Devon Modell joins Craft-Bamboo Racing for the remainder of the Blancpain GT Series Asia season, kicking off his drivers’ title fight from the second round of the championship in Buriram, Thailand. Modell, who hails from England, will first partner with Darryl O’Young in the #99 VLT Porsche 911 GT3 R. O’Young’s regular partner, Peter Li Zhi Cong, is unable to make the event due to an unavoidable prior commitment. Li will make his return to the #99 VLT Porsche from the third round of the championship in Suzuka, Japan, which will see Modell move to the #88 Porsche for the remainder of the season. Modell’s new teammate for the #88 car will be announced in the coming weeks.
Modell is a former Aston Martin Evolution Academy driver with a strong background in GT racing, taking 2nd in the 2014 British GT Championship in the GT4 class. Modell would go on to prove that he was also a skilled endurance racer, with podium finishes at the 24 Hours of Spa, Dubai 24 Hour and 24 Hours of Silverstone in 2015 in both GT3 and GT4 machinery. The Brit then went on to secure the 24 Hour Series drivers’ championship title in the SP3 class that same year, and now, after making his mark in Europe, Modell heads to Asia to take on the best GT3 teams and drivers in the Blancpain GT Series Asia championship. His continued evolution as a driver and obvious talent in a GT car makes Modell the perfect partner for O’Young in Thailand before he takes to the #88 Porsche in his quest to find success at Suzuka for round three.
The 2017 Blancpain GT Series Asia features a six round format with two one-hour races per weekend, catering for GT3 and GT4 class machinery. Five rounds of the championship remain, with Buriram, Thailand, scheduled for 20-21 May. The series then heads to Japan for two rounds before the final two rounds of the season are contested in China.
Quotes
Richard Coleman, CEO of Craft-Bamboo Racing
“I am excited to announce Devon Modell as our new GT3 driver; he has a solid background in European GT racing and has proven himself in a variety of competitive series in both sprint and endurance formats. I have no doubt that he will be the perfect substitute for Peter Li Zhi Cong in the #99 VLT Porsche and that he will be scoring strong results in the #88 Porsche going forward from Suzuka.”
Devon Modell, #99 VLT Porsche 911 GT3 R
“I watched the first round of Blancpain GT Series Asia on the TV and was really impressed with the 30-car field and level of competition and I had some options in the Blancpain GT Series in Europe – both Sprint Cup and Endurance Cup – but when I weighed it up, I think the Asian Championship is going to go from strength to strength and visits some great tracks; so, I decided to take up a new challenge.”
