The 2026 season of the GTWC Asia began in spectacular fashion at Sepang International Circuit, delivering two action-packed races defined by strategy, execution, and standout individual performances.
From the opening practice sessions to the final laps of Race 2, multiple teams and manufacturers demonstrated race-winning pace. As a result, the championship standings already reflect a tightly contested battle across all classes, with no clear runaway leader emerging after the opening round.
Ghiretti and Huang take early championship lead
At the top of the Drivers’ standings, Huang Ruohan and Alessandro Ghiretti lead the way with 40 points. Their Race 1 victory, achieved through precise strategy and execution, combined with a podium in Race 2, gives them an early advantage.
Close behind, Lyu Wei and Alessio Picariello sit on 33 points after a commanding Race 2 win. Their performance underlined Origine Motorsport’s strength and keeps them firmly in title contention.
Meanwhile, Anthony Liu Xu and Dorian Boccolacci complete the top three on 28 points, demonstrating consistency across both races.
Further down the order, Akash Nandy holds fourth place with 19 points after an impressive home performance, while Cheng Congfu and Yu Kuai round out the top five.
2026 GTWC Asia: Standings after Round 1 Sepang: Drivers
- Huang Ruohan & Alessandrio Ghiretti – 40 points
- Lyu Wei & Alessio Picariello – 33 points
- Anthony Liu Xu & Dorian Boccolacci – 28 points
- Akash Nandy – 19 points
- Cheng Congfu & Yu Kuai – 15 points
- Ruan Cun Fan & Neil Verhangen – 12 points
- Takayuki Aoki & Atsushi Miyake – 12 points
- Brian Lee & Maxime Oosten – 10 points
- Deng Yi & Liu Kaishun – 8 points
- Andy Tan & Thierry Vermenulen – 8 points
- Kiyoshi Uchiyama & Tsubasa Kondo – 8 points
- Andres Pato & Jaxon Evans – 6 points
- Lichao Li & Elias Seppanen – 3 points
Absolute Racing leads Teams’ battle
In the Teams’ Championship, Absolute Racing emerges as the early leader with 59 points. Strong qualifying performances and a Race 1 victory proved decisive in establishing their advantage.
Origine Motorsport follows with 33 points after its Race 2 triumph, while Phantom Global Racing holds third on 28 points.
Teams such as Team KRC and FAW Audi Sport Asia Team Phantom remain within striking distance, ensuring that the battle remains open heading into the next round.
2026 GTWC Asia: Standings after Round 1 Sepang: Overall Teams Championship
- Absolute Racing – 59 points
- Origine Motorsport – 33 points
- Phantom Global Racing – 28 points
- Team KRC – 22 points
- FAW Audi Sport Asia Team Phantom – 15 points
- TEAM 5ZIGEN – 12 points
- Winhere Harmony Racing – 8 points
- Absolute Corse – 8 points
- Porsche Center Okazaki – 8 points
- Audi Sport Asia Team Phantom – 6 points
- Climax Racing – 3 points
Pro-Am class delivers tight contest
The Pro-Am standings highlight just how competitive the opening weekend proved. Lyu Wei and Alessio Picariello share the top spot on 40 points with Huang Ruohan and Alessandro Ghiretti.
Anthony Liu Xu and Dorian Boccolacci remain close behind on 36 points, while multiple crews sit within range of the lead after just one event.
This early parity suggests that consistency, rather than outright pace alone, will define the Pro-Am title race.
