SEPANG: Tunku Putera Johor Tunku Abu Bakar Sultan Ibrahim (pix) is confident that his team, Triple Eight Johor Motorsports Racing (JMR), can get back on the podium in the GT World Challenge Asia at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) this weekend.
Tunku Abu Bakar said this is based on the positive results his team posted in the official tests today.
He was also pleased with the good teamwork with Jordan Love despite this being their first time being paired up, in addition to the race being held at their home ground.
“InsyaAllah, we can get on the podium again this year, I will do my best. This is my first pairing with Jordan but he has driven for JMR before.
“So far, we work well together and have a good communication and relationship. We are excited for the race and that is a good thing,” he told reporters after the first and second official tests here today.
Meanwhile, Tunku Abu Bakar's teammate and elder brother, Tunku Panglima Johor Tunku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ibrahim, said he always advised his younger brother not to be stressed and to just enjoy tomorrow's race.
“I feel that he (Tunku Abu Bakar) knows what he is doing and is confident with his planning. Hopefully, a podium finish is the target. Hope he can qualify and we have a good strategy,” he said.
Unlike previous years, Tunku Abdul Rahman will not be in action at the SIC this time as he intends to focus on the 2023/2024 Asian Le Mans race series.
Earlier, in the official test 1, Tunku Abu Bakar and his co-driver Love finished second after clocking a best time of two minutes and 3.72 seconds (s) after completing 19 laps in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO.
Tunku Abu Bakar and Love then settled for fourth placing in the official test 2 with a time of 2:04.219s after 18 laps.
