Audi Sport customer team Phoenix Racing Asia took a pair of Audi R8 LMS GT3s to second and third place overall in Japan’s first 24-hour race in a decade, held at the Fuji International Speedway. Keong Wee Lim, Marchy Lee, Melvin Moh and Max Hofer recorded a superb second place, followed over the line by the #81 J-Fly Racing by Phoenix Racing Asia car of Jeffrey Lee, André Couto, Shintaro Kawabata and reigning Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup champion Alessio Picariello.
“We saw an intense Fuji 24 Hour race with lots of ups and downs for the Audi Sport customer entries,” said Martin Kuehl, Director of Audi Sport customer racing Asia. “Phoenix Racing Asia, as well as the individual drivers, took the challenges on and always kept their spirits high. The double-podium is just reward for their dedicated performance.”
In the ST-TCR class, team Car Factory took the victory with an Audi RS 3 LMS, with Team BRP claiming a second podium for the car in third.
In the China GT Championship, Audi R8 LMS GT3s led for most of the hour-long GT3 round four at Zhejiang International Circuit, with the KINGS pair of Xu Jia and Mitch Gilbert taking second place ahead of Tianshi Racing Team’s (TSRT) David Chen and Michael Choy in the provisional results. Defending champion Xu now sits second in the provisional GT3 standings on 68 points – just five points off the lead – with Chen and Choy third on 66 points.
Meanwhile, at the GT Asia Series/Thailand Super Series round four at Thailand’s Chang International Circuit, an eye-catching comeback drive from Singha Plan-B by Absolute Racing’s Bhurit Bhirombhakdi and Kantasak Kusiri saw them snatch third in the dying stages of the race. Adderly Fong also charged through the field to secure fourth with EN Sport by Absolute Racing teammate Vincent Floirendo, while Absolute Racing’s Cheng Congfu and Sun Jingzu were fifth.
It was heartbreak, though, for B-Quik Racing, whose race ended in the pits during the driver changeover. An early shunt from a competitor had seen Daniel Bilski charge back from 20th to 13th, only for the damage sustained in that contact to curtail Audi Sport factory driver Rahel Frey’s hopes of continuing the fightback.
