Anderson Tanoto, Eshan Pieris and Porsche Carrera Cup France Champion Dorian Boccolacci will tackle the Malaysian enduro later this month.

Indonesia’s Anderson Tanoto, Sri Lanka’s Eshan Pieris, and Dorian Boccolacci will drive the GEEKVP-liveried car in the most prestigious Asian endurance race that starts in the morning of Saturday 16th March.

The trio of Absolute Racing drivers, while new to this particular race, bring with them a wealth of racing experience. Anderson Tanoto, a Bronze driver from Indonesia and former GT4 Cup champion in the Audi R8 one-make cup series in Asia with Absolute Racing, participated in last year’s Singapore Grand Prix and Macau Grand Prix GT races. He has also been a regular in GT racing, both in the USA and Asia.

Eshan Pieris is a familiar figure in the Absolute Racing family. The Sri Lankan racer secured his country's first F3 win while driving for Absolute Racing in 2019, and since then, he has transitioned to GT cars where he has established himself as one of the most promising drivers. Last season, Eshan Pieris achieved podium finishes in the TSS The Super Series Super Car GT3 Pro class. The son of Sri Lankan racing legend David Pieris, Eshan Pieris will be making his debut in the 12 Hours of Sepang.

Completing the lineup will be reigning Porsche Carrera Cup France Champion Dorian Boccolacci. The twenty-five-year-old Frenchman from Cannes will be competing in his first race in Asia, bringing with him significant experience in the upper echelons of the sport. Boccolacci began his career in single-seater racing in the French Formula 4 Championship back in 2014, finishing in second place. He later became Vice Champion in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 before racing in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and then in the GP3 Series and FIA Formula 2 Championship. He moved up to GT cars in 2020, achieving strong results in his home country's Porsche Carrera Cup series. Boccolacci is also a class winner in the ice racing series Andros Trophy.

Commenting on the third Absolute Racing-run entry in the race, Ingo Matter, Team Principal of Absolute Racing, stated, "I am really delighted that we are joining the 12 Hours of Sepang for the first time with the Porsche 911 GT3 R and in partnership with Geek. We have put together a proven driver lineup. Anderson and Eshan have been part of the Absolute Racing family for a long time, and we are pleased to give them their first shot in the race. Dorian tested with us before, and he brings tons of experience of racing with Porsche cars in Europe; we believe he will have no problems adapting quickly to the team and his teammates.”

Eshan Pieris commented, "It feels great to kick off the 2024 racing season with an event like the 12 Hours of Sepang. I'm also very excited to be with Porsche for this race alongside Absolute Racing. It is going to be an epic weekend, and I am really looking forward to it.”

Dorian Boccolacci added, "I am very happy to join Absolute Racing for the 12 Hours of Sepang. We had a test together on the same track, and I am excited and fully motivated to work with them for the race."

The 12 Hours of Sepang race starts at 10.00am Malaysia time on Saturday 16th March 2024.

TIMETABLE (GMT+8)

Thursday, 14th March

19:30 - 21:00 - NIGHT PRACTICE

Friday, 15th March

08:00 - 09:30 - FREE PRACTICE 1

10:30 - 12:00 - FREE PRACTICE 2

16:05 - 18:00 - QUALIFYING

Saturday, 16th March

10:00 - 22:00 - RACE

Motul Lubricants is the Official Lubricant Supplier, while Hankook Tire is the Official Tire Supplier across all race categories in the Sepang 12 Hours.

The Sepang 12 Hours is an endurance race for GT3 and touring car classes that typically lasts for 12 hours. Teams compete against each other to achieve the best overall time. The race is part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge and draws top-level motorsports teams and drivers from both local and international locations. Interesting line-ups are forming at the starting grid.

The 5.543-kilometer circuit features a one-of-a-kind track layout with a mix of long straights and a technical middle section, allowing for plenty of overtaking opportunities and making it an exciting location for motorsports events.