Team NZ ready to start the new year on track 22.12.2016: Team NZ Motorsport is pleased to announce that no sooner will New Year have arrived than we will be kicking off our 2017 racing

Team NZ Motorsport is pleased to announce that no sooner will New Year have arrived than we will be kicking off our 2017 racing programme as we are gearing up to contest the final two rounds of the Asian Le Mans Series 2016/2017 season, in Buriram (8-10 January) and Sepang (23-24 January).
 


Our usual driver roster, Graeme Dowsett and John Curran, will be in the #77 Porsche 997 GT3 Cup for both races while Thai driver Paul Kanjanapas will join us for the 4-hour race in Buriram, which will give us a very well rounded lineup.
 


Contesting the ‘second half’ of the Asian Le Mans 2016/2017 season was a logical step for Team NZ as we come off the back of winning last summer’s 3-round/6-race Asian Le Mans Sprint Cup 'GT Cup'.



It proved to be a superb entry into the inaugural ‘Sprint Cup’ as we comprehensively won the Drivers’ and Teams’ championship after claiming victory in five of the six races despite stiff opposition – in fact we won the last five 1-hour ‘sprint’ format races consecutively. John and Graeme, as well as the whole team, really raised their game and took a big step forward.
 




We had been planning to round the racing year out last month by joining the 10th anniversary edition of the Bangsaen Thailand Speed Festival, the street racing jewel in the crown of Thai motorsport, promoted by Thailand Super Series.



But the late rescheduling of that event gave us a useful break in proceedings and set us up nicely to join the prestigious Asian Le Mans Series which has grown in just its second year into one of the top sportscar championships in the world and grids approaching 30 racecars are expected in Buriram and Sepang.
 


Team NZ Motorsport will be supported by Completion Products, Asia Pacific Spiral, Motosure, Pioneer Consultants, Nam Aik, FC and IMPACT SpeedPark in Buriram and Sepang.
 


Graeme Dowsett (New Zealand): “I’m really looking forward to the upcoming event and the 4-hour platform. Welcoming new sponsors Nam Aik, FC and Pioneer as well as Thai Porsche driver Paul Kanjanapas.


All three of us have local track knowledge and 12-hour experience giving us a good starting base for setup and race lap times. Should be loads of fun al-a-carte Team NZ style.”
 


John Curran (Ireland): “Unfortunately due to work commitments, we couldn't contest the first two rounds of the series, nonetheless we will be ‘all out’ for the remaining two rounds. To that end, the car has had a major overhaul and a new beating heart.



This time last year we were preparing for the Bathurst 12 Hour, which was strangely successful, so we are all looking forward to a new and exciting start to the 2017 season. Graeme and I are very excited to share the seat with Paul, a good friend to Team NZ and a great driver.





With CQ in charge and Will Bamber coming to coach the drivers, I can only suspect there will be as much fun off the track as on it.”


 

- Edd Ellison - photos Team NZ