Another terrific weekend for B-Quik Racing Co. Ltd. TM (“B-Quik Racing”) as we chalked up a GT3 AM Cup win in Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia in Buriram to cap off a double podium finish from the two races.
Victory in last Sunday’s Race 2 was one of the hardest fought and most satisfying wins of team’s decade long history. Henk Kiks and Daniel Bilski in our #26 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo gave it absolutely everything during the race, driving like men utterly possessed with the desire to win and, backed up by superb work from the crew in pitlane, we pulled it off, with just half a lap to spare!
A truly incredible race. Henk started the #26 car and his opening stint was the less eventful one as he dug in and ground out the lap times he had to set to give us exactly the track position we needed at the handover, which came after 16 laps, to be in with a shot of GT3 AM Cup victory.
Daniel, in for the second stint, whittled down the gap to the car in P1 and was steadily reeling off the required times to close up when the race was thrown upside-down by the appearance of Safety Car with less than 10 minutes to go.
When the Safety Car went back in there were just a few laps to the finish and a mad dash for the line unfolded. The gap between Daniel and the Lamborghini running in P1 was minimal but they were split by a whole bunch of cars on other laps that were locked into their own fights.
Daniel had to leapfrog cars not involved in the GT3 AM battle and over the closing two laps the splitter of the #26 Audi appeared to be hooked onto the diffuser of the car ahead. He tried a few feints and jabs, but was firmly resisted. Good, clean, hard, elbow to elbow fighting, but Daniel finally made the decisive move as he came through Turn 4 for the very last time glued to the back of the Lamborghini, darting out and diving down the inside through Turn 5 and making the audacious pass stick.
With less than half a lap still on the clock of the 1-hour race Daniel was into GT3 AM P1 and he kept that advantage through the final six turns and past the chequered flag.
Certainly, that one is right up there amongst our all-time most memorable team victories. A magnificent performance by Henk and Daniel; this year, unleashed by the arrival of our dramatic new Audi R8 LMS GT3 “Evo”, they are driving better than they ever have, digging into themselves to reach the next level – and that was our objective for the year, to take the team to the next chapter in every area.
More than that too, in a field stuffed with the top professional sportscar teams in Asia and indeed worldwide as well as an endless roster of leading pros, the #26 car also finished in an amazing P9 overall.
Henk and Daniel’s heroics were backed up by a superb team effort in the garage, an inch perfect pitstop by the crew, perfect strategy and perfect calls from our Race Engineer, and a car that was set up and prepared by the B-Quik crew ready to win.
That emotional win almost overshadows Saturday’s Race 1 where, after yet another battling drive, Henk and Daniel brought the car home in P3. To finish on the podium in this series against this level of competition is very special.
The win and third place in Buriram makes it an incredible five podiums on the trot for the new “Evo” as we enjoy our best ever start to a racing season. That is made up of three wins and two third places, two GT3 AM Cup wins in Blancpain GT World Challenge and one win in Thailand Super Series. They also have two AM Cup wins in TSS. And it’s only mid-May!
The next stop for Henk, Daniel and the #26 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo will Round 2 of Thailand Super Series, which will see us return to Chang International Circuit on 7-9 June. With this last weekend in the North East under our belts we will approach the upcoming Thailand Super Series round with plenty of confidence and useful car knowledge here to build on.
