asia platform will be highly competitive and attract spectators, media coverage and sponsors. We, at X-ONE Racing, are proud to be there from the very beginning and play a major part in another success story, giving the racing world plenty of thrilling moments.”

X-ONE Racing Team Principal/Driver Domenico ‘Mimmo’ Schiattarella: “I am very happy to begin this new adventure. Becoming team principal of a new outfit is definitely a matter of pride and, in this new role, I want to be as competitive as I was on the race track. I will help X-ONE’s drivers by offering as much guidance as I can from all my years of racing. I must also give special thanks to our team owner Benjamin [Fischer] for this great opportunity. Finally, to have the support of Lamborghini is a dream come true and I hope to repay their commitment with professionalism and results. We will compete in both Blancpain GT Series Asia and Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia, so it will be an intense season but I cannot wait to get started.”

Championship Manager Benjamin Franassovici: “X-ONE Racing is a great example of a newly established team taking advantage of the benefits Blancpain GT Series Asia can offer. Yes, it’s important to attract the established outfits, but we’ve also worked hard to provide drivers and teams with more value-for-money racing. With X-ONE targeting the gentleman driver market, it makes sense for them to compete in a championship where there’s clear progression with the same manufacturer, as we have with Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia.”

The Singapore-based squad won the Asian Le Mans Series’ teams’ title in 2015/16 and will now enter the same McLaren 650S GT3 in SRO’s inaugural pan-continental championship. It will also become the first outfit to field the new 570S GT4 in Asia.

Richard Wee partners long-time Clearwater and McLaren factory ace Rob Bell in the senior class at every round except Suzuka thanks to the Briton’s European Blancpain GT Series commitments. Deputising will be fellow Clearwater Racing stalwart and Suzuka specialist Hiroki Katoh.

Meanwhile, the McLaren GT-supported outfit will also spend much of the year testing its new 570S GT4. However, Clearwater have confirmed the car will also make selected race appearances ahead of a season-long entry in 2018.

Arj Pillay Kulasegaram, Clearwater Racing Managing Director: “We are really pleased to be a part of the inaugural Blancpain GT Series Asia campaign this year. Clearwater Racing looks forward to much championship success with the dynamic pairing of Richard ‘Rocket’ Wee and Rob ‘Captain Picard’ Bell in our beautiful McLaren 650S GT3, which has brought us so much success in the past two seasons. We can’t wait for the action to begin!”

Benjamin Franassovici, Blancpain GT Series Asia championship manager: “It’s absolutely fantastic to see another exceptional team joining the Blancpain GT Series Asia grid in 2017. Clearly Arj [Pillay Kulasegaram] isn’t afraid of a challenge given the impressive entry we’ve already been able to announce, but I have no doubt that Clearwater will be right at the front when the season starts in April. Rob [Bell] and the McLaren 650S GT3 is a proven package, while the 570S GT4 is an exciting addition to the class after an impressive development year in British GT.”

The opening round of 2017’s inaugural Blancpain GT Series Asia season kicks off at Sepang in Malaysia on April 8/9.

Phoenix Racing Asia’s commitment to the new series ensures the rekindling of its rivalry with FFF Racing Team. The two fought hard for the GT Asia drivers’ and teams’ crowns in 2016 before the latter ultimately claimed both titles at the final round.

Phoenix Racing Asia will be keen for revenge this year, though, as it bids to add further silverware to an already impressive collection. The team’s German half is best known for its European exploits having won the prestigious Nurburgring 24 Hours no less than four times. The third of those titles came in 2012 when it also triumphed overall at the Total 24 Hours of Spa (its second victory in the Belgian classic) and Bathurst 12 Hours.

Its links with SRO-run championships and events are also strong. Phoenix Racing entered the FIA GT Championship in 2006-08 and in 2009 claimed the FIA GT3 European Championship title. It also currently contests the world’s biggest GT3 category, the Blancpain GT Series, and in December won the Sepang 12 Hours for the first time.

The world-renowned Balance of Performance that provides parity in the Blancpain GT Series, the US-based Pirelli World Challenge, the Australian GT Championship and Intercontinental GT Challenge, as well as national classes and standalone races, will be introduced for the first time across Asia this year. Equally, a package aimed at helping teams and drivers generate a greater return and visibility from their racing has already been announced.

Marchy Lee, Phoenix Racing Asia: “We’re delighted to announce our entry into this year’s Blancpain GT Series Asia. SRO’s track record speaks for itself and the team’s European arm has gained success and experience from running the same Audis, BoP and Pirelli tyres in the Blancpain GT Series, so it was a logical decision to join their Asian championship from the very start. We’ve also been impressed with the entry list they’re compiling. We want to race and win at the highest level, and feel this championship offers the best opportunity to do that. All of the ingredients are in place for an excellent first season.”

Benjamin Franassovici, Blancpain GT Series Asia Manager: “It’s fantastic to welcome another team with the calibre of Phoenix Racing Asia into the Blancpain GT Series Asia fold for 2017. Phoenix’s Audis are always some of the best prepared cars on the grid, which again underlines the level of quality we’ve set out to attract. Our first four confirmed teams are also all representing different manufacturers this year, and I know that more are in the pipeline.”

The opening round of 2017’s inaugural Blancpain GT Series Asia season kicks off at Sepang in Malaysia on April 8/9.