Triple Eight JMR Lands GT Pro-Am Podium Finish In Sepang

Fanfare surrounding the Triple Eight JMR team was high ahead of Sunday's Race 2 at SIC with home favourite Tunku Abu Bakar at the wheel of the team's Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.

The season-opening round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Powered by AWS 2024 season held at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit (SIC) held last weekend concluded on a strong note for both team Triple Eight JMR and home favourite Tunku Abu Bakar Sultan Ibrahim.

Also titled as Tunku Putera Johor, Tunku Abu Bakar and co-driver Jordan Love, both campaigning in the series’ Pro-Am class, initially qualified strongly by placing fifth in Qualifying 1, and seventh in Qualifying 2 on Saturday ahead of Race 1 held on the same day.

Saturday's Race 1 proved challenger for Tunku Abu Bakar, co-driver Jordan Love, and the Triple Eight JMR team due the heavy downpour that ensued, forcing all to settle with placing 10th overall.

However, the heavy downpour that hit SIC late on Saturday afternoon during Race 1 proved challenging for both Tunku Abu Bakar and Love piloting the Triple Eight JMR Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo. Both would concluded Saturday’s wet 1-hour sprint by placing 10th overall.

Despite this, both Tunku Abu Bakar and Love sought to bounce back higher come Sunday for Race 2. Ahead of Sunday’s race, the event was graced by the presence of Tunku Abu Bakar’s family led by his father, Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim, and mother, Raja Permaisuri Agong Raja Zarith Sofia.

Gracing Sunday's race event were both of Tunku Abu Bakar's (in white) parents, the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim and Raja Permaisuri Agong Raja Zartih Sofia.
(Images: Facebook/Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar)

Tunku Abu Bakar proved his mettle once more during Sunday's Race 2 by crossing the line fourth overall after taking over the second stint from co-driver Jordan Love.

Despite starting further back in seventh, both drivers put on a stellar display of their racecraft under Sunday’s clear sunny conditions and slowly clawed their way up the order with lap. The team’s pace was noticeable upped once starter Love handed the team’s AMG GT3 Evo over to Tunku Abu Bakar who drove in the latter stint after the Aussie driver.

Both drivers eventually placed fourth overall and third in the Pro-Am class here, the latter earning their spot on the podium for said category too. “We made huge progress today compared to yesterday, so I think we are on a good trajectory for the rest of the season,” said an elated Tunku Abu Bakar in his post-race debrief.

Also titled as Tunku Putera Johor, Tunku Abu Bakar was elated with the Pro-Am class podium finish on Sunday, but did acknowledge the stiffer competition in his competition class this year.

Despite achieving the team’s initial pre-race target of landing a podium finish during last weekend’s season-opener, Tunku Abu Bakar also acknowledged the stiffer challenge he now faces in the series. It’s a strong field this year so I would be happy to finish in the top five,” adds Tunku Abu Bakar who, last season, was crowned runner-up in the series’ Pro-Am class.

Last weekend’s results charted by Tunku Abu Bakar and Jordan Love entailed with total haul of 13 championship points, thus placing the Triple Eight JMR outfit sixth overall in the GT3 Team’s standings. In turn, this also see both drivers jointly placing sixth in the overall GT3 drivers’ standings, and fifth in the Pro-Am drivers’ standings.

With the season-opening weekend at SIC concluded, all attention for Tunku Abu Bakar and the Triple Eight JMR team are now set for Round 2 of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Series Powered by AWS.
(Images: GT World Challenge Asia)

Looking ahead, both Tunku Abu Bakar and Love have now set their sights to improve their ranks in the championship standings at the Fanatech GT World Challenge Asia Powered By AWS series’ second round slated for next month (May 10 to 12) at the Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Thailand.

Besides that, both drivers will also be gearing up to drive of the Triple Eight JMR outfit in the GT Intercontinental Challenge 2024. For this, both drivers and the team will compete in the gruelling and prestigious 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium, which is slated to take place from June 27 to June 30. 

Image: FB/Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar