The penultimate race of the 2018 Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup under the floodlights of the Sepang International Circuit has set up a nail-biting season finale. ProMax Team’s Andrew Haryanto took his second victory of the year to close the gap to just two points from championship-leader Bhurit Bhirombhakdi of Singha Plan-B by Absolute Racing, who was third across the line. Despite carrying 20kg of success ballast, The Bend Motorsport Park’s Yasser Shahin thundered to second place on his night race and Sepang Circuit debut.
Fourth across the line was early race-leader Team Audi Volkswagen Taiwan’s Jeffrey Lee, putting the Cup star in pole position to clinch the final “Road to Spa” seat – a reward on offer to the highest points-scorer across the Malaysia double-header. Cup returnee Rick Yoon of APM Monaco Team KCMG caught the eye, seizing the lead off the rolling start but then spun dropping him down the field. Another big mover was Cup newcomer Martin Berry of Absolute Racing, who finished fifth from the back of the grid on his series debut after an off in qualifying prevented him from recording a lap.
“Today we saw the story of our season condensed into one race: close battles, drama and sportsmanship,” said Martin Kuehl, Director of Audi Sport customer racing Asia. “Congratulations to both Andrew Haryanto and Bhurit Bhirombhakdi for their determination and professionalism in keeping the championship battle alive right down to the final race of the Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup season. We are all on tenterhooks to see who will be crowned 2018 GT3 champion tomorrow!”
As the Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup prepares for an electrifying climax to its seventh season, just two points separate championship-leader Bhirombhakdi (163 points) and title rival Haryanto (161 points). Shahin lies third (121 points), but, despite his sixth podium finish from nine races, is out of championship contention.
