Chinese drivers Liu Hangcheng and Min Heng conquered two AM+ class podiums in the Absolute Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R EVO in the revitalised China GT Championship at the Ningbo SpeedPark International.
On Saturday, Liu Hangcheng took to the circuit in the specially AlmostReal-liveried "Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms" Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo for qualifying, delivering a composed and measured run in Q1 against a strong field of professional domestic and international competitors. He ultimately took P18 overall and P6 in the AM+ class.
In Q2, team-mate Min Heng equally impressed on his first qualifying outing with the team, crossing the line P9 overall and claiming P3 in the AM+ class on debut.
The opening race of the Ningbo weekend got underway that afternoon. Both Liu Hangcheng and Min Heng produced a strong showing in their first outing together for the team, combining to secure a class podium. Liu made a positive start, running consistently within the AM+ front group and drawing on the GT3 experience accumulated over the winter to make steady progress through the field. By the time the pit window opened, he had climbed to P14 overall and into a provisional podium position in class.
Min Heng then took the wheel and maintained the momentum. Returning to Ningbo International Circuit for the first time in five years, the gentleman driver delivered a composed and controlled stint. A drive-through penalty in the second half of the race briefly interrupted his rhythm, but he rejoined and fought back effectively through the AM+ order.
The pairing ultimately brought the car home third in the AM+ class, a well-earned podium secured through consistent execution across the full race distance.
Light rain prior to the start added further complexity to the conditions of Sunday's race. Combined with the circuit's dramatic elevation changes, bumpy surface and naturally low grip levels, the weekend presented a significant challenge for both drivers and engineers.
At the start, Min Heng did well to avoid an incident ahead, although contact and congestion caused by another car sliding forced him briefly down to tenth overall. He quickly began fighting back, applying pressure to the cars ahead. On lap four, after capitalising on a rival's mistake, Min closed in along the main straight before completing an impressive move down the inside into Turn 2 to rejoin the leading group.
From there, Min maintained strong and consistent pace, firmly establishing the crew in AM+ podium contention. As the pit window opened, the team elected to extend his stint slightly in order to avoid peak pit lane traffic and secure cleaner track conditions. Midway through the race, Min handed over to Liu Hangcheng.
Liu also delivered a mature and composed performance during the second half of the race, completing several impressive overtakes and showcasing the clear progress made through extensive winter racing experience. In the closing stages, he closed in on several highly experienced drivers from other classes and ultimately brought the car home with a calm and measured drive, securing second place in the AM+ category.
Commenting on the race, Min Heng said: "This weekend was very much about readjusting and adapting for me. It was my return to the Porsche 911 GT3 R, and also my first time back at Ningbo in five years, so throughout the weekend I was rebuilding my understanding of both the car and the circuit. My team-mate did an excellent job and was already very familiar with the characteristics of the car, which helped the overall process a lot."
The China GT Championship resumes on 26–28 July at the historic Zhuhai International Circuit, one of the homes of Absolute Racing and the first permanent circuit built in the People's Republic of China.
