Triple Eight and CRAFT Bamboo triumph at Buriram in GTWC Asia

FANATEC GT World Challenge Asia is back, returning to Thailand and with a lot to offer. The visit to Buriram saw multiple cars appear as contenders for the wins of the first double header, but the Mercedes AMG GT3 Evos from Triple Eight JMR and CRAFT Bamboo Racing had the top of the podium for themselves on Saturday and Sunday.
 
The weather wasn’t that collaborative before the Saturday kick-off as rain fell until before race day, and right when everybody thought that the sun would settle in and the grip would build up, the clouds covered the sky again and the Race 1 started in a wet state, forcing the teams to change tires in a hurry.
 
It took nearly an hour for the sudden downpour to go away and the Race 1 start to get allowed behind the Safety Car, and only 5 minutes later the green flag was waved, revealing the No. 88 Triple Eight Mercedes leading the field and then getting passed by the No. 87 R&B Porsche and the No. 911 AAS Porsche, which swapped positions on Lap 2 as the drivers were still judging where the safest lines were and having their fair share of slides in the process.
 
Proceeding with care is what brought the contenders to the pit window as the track was still drying, and this shift in the track condition, where the green state was with a dry surface, allowed the No. 88 Triple Eight Mercedes to go back in front, and with Luca Stolz clocking the fastest laps at the moment, everything was in place for the Australian team.
 
In the end the field went into another status quo period as the No. 911 wasn’t able to close down on the winning No. 88 Triple Eight Mercedes as the gap was kept barely unchanged. The No. 87 R&B Porsche came home in third overall and celebrated dominance in the GT3 Silver Cup while further down the order the No. 3 Climax Mercedes was the GT3 Am Cup winner despite the tumble in the overall order after being in the top-10 before the pit window.
 
GTWC Asia - Buriram Race 1 results
 

The second race was held in dry conditions and a clearer sky, and the stacked grid was led by the No. 911 AAS Porsche of Alessio Picariello while the No. 77 CRAFT Bamboo Mercedes was leading the chasing pack. The frontrunners weren’t allowed to do much as two neutralization periods consumed almost half of the first stint, and this basically threw the contenders into the pit window period.
 
Along with the scrambled up order brought during the pit window, another yellow flag period was needed as the No. 51 AMAC Porsche crashed heavily in the barriers, and with 10 minutes to repair the damaged barrier, those with extra pit time would be in the run again. The No. 77 CRAFT Bamboo Mercedes and the No. 91 AAI BMW were leading the way while their sister cars Nos. 37 and 15 were battling for third, but Anthony Liu had better pace and dispatched Jun San Chen for second place, and while the AAI BMWs were struggling with the No. 911 AAS Porsche, the CRAFT Bamboo pair in front was stretching the gap, and when the cars switched positions, Liu then started to get some distance from Jeffrey Lee.
 
Things were about to be given as settled but then the No. 15 AAI BMW punted the back of the No. 77 CRAFT Bamboo Mercedes, which was then hit in the side by the No. 91 AAI BMW, and then an immediate red flag was brought with a minute and a half to go, which effectively declared victory to the No. 37 CRAFT Bamboo Mercedes. Under the ammended results, the No. 77 was reinstated in second place and the No. 911 AAS Porsche completed the podium while the No. 15 AAI BMW was penalized by avoidable contact.
 
GTWC Asia - Buriram Race 2 results
 
The No. 29 Phantom Pro Audi got GT3 Silver Cup honors from fourth overall while the home crowd had a thing to cheer for as the No. 114 YK BBR Mercedes won the GT3 Am Cup from an impressive seventh overall.
 
On 17 and 18 June, Fuji Speedway is the host of the second GTWC Asia weekend of 2023, and the first round of the FANATEC Japan Cup.
 
PHOTOS: SRO