Quintet of Porsche entries to tackle Sepang 12 Hours

Three of those entries will be running the Porsche 911 GT3 R (992). Phantom Global Racing will look to continue their excellent debut season, hoping to build on the performance that saw them claim fourth at last month’s Bathurst 12 Hour. The Chinese outfit, with two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Timo Bernhard teaming up with experienced Chinese racer Sun Jingzu and Silver-rated Rio.

The trio of Yuan Bo, Lu Wei and Leo Ye have previous experience of winning endurance races, thanks to their success at the Shanghai 8 Hours last October.  The R&B Racing drivers once again join forces in order to take on Sepang International Circuit, the site of the team’s 2023 Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Teams’ Championship title.

Absolute Racing complete the trio of GT3 entries in the #911 machine. Andrew Haryanto, who stood on the top step of the podium at this race in 2023, will team up with Sri Lankan Eshan Pieris, while reigning Porsche Carrera Cup France champion Dorian Boccolacci completes the line-up. The Sepang 12 Hours marks the accomplished young French racer’s Asian racing debut.

Following their third-placed finish at this event in 2023, EBM Giga Racing and Adrian Henry D’Silva return in the #61 Porsche 911 GT3 R (991.2), with the experienced Malaysian driver joined at the wheel by 2022 Porsche Sprint Trophy Thailand champion Tanart Sathienthirakul and 2022 Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia runner-up Ryan Wood.

Racing in the GTC category, Modena Motorsports make their return, having finished third at the event last year. Porsche Carrera Cup Asia racers Francis Tjia, John Shen and Christian Chia will once again compete, and are set to be joined by Danish racer Benny Simonsen, who drove for the team at last year’s 24 Hours of Spa.

The Sepang 12 Hours originally ran from 2000-2016, before being brought back in 2023. A 17-car field will take on the 5.543-kilometre circuit, which is a true test of driver and car performance. The former F1 track has a good mix of high-speed and tricky, twisting corners, and features long straights which promote side-by-side racing and overtaking.

The race takes place on Saturday 16 March, starting at 10am local time and finishing under the floodlights 12 hours later.

Leo Ye, R&B Racing: “We’re excited to take on the Sepang 12 Hours, with a strong driver line-up and team behind us. We’re all familiar with the Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) and I can’t wait to kick off the season. This race is excellent preparation for the campaign ahead, so we’re hoping for a smooth race and a strong result in Malaysia!”

Yuan Bo, R&B Racing: “Throughout the off-season, I’ve been desperate to get back on track and now I’m delighted that the Sepang 12 Hours is just around the corner. It will be great to share the car with Leo and Lu again, we’ve been preparing well for the event and we’re hoping to deliver a strong performance.”

Lu Wei, R&B Racing: “The Sepang 12 Hours will feature several good drivers and teams vying for victory, but we believe we can be a part of the leading group. For us, it’s a chance to warm up and get ready for the season ahead. I’ll be looking to get back into the driving rhythm after a long time out of the car, but we know we have a strong team so will give it our all.”

Ryan Wood, EBM Giga Racing: “I’m excited to partner up again with the EBM Giga Racing crew at the Sepang 12 Hours. I’m looking forward to racing with Adrian and Tanart and hopefully we can pick up a strong result. It’s my first time racing in the Porsche 911 GT3 R (991.2) and my debut at Sepang, so I’m up for the challenge!”

Tanart Sathienthirakul, EBM Giga Racing: “I’m really looking forward to the Sepang 12 Hours and kicking off the 2023 season. It’s a great way to start the year, so I’m extremely motivated for this race and hopeful of a good performance.”

Sun Jingzu, Phantom Global Racing: “I’m thrilled to be racing in the Sepang 12 Hours with Phantom Global Racing, and to be racing alongside an incredible driver like Timo! I really enjoy competing in the Porsche 911 GT3 R and the team gained incredible experience in Bathurst, so I’m looking forward to collaborating with them at Sepang!”

Timo Bernhard, Phantom Global Racing: “I’m delighted to be going racing at a brand new venue and to be making my first appearance with Phantom Global Racing. The squad got off to a great start at the Bathurst 12 Hour, in co-operation with Team 75 Motorsport, and now at Sepang we’re looking to grow the partnership with another strong race.”

Eshan Pieris, Absolute Racing: "It feels great to kick off the 2024 season with an event like the Sepang 12 Hours. I'm also very excited to be with Porsche for this race alongside Absolute Racing. It is going to be an epic weekend, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Dorian Boccolacci, Absolute Racing: "I’m very happy to join Absolute Racing for the Sepang 12 Hours. I’ve tested with the team at the track, so I’m excited and fully motivated for the race."

Benny Simonsen, Modena Motorsports: “Super excited to be back with Modena Motorsports for the Sepang 12 Hours. It’s one of my favourite circuits, and we’ve got a great team, so we will push hard for a great result.”

Francis Tjia, Modena Motorsports: “I’m delighted to be racing again with my brother Christian and good friend John. The Sepang 12 Hours will be our first event of 2024, and we will be joined by the talented Benny Simonsen. It should be a lot of fun and will be a great way to prepare for the upcoming 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season. The race promises to be 12 hours of hard racing in the Malaysian heat, and there is always the possibility of rain. It will be a challenge, but we’re up for the fight!”

John Shen, Modena Motorsports: “Participating in the Sepang 12 Hours with Porsche is a privilege and I’m really looking forward to the race. It’s a great opportunity to showcase the endurance and resilience of both the drivers and their teams. It’s not just about speed, but also strategy, precision and the ability to adapt to the evolving dynamics of an endurance race. I’m eager to tackle this challenge with my team!”

Alexandre Gibot, Managing Director Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Ltd.: “The 2024 season has got off to a flying start with our customers racing in the Asian Le Mans Series and the Bathurst 12 Hours – and we are excited to once again support our teams and drivers at the Sepang 12 Hours. Since it returned last year, our customers have seen this event both as a great race to compete in, while also taking the opportunity to prepare them for their upcoming programmes. We’re pleased to have five entries across two classes and I’m looking forward to seeing the cars hit the track later this week in Sepang!”