The 2025 Michelin 24H SERIES European Series will draw to an end this weekend (26-28 September) with the 24 Hours of Barcelona in Spain with Malaysia’s Viper Niza Racing Team in the running for the top three finish in the overall point standings of the GT AM Class.
The all-Malaysian team will be bringing out the big guns this weekend, with five drivers: Douglas Khoo; Dominic Ang; Melvin Moh; Aaron Lim; and Afiq Yazid piloting the team’s already proven race-winning Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO.
Viper Niza is currently jointly-placed 3rd in the overall GT3-AM standings alongside Hofor Racing with Continental Racing by Simpson Motorsport in 2nd just behind current championship leader Juta Racing. Just eight points separate the top three runners for the overall championship.
With 20 points awarded to the winner after the first 12 hours and another 40 points for the winner at the end of the race, the GT3-AM Class title will essentially be decided at the chequered flag.
Missing the opening of five championship rounds at the 12 Hours of Mugello in March, Viper Niza Racing quickly made its presence felt at its debut with a 6th overall, 4th in the GT3 class and 2nd in the GT3 AM class at the Michelin 12 Hours of Spa Francorchamps in Belgium in April.
That result however, was met with a setback at the 12 Hours of Misano in Italy in May when a cracked oil sump prematurely ended the team’s race.
At the 12 Hours of Paul Ricard in France in July, Viper Niza Racing bounced back by finishing 8th overall and was placed 3rd in the GT3-AM Class.
While the first four events have been 12 Hours, the finale in Barcelona will be a grueling 24-hour test around the 4.657km Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The circuit, built in 1991, features 14 turns and is referred to as an all-rounder circuit hosting events like MotoGP and Formula 1.
Strengthening the team’s line-up in Barcelona are two new faces – Lim and Afiq. Both however, are experienced and accomplished GT car racers.
Lim progressed from karting to compete in Formula BMW Asia and Formula Renault V6 Asia before representing Malaysia in the prestigious A1 Grand Prix. Today, his career in GT car racing includes being placed 3rd in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Round 5 (AM) and winning Rounds 3 and 4 of the Thailand Super Series in Sepang (GT3 AM) this year; finishing 2nd in the Shanghai 8-Hour Endurance in 2024; and winning the 25-Hour Endurance in Thailand in 2022. Lim is also two-time Sepang 1000km Endurance (MTC) champion winning in 2013 and 2015.
Afiq, 34, meanwhile, brings with him a decorated 18-year career in racing. He is the four-time Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Series Champion, winning in 2015 (Pro Class), 2016 (Pro-Am Class), 2017 (Pro Class) and in 2019 (Pro-Am Class).
He has also won a race in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Final (Pro Class) in 2018 and was classified second overall in that event held at Vallelunga, Italy. In 2017 he drove an LMP2 car in the Asia Le Mans Series 2017/2018 and won a race in Buriram, Thailand together with two other Malaysian drivers.
Afiq has also competed in the Super Taikyu Endurance Series STX Class and the Gulf 12 Hours Endurance Race in 2018; and Formula BMW and Formula Masters China in his early years of racing.
“We are certainly gunning for a top three finish in the championship. This would be an incredible result in our first year of joining the European Series, but the objective is to do it with a formidable all-Malaysian team and driver line up,” said Team Principal and lead driver Douglas Khoo. “We wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Ang, Moh and I have been to the 24 Hours of Barcelona in 2022 but in a Seat Cupra TCR car where we finished 6th in class with 574 laps completed. The experience was exhilarating and twice as challenging compared to the last three 12-hour races we’ve competed in this year. Pace, consistency, strategy, having a problem-free race, and focus will be the key factors, and the addition of Lim and Afiq will greatly support this.
“With points being awarded at the 12 and 24 hour mark, it is imperative that we score as much points as we can to consolidate our 3rd third position or even better, move up the standings.”
VIper Niza Racing is backed by Motul, Endless & Momentum Autoparts; IWC as its Official Watch Brand; and Jen Orchard Gateway Hotel in Singapore.