Porsche Motorsport Asia-Pacific customer team Absolute Racing secured their first overall podium of the season, with Wang Zhongwei and Patrick Pilet finishing third in the second race of the GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS weekend at the 3.703 km Okayama International Circuit in Japan.
For the penultimate round of the 2025 season, Absolute Racing fielded the #321 Porsche 911 GT3 R (Type 992) in the Silver-Am class with 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champion Daniel Lu Wenlong joined this time by series newcomer Xu Zhefeng. In the sister #911 entry, there was no change to the Pro-Am crew, with Chinese driver Wang Zhongwei once again partnered by Porsche factory driver Patrick Pilet.
At Fuji, Wang and Pilet had secured their best result of the season so far with a fifth-place finish, and they arrived in Okayama determined to build on that momentum. Starting 19th on the grid for Saturday’s Race 1, Wang avoided the first-lap incidents and steadily made up positions before handing over to Pilet. For a time, the #911 was the biggest mover in the field, running as high as 11th, until a one-second stop-and-go penalty for a pit stop infringement halted their charge. They eventually finished 19th overall and 10th in GT3 Pro-Am — a result that did not reflect the progress shown earlier in the race.
On the other side of the garage, Lu brought the #321 home in 20th overall and sixth in Silver-Am, following a five-second post-race penalty after teammate Xu was deemed to have crossed the white line at pit entry.
Two incidents in quick succession shaped a race that ultimately went the way of the #911 crew. Starting from eighth on the grid, the experienced Pilet expertly navigated the incidents ahead, staying close to the frontrunners. With no additional time lost in the pits and a cooperative car, Wang managed to maintain a podium position, crossing the finish line third overall – the team’s best result of the season so far and a reward for the ongoing effort to improve the car race after race.
In the #321 car, Lu demonstrated strong pace, moving from eleventh overall to eighth. By the end of the Shanghai-based driver’s stint, he was running in sixth. Facing a highly experienced opposition, Xu worked to maintain position and manage the pace of those around him. The rookie crossed the finish line in 12th overall and fourth in the Silver-Am class – a very meritorious result.
The GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS season will conclude at the much-anticipated Beijing Street Circuit from 17–19 October. The 4.9-kilometre, eight-turn layout weaves along public roads and highways, threading between striking modern architecture and Tongming Lake Park in Beijing’s scenic Economic-Technological Development Area (E-Town), providing a spectacular backdrop for the season finale.
Team Quotes
Daniel Lu (No.321 Absolute Racing Driver)
Overall it was a solid weekend. We found some good pace in the car and I had a strong qualifying for Race 2. It’s tough to overtake here, but we did a good job as a team and definitely made improvements, so we’ll see what we can do for Beijing.
Xu Zhefeng (No.321 Absolute Racing Driver)
It was a real honour to contest my first GT World Challenge Asia weekend with Absolute Racing. I approached the event with a learning mindset, taking the opportunity to discover a brand-new circuit and a new championship. The support from the team and my teammates throughout the weekend was invaluable and has given me extra confidence heading into the rest of the season.
Wang Zhongwei (No.911 Absolute Racing Driver)
My teammate was quite reliable, and we didn’t make any mistakes throughout the race. I earned my first podium of the season, and I hope Beijing can keep pushing forward.
Patrick Pilet (No.911 Absolute Racing Driver)
We’re so happy with this result, Saturday was frustrating but Sunday we optimised everything, avoided incidents and I was able to give the car to Wang in a great position after a fantastic start, where I was able to avoid incidents in the first few turns. Wang did an incredible job to withstand the pressure from behind in the final laps, he did an awesome job to bring home the podium. I’m really pleased for the team, they’ve put in a lot of effort this year and we’ve improved at every race so far. Now looking forward to the last race of the season!