2026 GTWC Asia: Standings after Round 1 Sepang: Pro-Am
- Lyu Wei & Alessio Picariello – 40 points
- Huang Ruohan & Alessandrio Ghiretti – 40 points
- Anthony Liu Xu & Dorian Boccolacci – 36 points
- Ruan Cun Fan & Neil Verhangen – 20 points
- Andy Tan & Thierry Vermenulen – 20 points
- Andres Pato & Jaxon Evans – 16 points
- Song Jiajun & Brendon Leitch – 12 points
- Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak & Bastian Buus – 7 points
- Hiroaki Nagai & Kazuto Kotaka – 6 points
- Tomohide Yamaguchi & Seiji Ara – 4 points
Nandy shines in Silver standings
The Silver class sees Akash Nandy leading with 43 points after a landmark weekend. His solo class victory in Race 1 marked a historic achievement and underlined his ability to compete at the highest level.
Behind him, Cheng Congfu and Yu Kuai are tied on 30 points with Takayuki Aoki and Atsushi Miyake, reflecting the close margins within the category.
2026 GTWC Asia: Standings after Round 1 Sepang: Silver
- Akash Nandy – 43 points
- Cheng Congfu & Yu Kuai – 30 points
- Takayuki Aoki & Atsushi Miyake – 30 points
- Deng Yi & Liu Kaishun – 25 points
Silver-Am and Am battles take shape
In Silver-Am, Kiyoshi Uchiyama and Tsubasa Kondo lead with 43 points following a class win in Race 1. Brian Lee and Maxime Oosten sit second on 35 points after their Race 2 success.
Meanwhile, the Am category features a particularly intriguing leaderboard. Zhou Bihuang and Setiawan Santoso lead with 37 points, narrowly ahead of David Tjiptobiantoro and Christian Colombo on 33.
Notably, Liu Hangcheng and Wang Zhongwei—Race 1 winners—remain firmly in contention despite sitting third.
2026 GTWC Asia: Standings after Round 1 Sepang: Silver-Am
- Kiyoshi Uchiyama & Tsubasa Kondo – 43 points
- Brian Lee & Maxime Oosten – 35 points
- Lichao Li & Elias Seppanen – 33 points
- Dean Yu Hao Chen & Jiatong Liang – 27 points
- Sun Jingzu & Adderly Fong – 12 points
2026 GTWC Asia: Standings after Round 1 Sepang: Am Drivers
- Liu Hangcheng & Wang Zhongwei – 27 points
- Zhou Bihuang & Setiawan Santoso – 37 points
- David Tjiptobiantoro & Christian Colombo – 33 points
- William Ben Porter & Andrew Macpherson – 27 points
China Cup and Academy Standings highlight depth
The China Cup standings see Cheng Congfu and Yu Kuai leading on 37 points, just ahead of Dean Yu Hao Chen and Jiatong Liang.
Meanwhile, the SRO GT Academy Drivers’ classification is topped by Atsushi Miyake with 60 points, ahead of Maxime Oosten and Yu Kuai.
These standings emphasise the depth of talent across the grid, particularly among emerging drivers aiming to establish themselves within the championship.
2026 GTWC Asia: Standings after Round 1 Sepang: China Cup
- Cheng Congfu & Yu Kuai – 37 points
- Dean Yu Hao Chen & Jiatong Liang – 36 points
- Liu Hangcheng & Wang Zhongwei – 27 points
- Deng Yi & Liu Kaishun – 25 points
- Sun Jingzu & Adderly Fong – 15 points
2026 GTWC Asia: Standings after Round 1 Sepang: SRO GT Academy Drivers
- Atsushi Miyake – 60 points
- Maxime Oosten – 39 points
- Yu Kuai – 34 points
- Akash Nandy – 27 points
- Deng Yi – 21 points
- Elias Seppanen – 19 points
- Liu Kaishun – 6 points
Sepang sets the tone for 2026
Ultimately, the Sepang opener delivered exactly what the 2026 season promised: close competition, strategic complexity, and standout performances across every class. Multiple race winners, varied manufacturer success, and tightly packed standings ensure that the championship remains wide open.
With the next round set for Mandalika International Street Circuit, the early momentum established in Malaysia will face a fresh challenge. If Sepang is any indication, the fight for the 2026 GTWC Asia titles is only just beginning.
