Only the #7 Team New Zealand AMR Vantage GT4 of Graeme Dowsett and Ananthorn Tangniannatchai competed this make up race as far as these two AMR crews were concerned as the #11 Earl Bamber Motorsport entered Vantage GT3 of Earl Bamber and Anderson Tanoto were not at that event. For their troubles, the #7 crew earned themselves a P19 overall (but more importantly) a P9 in GT4 Pro-Am finish to start their weekend on something of a high.

Within the next race on Saturday evening, any highs from the #11 crew from Tanoto’s P6 Qualifying position were quickly snubbed out as a spin on the opening lap saw the new Vantage GT3 Evo narrowly missed by the chasing spun after the Indonesian overcooked things on cold tyres.

Despite eventually getting going again (and being many laps down) the #11 car retired from the night race at the midway point of the hour long plus one lap race format. The #7 crew would again see things out until the end with a P19 overall/P5 in class finish.

Then in Sunday’s concluding race it was better news for the #11 EBM Vantage GT3 after a P3 qualifying position was this time guarded and protected by the more experienced race in Bamber for Tanoto to bring the car home second overall for their first TSS podium finish. For the #7 crew, they would repeat their P19/P5 finish, so they are consistent if nothing else!

Now let’s see just where this takes Tanoto in terms of future events this year?



Photo credits – Teams / Series / social media

Instead of Setiawan Santosa driving another solo event, we have the team boss himself in Earl Bamber who will be there to support a kind of more familiar supporting name in Anderson Tanoto within their GT3 Pro-Am entry.

We last saw him behind the wheel of the Automatic Racing Invisible Glass AMR Vantage GT4 alongside Weiron Tan within the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge event at Laguna Seca in 2021 before returning the AMR Vantage GT3 to the streets of Macau in the supporting Greater Bay Area GT3 race last year. Maybe its all in preparation again for this years event?

Hopefully things will be less eventful for them this time around.

Photo credits – Team / series / Macau GP

Having Qualified third within their elected Pro-Am class, the #42 car suffered from multiple punctures as well as technical issues and race time penalties that otherwise blighted a decent run. Their perseverance paid off however as they eventually came home P14 overall but more importantly P3 in class.

Then over in Suzuka in Japan, their #8 GT World Challenge Asia solo race of Setiawan Santosa enjoyed the best weekend yet within the series fifth round of the season by claiming a P3 in GT3 Am double for his efforts.

Finally, the team also had dealings with the Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT4 efforts of the #7 Team NZ as drivers Graham Dowsett and Ananthorn Tangniannatchi also delivered the goods within the GT4 class of the Thailand Super Series visit to Bangsaen.

Competing within the GT4 Pro class, the #7 car would come home for a podium winning double with a P3 after race 1 and P2 after race 2.

Photo credits – Teams / Series / social media

Whilst early sessions in Italy were within the wet, today’s Qualifying session was better and both cars shone as the #407 Street Art Racing Vantage GT4 of Julien Darras, Pascal Bachmann and Jahid Fazal-Karim secured the top honours within the GT4/TCE classes by finishing first whilst the #42 Prime Speed Sport crew of Heremana Malmezac, Liam Talbot and Earl Bamber secured P7 overall and P3 within their GT3 Pro-Am class.

The race begins tomorrow at 10:00Hrs local.

Photo credits – Series / Team / social media

Joining them amongst the twenty seven strong entry list will be the New Zealand based Prime Speed Sport with their #42 Pro-Am entered Vantage GT3.

Last time these guys were out within an Aston Martin was at the 12Hrs of Sepang earlier in March when drivers Francois Beziac, Heremana Malmezac and Jono Lester competed with an earl Bamber Motorsport prepared car. In a slight change of detail, this #42 Pro-Am entry will now be driven by Malmezac again but alongside the likes of both Liam Talbot and Earl Bamber himself.

Now that's a car to keep an eye on this weekend!!

 

Photo credits - FFSA GT4