B-Quik Racing will head for the final round of Thailand Super Series (TSS) 2019 with a significantly strengthened line up as we add a third Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo to our roster, which will be driven on the occasion by Rio Haryanto and Andrew Haryanto.
The closing weekend of TSS will takes place at Chang International Circuit, Buriram, at the end of next week (25-27 October).
We have run one new MY2019 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo since the beginning of the TSS season while we added a second ‘Evo’ to the lineup during the previous round, the Bangsaen Grand Prix, held at the start of last month.
It’s been a successful ‘upgrade’ for B-Quik Racing with four outright Super Car GT3 wins from the six races so far, three victories (in Sepang, Buriram and Bangsaen) going the way of Henk Kiks and Daniel Bilski with the other coming thanks to Sandy Stuvik and Martin Rump on their first race with the second car in Bangsaen.
Now we will add a third ‘Evo’, which will debut next weekend in the final round with Rio and Andrew sharing driving duties. The Haryanto duo, who incidentally aren’t related, need very little introduction. Rio, of course, famously made it all the way to Formula 1, driving in 12 grands prix for Manor Racing in 2016 and in the process becoming the first and only Indonesian driver to ever race in F1. Andrew, meanwhile, has enjoyed a very successful recent career in Asian motorsport. Last year he won the Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup series and the year before that the Am class of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Middle East.
While Andrew knows the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo inside out it will be the first time for Rio competitively in an Audi GT3 car (although not with the brand as he competed in the inaugural SIC888 endurance race together Andrew Haryanto and fellow Indonesian Anderson Tanoto in an Audi R8 GT4 last year). However, Rio will be right on top of the ‘GT3’ game as this year he’s contested Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia in a Ferrari. Both drivers have experience of the Buriram circuit to call upon.
Running three ‘Evos’ for the first time has been made possible thanks to an uptick in our cooperation with Absolute Racing. This comes ahead of a planned significant step up in the relationship for Thailand next year. Next month we will make a full announcement about the exciting new B-Quik Racing – Absolute Racing partnership for Thailand in 2020. Our developing Audi GT3 programme this year has furthermore been greatly assisted thanks to strong support from Audi Sport customer racing Asia.
Henk Kiks (Managing Director, B-Quik Racing): “It’s going to be a big weekend for us in Buriram, not just in championship terms, but for the first time we will be running three Evos and that’s really going to be something of a warmup for next year when we have even bigger plans for TSS and will have a much closer relationship with Absolute Racing. I would like to thank Absolute Racing and Audi Sport customer racing Asia for their support in helping us to pull this lineup of cars together and also I’m really delighted that Rio and Andrew Haryanto will join us for this race, they’re fast and proven drivers and I think they will be very quickly on the pace and able to deliver strong results.”
Rio Haryanto (No 27 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo): “First of all, I would like to thank B-Quik Racing and Absolute Racing for this opportunity to be part of the team for the last round of TSS. Buriram is a track that I have been to this year, and where I got my first podium in the Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia. I’m really looking forward to work with Andrew and the team. Hopefully, together we can give our best and bring home good results.”
Andrew Haryanto (No 27 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo): “I am really happy to be joining Rio Haryanto and B-Quik Racing for the TSS race at Buriram. I’m looking forward to competing and getting back behind the wheel of the Audi R8 LMS GT3. Let’s see what the weekend holds. Rio is a fast driver so I hope to learn from him, and see how I can prepare myself even better for the Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup season finale in Malaysia.”
Source. Fast Track Media
Comments
