Craft-Bamboo Confirms Nielsen, O’Young in GT3 Mercedes

Craft-Bamboo Racing has announced Christina Nielsen and Darryl O’Young as one of its Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia driver pairings for 2019.

Two-time IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTD champion Nielsen is set for her series debut, while O’Young will embark on his third straight year in the SRO-sanctioned championship.

Hong Kong-based Craft-Bamboo is entering at least two Mercedes-AMG GT3s this season having made the switch from Porsche over the winter.

Nielsen and O’Young join the team’s previously-confirmed pairing of Jeffrey Lee and Alessio Picariello for the 2019 season, which gets underway at Sepang next month.

“Craft-Bamboo is definitely a big name in international motorsport,” said Nielsen, who is also contesting the Intercontinental GT Challenge this year with Mercedes squad Strakka Racing.

“They have been quite successful in the past, and I really got to see their professionalism first hand during pre-season testing at Sepang and it was a great first impression.

“I see them as a very structured and high-performing team, which is something I value and appreciate.”

O’Young, who raced Craft-Bamboo’s Porsche 911 GT3 Rs in recent seasons, gave a good first impression of the Mercedes after his first test in the car.

“It’s fantastic to have such a high quality driver joining the team, and I really look forward to working with Christina this year,” said the 2015 GT Asia champion.

“After completing my first laps in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 during testing earlier this week, I was very impressed; the car was quick straight out of the box and we were able to achieve fast lap times and consistent race pace.

“I know what it takes to win in this championship; the level of competition is very high, but I’m confident that we will work hard and fight in every race and hopefully at the end, come out on top.”