B-Quik Racing’s Henk Kiks and Daniel Bilski stormed to Am Cup victory in round two of Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia. The Audi R8 LMS GT3 squad advanced from the very rear of the 25-strong GT3 field to cross the line 16th, first in class. The performance, after the team had been shunted out of round one, capped off a fine day of recovery for a number of Audi customer squads, with impressive showings in round two after a chaotic round one at the Sepang International Circuit.
Singha Plan-B by Absolute Racing were another to do just that. Bhurit Bhirombhakdi put in an eye-catching stint in round two that built on teammate Kantasak Kusiri’s pace to claim a Pro/Am podium, crossing the line eighth overall, third in class. The Thai squad had finished Saturday’s round one second in class, fourth overall, but were hit with a post-race penalty for overtaking under the safety car to be classified 10th.
Audi Sport Asia drivers Weiron Tan and Martin Rump also bounced back from a tough run in round one to take the flag fourth overall in round two, third in the Silver Cup class. The Audi Sport Asia Team Absolute pair had been a victim of the unpredictable weather conditions in Saturday’s season opener. The duo crossed the line in 16th after a strategic gamble to change to wet tires did not come to fruition as the dark clouds overhead held firm and the rain abated.
All eyes were on fellow Audi Sport Asia driver David Chen in round one as he stormed to race lead from a starting position of eighth with a wheel perfect stint. Unfortunately for the team, the lead was lost in a chaotic driver change pit stop midrace, when almost the entire field came into the pits at the same time. With the Audi Sport Asia Team TSRT car blocked in by a competitor and unable to pull away, the Chinese squad lost more than 15 seconds and their shot at victory. Chen and teammate Andre Couto brought the car home in 18th. In round two their car was retired with a technical issue.
It was a challenging weekend for the fifth Audi R8 LMS GT3 entry of Audi Sport Asia driver Cheng Congfu and Sun Jingzu, despite both showing strong pace. The Chinese Pro/Am pair also lost out to a gamble on the conditions in round one to finish 14th, while in round two they were hit first with a stop-and-go penalty for a pit stop infringement and then a drive-through penalty for overtaking under the safety car that saw them cross the line in 19th.
After two rounds of the twelve race season Rump and Tan sit seventh overall (12 points) 17 points from the top, fourth in the race for the Silver Cup (25 points). Bhirombhakdi and Kusiri are fourth in the Pro/Am standings (23 points), 12 points from the category leaders, while Sun and Cheng are eighth in class (2 points). Kiks and Bilksi’s victory sees them fourth in the Am Cup class (25 points), 11 points from class lead.
Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia resumes at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand with rounds three and four on May 11-12.
