Absolute Racing has announced that the team will enter two brand new Porsche 911 GT3 R (Type 992) race cars in the 2023 Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Powered by AWS.
The Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Powered by AWS series is a highly competitive championship that attracts some of the most talented GT drivers and teams in the region. Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific customer team Absolute Racing has a long and successful history in the series, having won multiple races and championships in the past.
Switzerland’s Alexandre Imperatori and China’s Bao Jinlong will drive the #992 Absolute Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R entry in the Pro-Am Class.
Imperatori and Bao Jinlong are both well-known figures in Absolute Racing due to their tremendous success with the team. The Swiss driver, and Shanghai resident, assisted Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak to conquer the Pro-Am title in the Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia in 2019. As a former Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Champion, Imperatori is also the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Talent Pool coach. Teammate Bao Jinlong has been a Porsche Carrera Cup Asia regular racing for Absolute Racing.
The driver line-up for the second car (#911) will be announced later on.
The Porsche 911 GT3 R is the Stuttgart firm’s newest GT3 car built on the 992 platform, featuring its distinctive rear-engined layout and rasping six-cylinder exhaust note. The all-new 911 GT3 R (992) replaces the outgoing Porsche 911 GT3 R (991.2) that Absolute Racing competed in the GT World Challenge Asia.
The Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Powered by AWS season begins at Chang International Circuit in Thailand on May 12-14 before its Japanese summer tour with races in Fuji, Suzuka, Motegi and Okayama. The sixth and final round of the season event takes place at Sepang in September.
Fabien Fior (Absolute Racing Team Director): “We are really happy to return to the Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia after a three-year absence due to the pandemic. The team is eager to go again head-to-head with some of the top teams and drivers in the Asia-Pacific region. We have high hopes for the new Porsche 911 GT3 R, which we believe will help us achieve the same success in the series as its predecessor. Alex and Bao are part of Absolute Racing family, and they are both capable of delivering strong performances.”
Alexandre Imperatori (#992 Absolute Racing Driver): “I’m delighted to be joining Absolute Racing and to share the new Porsche 911 GT3 R with Bao in this year’s GT World Challenge Asia. After the last three years, which were affected by the pandemic, it’s great to finally be able to continue where we left off in 2019. Over the last seasons I have seen Bao’s development in China and we are both excited to go back on the international stage. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic season and I can’t wait to start working with the entire Absolute Racing family as well as Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific.”
Bao Jinlong (#992 Absolute Racing Driver): “After a three-year absence, I am very happy to be able to race abroad. I'm also thrilled to be able to drive the new Porsche 911 GT3 R in the GT World Challenge Asia races. Our objective is to win the class title.”
