Viper Niza Racing Team had its best race of the season at the Michelin 24H Series, finishing 3rd in GT3 at the 12H of Nurburgring on Sunday, July 5. This is the team’s first overall podium finish in two seasons.
The Malaysian team, made up of Douglas Khoo, Dominic Ang, and Melvin Moh, ran a great race. They used smart strategies and took advantage of several safety car periods, even leading the race at one point. They ended up in 2nd place overall, aiming for an even better result.
Ang drove the #65 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO and stayed in 2nd place for almost two hours. With 22 minutes left, Viper Niza Racing called him for one final pitstop for fuel and new tires. This allowed three drivers behind him to move ahead: F. Grosse in the Up2Race Porsche, V. Vladykin in the Continental Racing Audi, and M. Lauck in the Proton Competition Porsche.
This decision was made knowing the other drivers would also need a final pitstop. Vladykin and Lauck did stop for a full service, but no one expected Grosse to take only fuel. This gamble paid off as he rejoined the race just ahead of Ang.
In the last 11 minutes, Ang and Grosse battled hard; Ang had the advantage of new tires while Grosse defended his position with older ones. Ang pushed hard but couldn’t pass, finishing just 0.4 seconds behind Grosse.
Viper Niza Racing Team completed 300 laps of the 5.148km Nurburgring Grand Prix Circuit, just one lap behind the winning GetSpeed Team JR286 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, and secured a strong 2nd place in the GT3-AM Class.
“This was the first time getting on the podium for the overall finish and that it itself is a big reason for us to celebrate. 2nd overall was within grasp and the team mapped out a fantastic strategy over the weekend but most importantly we stayed out of trouble, stayed in contention and ran the best race yet since joining the series last year. There’s so much to be thankful for and we hope to carry this momentum into the final 24-hour race in Barcelona,” said Team Principal and Lead Driver Douglas Khoo.
This strong result helps Viper Niza Racing Team stay in 3rd place in the overall GT3-AM Class standings with 116 points, just 8 points behind Hofor Racing in 2nd and 14 points behind the current leaders, GetSpeed Team JR286. The team is also in 6th place in the overall GT3 standings with 76 points.
Qualifying 11th in GT3 and 5th in the GT3-AM Class, Viper Niza Racing started the 12-hour race carefully, with drivers Ang, Khoo, and Moh taking turns to move the #65 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO from 10th to 8th in the first 4 hours of racing.
A Code 60 (safety car) led to a red flag after 5½ hours of racing because of a crash involving #921 Mühlner Motorsport into the barriers, which turned out to be beneficial for the team. Having already refueled before the red flag, Viper Niza Racing finished the first 6-hour segment of the race on Saturday in 3rd place overall in GT3 and leading in the GT3-AM Class.
Ang was again chosen to start the race on Day 2. Being one of only three cars on the leading lap and a lap ahead of the closest competitor in the GT3-AM Class, he kept a steady pace in the early stages while drivers behind tried hard to get back on the lead lap.
“The strategy for Day 2 is to stay calm, smooth and safe,” said Ang who retained that position for Viper Niza Racing for 2 hours, and even positioning himself to lead the overall race after completing 172 laps.
In a tough race affected by rain and slippery tracks, the first 12 Hours of Nurburgring caused more damage than expected to the leading GT3 teams. The teams affected include #11 Hofor Racing, #28 GetSpeed Team PCX Racing, and #93 Ajith RedAnt Racing, all driving Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO cars.
The last race of the Series, the 24H of Barcelona, will take place from September 18 to 20.