Absolute on Two-Team Approach to Audi, Porsche Efforts

Photo: GTWC Asia

Absolute Racing is taking a ‘business as usual’ approach to this weekend’s FIA GT World Cup in Macau despite being one of only two teams fielding entries from two different GT3 manufacturers.

The Chinese squad has a total of five cars in the event, equating to one-quarter of the entire field, with Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo IIs for Edoardo Mortara, Christopher Haase and Congfu Cheng and a pair of Porsche 911 GT3 Rs driven by Matteo Cairoli and Alessio Picariello.

While regularly running parallel programs in regional series such as Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS and the Thailand Super Series, Macau represents a higher level of cutomer support, although it hasn’t changed the team’s outlook.

“For us, that has thankfully now become the usual,” Matter told Sportscar365 on representing two manufacturers.

“It’s quite normal for us. It’s two different teams. We had that in the past, also we have it in GT World Challenge.

“We event had it with three brands at some stage when we had the Bentley program.

“We are quite used to it. And we are based in China so the Chinese walls are ok for us!”

Matter explained that its Fanatec GT crews are largely operating the fleet of GT3 machinery this weekend, just days after having cars entered in multiple other support races at the Guia Circuit.

“It’s normally the full time crews,” he said. “We’re running two cars full time in GT World Challenge, two cars Porsche and two cars Audi the full season, so it’s basically the same setup, more or less.

“Last week we were here with the TSS setup. We had four Audis. It’s good to keep busy.”

While having been on the grid with two Audis in the GT Cup race last year, highlighted by a runner-up finish by Mortara, Matter said the focus is again on delivering results for both manufacturers.

“We are very happy to be back,” he said. “We’ve been back last year. Should have, could have, would have. But anyway, this year, we try to do a better job.

“Obviously Macau is a big gamble for everyone. When you look at the entry list, you can go either way.”

Matter said he’s particularly proud to again have Mortara, nicknamed ‘Mr. Macau’ in the team’s lineup, with the seven-time Macau winning Swiss driver having played a key factor in Absolute’s record in the event.

“It’s brilliant,” he said. “We all started here in 2010 with a complete private Audi. We had a bit of support from Audi China then in 2011 when we won it with the first time with Edo.

“Since then it’s been growing, growing, growing.

“It’s a nice way to end the international year with the Audi. It’s just mega.

“And having Edo back, who did our first win and had so many success together, in the R8 Cup and also in the Macau [GT] Cup.

“We won the Macau [GT] Cup three times, we won the R8 Cup. It’s good.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John