GT Asia: Audi eyes podium in Shanghai

Audi R8 LMS Cup Press Release

• Four Audi entries in Rounds 11 and 12 of the GT Asia series
• Team Absolute Racing aims for GT3 podium with the driver pairing of Jeffrey Lee and Christopher Mies
• Jacky Yeung and Matt Solomon to challenge for GTM class

China, October 10, 2014 – Four Audi entries will compete at the Shanghai International Circuit in China for Rounds 11 and 12 of the GT Asia series from October 10-12. Team Absolute Racing aims for a podium finish at the first visit of the GT Asia series to Shanghai since 2009.

In the GT3 class, Jeffrey Lee will once again partner Audi factory driver Christopher Mies in the number 7 Audi R8 LMS ultra. The pair claimed fourth place in the last race at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia and will look to add to their points tally this time round.

“Jeffrey Lee and Christopher Mies are clearly aiming for a podium finish. I wouldn’t be surprised if they finish in the top spot, especially if it is a wet race, as the Audi R8 LMS ultra performs strongly in the rain,” commented Fabien Fior, Technical Director of Absolute Racing. Fior added, “We are definitely expecting another good weekend from all our drivers.”

Jacky Yeung will drive his number 77 Audi R8 LMS Cup car with youngster Matt Solomon, who recently finished on the podium in the Sepang 12h race. The Hong Kong driver pairing’s goal is to win in the GTM class and keep Yeung in line for a shot at the championship. Going into Shanghai, Yeung sits in third place in the GTM class, and a good result could see him climb back to first. In the previous Rounds 9 and 10 at Sepang, Yeung won the first race to move top of the leaderboard, before an early retirement in race two made it a mixed weekend for him.

Local Chinese drivers, Sun Jingzu and Wang Jianwei will compete in front of their home crowd in car number 17. Sun also competes in the amateur category of the Audi R8 LMS Cup and is familiar with both the track in Shanghai, and the GT3 race car. Sun showed a big improvement in his performance in last week’s Boss GP.

Completing the line-up for Absolute Racing and Audi is Johnson Huang from Taiwan in car number 26.

The qualifying sessions will be held on Friday October 10, with Rounds 11 and 12 taking place on Saturday October 11 and Sunday October 12 respectively.

Photo credit: Audi R8 LMS Cup

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GT Asia: Unbelievable bad luck hit Audi teams in Sepang race 1

By Tarek Ramchani

The Audi teams faced a very unlucky GT Asia Series race 1 today at Sepang International Circuit. None of the Audi R8 LMS ultra cars finished the 1-hour race.

The first race today is maybe the hardest ever for the Audi brand and team Absolute Racing in GT Asia Series.

It all started very well with a brilliant pole position and even a 1-2 Audi in Qualifying 1. Alex Yoong was the fastest ahead of Audi works driver Christopher Mies. Then all changed in race 1 with an unbelievable bad luck hitting the two ultras. The #7 Audi driven by Christopher Mies and Jeffrey Lee was forced to retire after 23 laps into the race. The sister #98 machine in the hands of Alex Yoong and Philip Ma faced the same fate earlier on lap 15.

Best ranked Audi car, was the #77 R8 LMS Cup from Tiger Racing Team in tenth place overall, however the car was competing in the lower GTM class.

Overall race victory went to the #97 Aston Martin V12 Vantage from Bamboo Craft Racing. Second place for #37 Ferrari 458 GT3 from team BBT. The #32 McLaren MP4-12C from Clearwater Racing was third.

Sepang race 1 results can be seen here.

Race 2 is set for tomorrow. The #7 R8 LMS ultra of Christopher Mies and Jeffrey Lee will start from position eight, the #98 Audi in the hands of Alex Yoong and Philip Ma will start from position nineteen.

Photo credit: GT Asia Series

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GT Asia: The Audi teams aiming high at Sepang

By Tarek Ramchani

The GT Asia Series is heading to Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia this weekend. The Audi Sport customer racing squad will be represented by five Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars.

The Audi teams performed very well last time out at the Fuji Speedway. Audi works driver Christopher Mied along with team-mate Jeffrey Lee were victorious driving an Audi R8 LMS ultra from Absolute Racing.

In Malaysia, three Audi R8 LMS ultra will try to give the Audi brand additional wins and strong results. The Audi drivers including the returning Christopher Mies will have to fight against strong teams representing Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin, Porsche and Nissan.

#7 Absolute Racing - Jeffrey Lee / Christopher Mies
#17 Absolute Racing - Sun Jing Zhu / Wang Jian Wei
#98 Absolute Racing - Alex Yoong / Phillip Ma

In addition to the three Audi R8 LMS ultra who will target the outright victories, two Audi R8 LMS cars will compete in the lower GTM class.

#23 Taiwan Top Speed Racing - Sasha Chu
#77 Tiger Racing Team - Jacky Yeung / Ashraff Dewal

The two qualifying sessions and race 1 art set for Saturday, the second race will be held on Sunday.

Photo credit: GT Asia Series

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GT Asia: Audi victorious in Fuji once more

Audi Press Release

• Jeffrey Lee and Christopher Mies win Round 6 of the GT Asia series
• Jacky Yeung takes fourth podium of the season
• Adverse weather conditions added an extra level of difficulty

Japan, July 15, 2014 – The Audi entries achieved great results at the Fuji International Speedway in Japan in Rounds 5 and 6 of the GT Asia series. After good pace was set in qualifying, the pairing of Jeffrey Lee and Christopher Mies finished fourth in Round 5 and then took first in Round 6. Jacky Yeung also maintained form to claim another podium in the GTM class.

