The GT Asia Series season is set to experience a new level of international exposure this season thanks in no small part to teams like Phoenix Racing, the experienced German-based squad who launch full-time into the Asian market in 2016 as Phoenix Racing Asia, with a two-car team entered into the region’s leading GT series.
Just recently the team revealed arguably the two best looking GT3 cars in the world, with one gold AAPE by A Bathing Ape liveried Audi R8 LMS GT3 for team leader Marchy Lee and co-driver Shaun Thong, and an all silver livery for former F1-driver Alex Yoong and Hong Kong’s Alex Au in their identical Tak Chun Group & Doubleduck R8 LMS GT3.
All four drivers are long-time Audi drivers – Lee and Yoong both champions of the hotly contested one-make Audi R8 LMS Cup, whilst Au is a winner of the Amateur class trophy for the Cup. Thong is one of Asia’s rising young stars, the Hong Kong-based driver a part of the inaugural season of the Audi TT Cup in Europe (where he was a race winner), and a member of the Nurburgring 24-Hour team that ran inside the top ten at the iconic event in 2015 alongside Lee, Yoong and Franky Cheng.
Lee and Yoong are both former regulars in the GT Asia Series (Marchy a two-time race winner), although neither have been in the championship for a couple of seasons, although both competed at the inaugural event for the Series at Korea International Circuit in 2014.
The team is very confident about its chances to challenge for the title, taking advantage of the rich DTM and GT heritage of Phoenix Racing GmbH team, and the proven success of the Audi R8 LMS as well as their impressive driver lineup.
For the GT Asia Series, the Phoenix Racing team adds even more strength to the championship which over recent seasons has attracted a lot of international interest from factory teams and drivers, something Motorsport Asia Limited CEO David Sonenscher acknowledges as a great foundation for the future of the category.
Phoenix Racing was founded by Ernst Moser in 1999. Partnered with Audi for more than ten years, Audi Sport Team Phoenix scored the drivers’ title twice and the team classification once in the popular DTM. Phoenix Racing has celebrated many victories in GT racing, including four overall wins at the 24-hour race on the legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife and two overall victories at the 24-hour race in Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps.
The opening round of the 2016 GT Asia Series is scheduled for Korea International Circuit in South Korea on 13-15 May, immediately following a two-day official pre-season test at the venue on 9-10 May.
2016 GT Asia Series – calendar
TEST DAYS, 9-10 May – Korea International Circuit (South Korea)
Rnd#1/#2, 13-15 May – Korea International Circuit (South Korea)
Rnd#3/#4, 10-12 June – Buriram International Circuit (Thailand)
Rnd#5/#6, 1-3 July – Okayama International Circuit (Japan)
Rnd#7/#8, 15-17 July – Fuji International Speedway (Japan)
Rnd#9/#10, 19-21 August – Shanghai International Circuit (China)
Rnd#11/#12, 21-23 October – Zhejiang Circuit (China)
The GT Asia Series is sanctioned by the FIA as an International Series and is clearly recognised as the Region’s leading GT Championship. It is managed and promoted by Motorsport Asia Ltd.
