Having already competed at Chang International, Bangsaen street circuit and a double header at Sepang International last time out in September, the crews best success came in Bangsaen where the scooped a P3 and P2 in class over that weekend in July before a P3 and P2 in class at the opening weekend at Sepang in early September.

Today has seen four Free Practice sessions take place with the #7 car finishing the day second fastest in class before Free Practice tomorrow, Qualifying and Race 1 on Saturday before the conclusion to the 2024 season on Sunday.

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

Over the last two season’s in the TSS Series, we have had the Viper Niza team represent the brand with their 16A version of the Vantage GT3 but they have competed their last two series events within either the LMP3 car or most recently within a Mercedes AMG GT3 at the Sepang 12Hr.

Team NZ announces its programme for TSS 2024 just as the series expands its calendar from four to five rounds (and ten races) for 2024, thanks to the addition of an extra round at Sepang Circuit. The Malaysian F1 circuit has been a happy hunting round for Team NZ over the years and it has enjoyed much winning success there.

TSS 2024 will kick off next month at Buriram’s FIA Grade 1 Chang International Circuit before taking in the iconic Bangsaen Grand Prix street race. That’s followed by back-to-back trips to Sepang International Circuit before the year closes with a return trip to Buriram in December.

With the help of Aston Martin Racing Asia and Earl Bamber Motorsport, Team NZ has just wrapped up a pre-season and acclimatisation programme at Sepang Circuit as it gets up to speed with the Vantage GT4 and beds in Tangniannatchai.

Source material - Team