Kiwi Jono Lester has signed with leading Thai racing team, Vattana Motorsport, to drive a Lamborghini Gallardo FL2 GT3 in the forthcoming Thailand Super Series season.
Returning to GT racing in the greater Asian region after a year in Japan’s SUPER GT Series, 28-year old Lester will lead a four-car Vattana line-up in the GTM+ Class (for FIA GT3 cars), comprising a trio of Lamborghini Gallardo and a sole McLaren 650S GT3 for team principal Chonsawat Asavahame.
The Thailand Super Series season is contested over four sprint rounds, with a combination of 30- and 60-minute, single driver races. The opening round of the series is held at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, alongside the resurgent GT Asia Series.
Rounds two and four both take place at the Buriram International Circuit in Northern Thailand, flanking round three – the jewel in the crown of South East Asian motorsport: the Bangsaen Grand Prix.
Bangsaen is Thailand’s answer to the Gold Coast 600 in Surfers Paradise with the Thailand Super Series, Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and numerous support classes street racing along the beachfront in front of a 5-day crowd of over 300,000 spectators.
Lester is determined to deliver Vattana Motorsport its maiden Thailand Super Series title in 2018, battle-hardened from a full season of experience in Japan’s SUPER GT Series during 2017 with the Gulf Racing Porsche team.
Driver Quotes – Jono Lester
“The opportunity to join Vattana Motorsport for this year’s Thailand Super Series is an exciting one. As the laeding team in the region, I’m confident we can challenge for the outright title as a team.”
“I’ve actually tested with the team already – unnoficially at least – driving one of their Lamborghinis, the McLaren and a SaReNi Camaro GT3 in the recent BoP test event at Buriram. We hit it off and within a few days of being home in New Zealand, we had agreed to a deal for the season.”
“Vattana are hungry to win and so am I. The prospect of single-driver sprint races is something I’m pumped about as it’s been years since I’ve had his kind of format to sink my teeth into!”
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