“Shortly before the races got underway, rain started to fall very hard and very fast. It was very difficult for all the teams to react in time and make adjustments to the cars to suit the conditions,” commented Fabien Fior, Director of Absolute Racing.

In the wet conditions, winner at last year’s stop at the Fuji International Speedway, Jeffrey Lee, and his partner Christopher Mies, braved the severe weather to put in a great performance in their Audi R8 LMS ultra car number 7 to finish first in Sunday’s race.

Lee started the race several cars behind pole position but held on well to gain position. After the driver swap, Mies drove positively to make steady progress. He achieved some of the fastest lap times and managed to overtake the cars in front one by one, before taking the lead with two laps to go.

Similarly, Alex Yoong and Hong Kong racing driver, Philip Ma, did well to come from the middle of the pack to finish fifth, improving upon their results in qualifying and Round 5, although the torrential rain and slippery surface proved tricky to deal with.

In the GTM class, Jacky Yeung battled through the conditions in his Audi R8 LMS Cup car for Tiger Team Racing, coming from eighth place to score a podium, finishing third in Round 5. So far in the series, the Hong Kong gentleman driver has four podium finishes to his name.

“Overall, it was a very satisfying day, in which the team and drivers worked very hard and performed well. Special thanks to Christopher Mies for his amazing driving in the rain. We should be seeing more from him in Asia,” said Fabien Fior.

Next up in the GT Asia series for the Audi entries is Rounds 7 and 8 on August 15-17 at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.

Photo credit: GT Asia Series

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GT Asia: Winning debut for Christopher Mies with Absolute Racing Audi at Fuji

By Tarek Ramchani

A great debut for Christopher Mies in the demanding GT Asia Series. The German Audi factory driver took a great race victory in the Race 2 at the Fuji Speedway.

Christphoer Mies shared the winning R8 LMS ultra with Jeffrey Lee and helped the Audi brand clinch a first victory in GT Asia Series this year.

The #7 Audi R8 LMS ultra from team Absolute Racing won the 30-lap race with style after a great battle with the second placed Ferrari 458 GT3.

Another Audi R8 LMS ultra from Absolute Racing performed well, the #98 car of Alex Young and Philip Ma finished in  a strong fifth.

Race 2 results can be seen here.

Photo credit: GT Asia Series

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GT Asia: Audi hopeful for GT podium in Japan

Audi Press Release

• Four Audi entries in Rounds 3 and 4 of the GT Asia series

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GT Asia: Fourth place for Absolute Racing Audi in Korea race 1

By Tarek Ramchani

Korea International Circuit is hosting the opening round of the 2014 GT Asia Series this weekend.

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TSF: Overall Victory for Audi Taiwan R8 LMS and double podium at Penbay

By Johan Laubscher

The Taiwan Speed Festival held its first round at Penbay International Circuit this weekend. Two Audi R8 LMS entries took part.

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GT Asia: Absolute Racing testing at Sepang

By Johan Laubscher

Absolute Racing is busy preparing for the 2014 GT Asia Series. The team was out testing with two Audi R8 LMS ultra cars at Sepang this weekend.

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Video: Team Audi R8 LMS ultra 2013 GT Asia teams' champions

By Tarek Ramchani

2013 was a great year for the Audi brand in the GT Asia Series. Team Audi R8 LMS ultra (Absolute Racing) won the teams' title after great racing on track all season long.

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TRC: Adderly Fong and ‘Bumblebee’ Audi R8 LMS at Zhuhai Type R Club track day

By Johan Laubscher

The first Type R Club track day was held at Zhuhai this weekend. One Audi R8 LMS was present and seen on track during the sessions on Sunday.

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Audi R8 LMS Cup: Audi teams 2013 season review

By Johan Laubscher

The 2013 Audi R8 LMS Cup ventured out of China and into the rest of Asia for the first time this year. It was a very exciting season with a number of highlights.

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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.

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Taiwan: Audi teams 2013 season review

By Johan Laubscher

Absolute Racing was also seen in action in Taiwan this year. They competed at three Taiwanese events with the team names of Audi Chinese Taipei Team and J-Fly Racing.

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TSF All Star: Another podium for J-Fly Racing in the final GT Master Challenge race

By Johan Laubscher

The TSF Asia All Star Challenge has concluded after three exciting GT Master races in Taiwan today. J-Fly Racing and their Audi squad had a terrific day with multiple podiums and race victories.

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TSF All Star: Victory for J-Fly Racing in the first GT Master Challenge race

By Johan Laubscher

The TSF All Star Challenge is taking place in Taiwan this weekend and the J-Fly Racing team already had a very strong GT Master Cup race earlier this morning, followed by another set of great results in the first of two GT Master Challenge races in the afternoon.

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TSF All Star: Podium for J-Fly Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra in the GT Master Cup in Taiwan

By Johan Laubscher

The TSF Asia All Star Challenge is taking place at the Penbay International Circuit in Taiwan this weekend. The first of three races was held this morning with a podium result for J-Fly Racing.

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TSF All Star: Strong qualifying results for J-Fly Racing in Taiwan

By Johan Laubscher

Qualifying for the TSF Asia All Star Challenge was held earlier this morning and J-Fly Racing’s Audis were running at the front.

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TSF All Star: J-Fly Racing Audis topped the official practice sessions in Taiwan

By Johan Laubscher

The TSF Asia All Star Challenge is taking place at the Penbay International Circuit in Taiwan this weekend. Four Audi entries from J-Fly Racing have been entered and they are showing good pace so far.

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TSF All Star: Four J-Fly Racing Audis entered for the TSF Asia All Star Challenge

By Johan Laubscher

Taiwan will be hosting the TSF Asia All Star Challenge at the Penbay International Circuit this coming weekend. A four-car team of Audis will be taking part.

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