Audi Sport Asia Team Absolute has announced its second pairing for the 2019 Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia. On board with the team in an Audi R8 LMS GT3 are the Silver Cup squad of 24-year-old FIA WEC star Weiron Tan of Malaysia and 22-year-old Estonian talent Martin Rump, both recently-announced Audi Sport Asia drivers.
Also entered with Audi Sport Asia Team Absolute is the previously-announced Chinese Pro/Am pairing of Audi Sport Asia driver Cheng Congfu and Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup star Sun Jingzu.
“We are looking forward to working with Absolute Racing, who are one of Asia’s leading teams with proven championship-winning pedigree,” said Martin Kuehl, Director of Audi Sport customer racing Asia. “The field in this season’s Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia will be fiercely competitive. But we are confident that our Audi Sport Asia drivers together with our customers and the 2019 Audi R8 LMS GT3 will be a very strong package.”
Audi and Absolute Racing have been cooperating in Asia since 2010, with Absolute Racing playing a key role in the Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup since its inception.
In 2018, Absolute Racing made history as the first Asia-based team to run as an official Audi Sport entry, taking an impressive podium finish in the Suzuka 10 Hours. Audi Sport Team Absolute’s success with Audi Sport drivers Christopher Haase, Kelvin van der Linde and Markus Winkelhock in round three of the Intercontinental GT Challenge contributed to the brand with the four rings lifting the manufacturers title.
“Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia will be very competitive this season and I am extremely pleased that we have been able to secure the services of Martin and Weiron. We’ve got what we consider to be strong Silver Cup and Pro-Am pairings so we are all out for overall and class titles. We have received excellent support from Audi Sport customer racing Asia in preparation for what is going to be a great season and we intend to maximise this opportunity as a team, and produce a strong showing amongst some very good teams and drivers in the region,” said Ingo Matter, Director of Absolute Racing.
In Tan and Rump, Audi Sport Asia Team Absolute has two of the hottest talents competing in Asia today, with the pair set for a tilt at the overall and Silver Cup Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia titles.
Tan and Rump’s entry brings the number of announced 2019 evolution model Audi R8 LMS GT3s on the series grid to four.
The 2019 Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia gets underway at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit on April 6-7.
Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia 2019 calendar
Rounds 1&2, April 6-7, Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia
Rounds 3&4, May 11-12, Buriram International Circuit, Thailand
Rounds 5&6, June 22-23, Suzuka Circuit, Japan
Rounds 7&8, July 6-7, Fuji International Speedway, Japan
Rounds 9&10, August 3-4, Korea International Circuit, South Korea
Rounds 11&12, September 27-28, Shanghai International Circuit, China
Source. Audi
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