B-Quik Absolute Racing’s Sandy Stuvik and Daniel Bilski have been crowned the 2020 Thailand Super Series GT3 champions. The title was claimed in fine style with the duo taking their Audi R8 LMS to a flawless pole-to-flag victory in the fourth and final round of the season at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram.
The pair’s win and third place finish in round three, combined with a fourth-place finish in the finale by stablemates Henk Kiks and Philip Massoud, saw B-Quik Absolute Racing successfully defend its Teams title.
“Sandy Stuvik, Daniel Bilski and B-Quik Absolute Racing needed to deliver top drawer performances in the finale weekend and they did so in style,” said Alexander Blackie, Manager of Audi Sport customer racing Asia. “The passion, spirit and never-say-die attitude of Henk Kiks’ team was on full display today. The championship titles are fully deserved. It’s a pleasure to have B-Quik Absolute Racing in the Audi motorsport family.”
Audi Sport Asia driver Sandy Stuvik has now won the overall Thailand Super Series GT3 title with the Audi R8 LMS two years running, having taken the 2019 championship win in similarly dramatic fashion at the season finale.
Since B-Quik Absolute Racing upgraded to a stable of current generation Audi R8 LMS at the start of 2019 they have been unbeaten in the headline GT3 Teams’ category, with this year’s championship triumph the second in a row for the Thai team.
Privateer Daniel Bilski, however, claims his first overall Thailand Super Series Drivers title. His results alongside Stuvik over the weekend, also see Bilski catapulted into Audi Sport Asia Trophy championship lead, with a championship bonus equivalent to an overall race win helping him reach 2,478 points.
Thailand Super Series
Round three
Daniel Bilski lined up on pole position for the start of the penultimate race of the 2020 season, with Philip Massoud taking the first stint in the B-Quik Absolute sister Audi R8 LMS GT3 and starting alongside in P2. As the lights went out both cars were quick to get away, with Massoud overtaking Bilski to briefly hold the lead. Ultimately though, both cars lost out during the tangle, with Massoud dropping down to fourth ahead of Bilski in fifth.
A retirement promoted the Audi pair up to third and fourth in the order, with Bilski getting by his teammate just a few minutes into the one-hour race. Once clear of Massoud, Bilski headed off in pursuit of the race leaders, executing a neat pass to go second.
Meanwhile, GT3 newcomer Massoud was hemmed in amongst the hard-charging pack, dropping down to fifth and making contact with a rival. The incident brought out the safety car and would later earn the team a 20-second stop and go penalty, served by Henk Kiks.
At the restart, just seconds before the driver changeover pit window opened, Bilski made a good getaway but wasn’t able to overhaul the leader. He was the first of the B-Quik Absolute Racing pair to pit, handing the car to Audi Sport Asia driver Sandy Stuvik. With a little over 30 minutes to go, Stuvik hit the track in fourth like a man possessed, reeling in the cars in front, slicing into the deficit and setting a fastest race lap that was quicker than either of the team’s pole-setting qualifying times.
Having reeled in his prey, Stuvik quickly moved up to third. With a sizeable gap to the race leader, Stuvik had serious work to do. Lap after lap, he was on the power, slashing more than 15 seconds off the deficit to the leader in under 12 minutes, but the clock was ultimately against him and he had to settle for third.
Kiks, meanwhile, began his stint in tenth, but the stop-and-go penalty for Massoud’s earlier incident inevitably dropped him down the order. With gritty determination, Kiks pushed hard in the remaining ten minutes, ploughing back up the field to cross the line ninth. However, further frustration was to follow when an unintended breach of tyre regulations saw the team disqualified from the race.
Round four
Starting from pole for the title-deciding season-finale, Stuvik made a lightning getaway, shaking clear of his rivals early on. Once again on blinding form, Stuvik was the fastest man on track as he pulled further away from the chasing pack, handing the car to Bilski with a sizeable advantage.
Kiks also made a good start from P6, and was the first B-Quik Absolute Racing Audi R8 LMS to pit as the pit window opened. Massoud rejoined the fray in fourth, but climbed to third and into podium contention with 13 minutes remaining.
Bilski carried the momentum of Stuvik’s opening stint as he continued their charge to the victory and the title with a strong, focused run which ensured his rivals were kept at bay.
As Bilski headed towards the flag and victory, behind him Massoud was coming under intense pressure resulting in a spin from which he skillfully recovered. Rejoining the race in fifth, Massoud climbed a place in the closing seconds to cross the line fourth overall and second in the Am class.
