> Results: Tests 1+ 2, Official Practice
Just 0.035s separated the top three drivers on the opening day of GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS track action at the Beijing Street Circuit where Joel Sturm ultimately set fastest time.
Absolute’s #918 Porsche reeled off a 1m44.632s late in the second test to lap just 0.014s faster than Yu Kuai’s FAW Audi Sport Asia Team Phantom R8. Alessandro Ghiretti then topped Official Practice with a time three hundredths slower than his Porsche stablemate.
However, Absolute and its #911 ended the day in difficulty when Huang Ruohan stopped on track towards the end of the Bronze Test.
Before that, Ghiretti paced the weekend’s first official session by 0.139s from Ayhancan Güven (Phantom) and Yu whose Audi was a frontrunner throughout the day.
Sturm again appeared towards the sharp end in Official Practice by setting fourth fastest time ahead of Origine’s Loek Hartog, who shares the championship-leading 911 with Lu Wei this weekend.
Absolute’s Lamborghini and two Harmony Ferraris completed the top eight ahead of Pato/Evans’ Audi and Team 5ZIGEN’s Nissan.
Saturday’s schedule is a little different to regular GT World Challenge events. Pre-qualifying kicks things off at 08:30 before qualifying and Race 1 follow in the afternoon.