- João Paulo de Oliveira joins driver line-up alongside Cao Qi in #30 Mercedes-AMG
- Fabian Schiller and Jeffrey Lee look to continue momentum from Suzuka
- Cao Qi sets sight on top-5 finish in Driver’s Championship with 4 rounds to go
The upcoming rounds of the 2024 Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia are all set to be held at the world-famous Okayama International Circuit, nestled in the heart of the Okayama Prefecture in Japan, from 23rd August to 25th August. Hong Kong’s Craft-Bamboo Racing has geared up to get underway with the season once again after the summer break, looking to build upon the double-points scoring final race in Suzuka. The team is delighted to announce that two-time Super GT GT300 champion, João Paulo de Oliveira (JPN) will be making his debut in the SRO championship alongside Cao Qi (CHN) in the #30 Mercedes-AMG GT3. The team will feature the same driver pairing in the sister #88 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Jeffrey Lee (TPE) and Fabian Schiller (GER) for Rounds 9 and 10.
Qi has enjoyed a decent season thus far, having made the step up to the Pro-Am class and scoring two P2 finishes in Sepang and Fuji. He will be looking forward to having JP as his teammate for this weekend, who brings a wealth of experience around the Okayama circuit being a regular in the Super GT series since 2006. Regarded as one of the most successful racing drivers to race in Japan, JP has gathered countless accolades throughout his career, the most impressive being crowned as the Super GT GT300 champion two times in 2020 and 2022. He is no stranger to the 3.7 km circuit, having won around here on 4 different occasions. His knowledge will be invaluable for Qi and a welcome bonus for the rest of the Craft-Bamboo Racing squad.
The Chinese driver’s efforts in the championship have also been backed by his long-time sponsor Haikou City, a picturesque port district on the northern coast of Hainan Island. Haikou is a vibrant city renowned for its stunning beaches, rich cultural heritage, and tropical climate. As the capital of Hainan Province, it plays an integral role in the Hainan Free Trade Port, creating a vital hub in domestic and international dual circulation. Qi will be looking forward to making the most of the upcoming rounds and propelling himself forward in the Drivers’ Standing, currently sitting in P9 with 40 points.
On the other side of the garage, Lee and Schiller will aim to extract the maximum from the J-Fly Racing-liveried #88 Mercedes-AMG as there is still lots to play for in the Teams’ Championship. The duo has shown great promise over this season and will be looking at closing out the year on a high at the remaining races in Okayama and Shanghai. Craft-Bamboo Racing are currently sitting in P7 of the standings, merely 26 points adrift of a top-3 spot. The Hong Kong team is all set to make it a strong weekend at the final Japanese event of the 2024 season. Catch all the live action on the Fanatec GT Asia website and GT World’s official YouTube channel.
Cao Qi
Driver | #30 Mercedes-AMG GT3
“I am really looking forward to the upcoming rounds in Okayama. It is going to be amazing to have JP as a teammate this time around. He is an incredible driver and definitely knows how to win around this circuit. I’m sure I will have a lot to learn from him. Also a big thanks to Haikou City for supporting me this season. Hopefully, I will come away with some good results in the remaining races.”
João Paulo de Oliveira
Driver | #30 Mercedes-AMG GT3
“I’m excited and looking forward to joining Craft-Bamboo Racing for the Okayama Round. I have known Richard Lyons for a very long time and he was essential for this opportunity to come together, so I’m thankful to him. I will do all I can to help the team with my experience at the Okayama circuit. It will also be my first time driving an AMG GT3, so I’m excited to find out how the car handles and get up to speed with it.”
Jeffrey Lee
Driver | #88 Mercedes-AMG GT3
“It’s great to get back to racing once again. Okayama is a great track but also very technical so it will be important to get our setup right this weekend. We did pretty well around here last year so I am hoping we can get on the podium this time. I am looking forward to it.”
Fabian Schiller
Driver | #88 Mercedes-AMG GT3
“It’s a new track for me. I’ve never been to Okayama so it should be exciting to try a new circuit. So far we have had a challenging time throughout the season. So the goal this weekend is to build up from what I learnt in Sepang and Suzuka with the team. We will be looking to improve and hopefully fight for a podium. This has been our goal since the beginning of the season. I am looking forward to being back in Japan.”
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