MSS & Sepang: Absolute Racing 2013 season review

By Johan Laubscher

Sepang hosted the Malaysian Super Series during 2013 and the Sepang 12 Hours, known as the Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race. Absolute Racing competed at the opening round of the MSS and also fielded Audi R8 LMS Cup backed cars in the MMER.

The opening Malaysian Super Series round was also a very special occasion, as it was the international race debut of the new 2013 specification Audi R8 LMS ultra.

The season review has been compiled from the 2013 Audi Motorsport Blog Weekend Round Up posts. Each round has been added as was seen in the individual Weekend Round Up posts during 2013, which can be accessed via the links throughout the review below:

Round 1: Sepang 

The MSS (Malaysian Super Series) held its opening round this weekend. The series is hosted at Sepang and was one of the support events for the Malaysian Grand Prix. Absolute Racing entered three cars for their clients: Jeffrey Lee (J-fly Racing), Philip Ma (Team Hong Kong Racing) and Francis Hideki Onda (Tunewear Racing). All three cars were 2013 Audi R8 LMS ultra cars and this event played host to the worldwide race debut of the new specification ultra. The cars did well and Jeffrey Lee topped practice. The pace increased in qualifying and the race and ultimately the highest Audi in race one was sixth, followed by all three Audis in the top ten. Race two saw fourth as the highest placed finish, will all three in the top seven. The fourth overall was also a third in the GT Class for Lee.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (23-24/03/2013)

MMER

The Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race (Sepang 12 Hours) was held this weekend. Four Audis took part, all run by Absolute Racing. Three Audi R8 LMS Cup team cars took part, entered in the GTC class. One Audi was entered in the top GT3 class, the #777 J-Fly Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra driven by Jeffrey Lee, Marchy Lee, Adderly Fong. Onda’s #888 Audi R8 LMS ultra was also entered and on site, but it was withdrawn from the event during the week running up to the race. The #777 Audi was the best placed during qualifying, having taken tenth spot. Alex Yoong took pole in the GTC class, behind the wheel of the #66 R8 LMS. The race began at midnight on Sunday morning and continued through the dark and into the daylight. The #777 Audi R8 LMS ultra progressed steadily and made it into the top three. An unfortunate issue with the brakes cost them time and they ultimately finished seventh overall. There was an 1-2 Audi finish within the GTC class, as the #66 Audi R8 LMS finished first in class, eighth overall.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (31/08-1/09/2013)

Photo credit: 

Absolute Racing

Audi R8 LMS Cup