Vermeulen Joins Absolute Corse for Mandalika Round

Photo: Absolute Racing

Thierry Vermeulen will participate in next month’s second round of the GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS season at Mandalika with Absolute Corse.

The 22-year-old Dutch driver will partner Anderson Tanoto at the wheel of the No. 98 Ferrari 296 GT3 when the series reconvenes at the Indonesian track on May 9-11.

Absolute Corse is entering the No. 98 Ferrari on a part-time basis, starting with this month’s Sepang opener where Tanoto shared driving duties with Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer and scored a best overall finish of 18th across the two races.

Vermeulen’s outing at Mandalika, located on Lombok Island, comes on top of his programs in the DTM for Emil Frey Racing, where he also races a 296 GT3, and GTWC Europe Endurance Cup for Verstappen dot com Racing.

“I’m excited to make my debut in the GT World Challenge Asia with Absolute Corse,” said Vermeulen. “This will be my first race in the championship, and I’m looking forward to using my experience with the Ferrari 296 GT3 to support the team.

“I’ll be racing alongside Anderson, and we hope to achieve a strong result. The Mandalika circuit looks exciting, and while it’s new for many drivers, we’ve been preparing on the simulator.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity and look forward to a great race, hoping the fans enjoy the event and the driver line-up.”

Absolute Corse also has a pair of Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2s entered for the full six-round GTWC Asia season, but only one of these, the No. 29 car of Huang Ruohan and Akash Nandy, participated at Sepang.

The No. 19 car missed the curtain-raiser due to “logistical limitations” but is set to join the field at Mandalika, with a driver lineup yet to be confirmed.

Loris Spinelli was the only confirmed driver for the car at Sepang.

Absolute team principal Ingo Matter revealed that the No. 98 Ferrari will also appear in Thailand’s TSS The Super Series, as well as “other races later in the year.”