DTM champion and FIA World Endurance Championship racer Ayhancan Güven will make his Suzuka 1000km debut with Absolute Racing as the Chinese squad strengthens its two-car Porsche attack for the Intercontinental GT Challenge event.
Güven will share the No. 7 Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo with Dorian Boccolacci and Alessandro Ghiretti on 11-13 September. The race will also mark Güven’s first competitive appearance in Japan.
However, the Turkish driver already knows Absolute Racing after joining the team for the Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour last year. Meanwhile, both Boccolacci and Ghiretti bring previous Suzuka experience as Absolute targets a place at the front of a highly competitive Pro field.
Güven fulfils ambition with first Suzuka appearance
Güven will add another major international endurance event to his racing résumé when he tackles Suzuka for the first time. Although he has never raced in Japan, he already possesses experience with both Porsche machinery and Absolute Racing. Güven joined Matt Campbell and Alessio Picariello in the team’s Bathurst 12 Hour effort last year, giving him an established relationship with the operation before his return.
Suzuka, though, represents a completely new challenge. The circuit’s high-speed corners, technical first sector and demanding rhythm have long made it one of the most respected venues in international motorsport. Güven has wanted to compete there for some time and now enters his debut with outright victory as the target.
“I’m very happy to be joining Absolute Racing for this year’s Suzuka 1000km,” commented Guven. “Racing there has always been a dream of mine, so I’m incredibly excited to experience the circuit for the first time.
“We have a strong car with Porsche, an excellent team, and a competitive driver line-up, so our goal is to fight for the win.”
Güven therefore approaches the weekend without previous on-track Suzuka experience, but he can rely on two teammates who already know the Japanese circuit well.
Boccolacci brings recent Suzuka experience
Boccolacci returns to the Suzuka 1000km after competing in last year’s event as part of Porsche’s challenge. The Frenchman raced for Phantom Global Racing and finished seventh, giving him current knowledge of both the circuit and the demands of the 1000km format. That experience could prove particularly useful as Güven learns the venue.
Boccolacci also brings an existing relationship with Absolute, allowing the team to assemble a driver line-up in which all three members have previously worked with the operation. As a result, the No. 7 crew can concentrate on extracting performance from the Porsche rather than establishing new working relationships during one of the season’s most demanding weekends.
“I’m delighted to be back with Absolute Racing and this time competing at the Suzuka 1000km. My first experience in Asia and driving the Porsche 911 GT3 R was with the team at the 2024 Sepang 12 Hours. I’ll always be grateful for that, so it’s very special to be returning for such an iconic event. Suzuka is an incredible track with a lot of character, very technical and challenging, and one that every driver enjoys. We have a strong line-up, a very experienced team of engineers and mechanics, and I’m confident we have everything we need to fight at the front. I also love going to Japan as the culture and passion for motorsport there is incredible. It’s always a pleasure to race in front of the fans and I’m excited to be part of this iconic enduro once again.”
Ghiretti returns to scene of Carrera Cup success
Ghiretti also arrives with strong memories of Suzuka. The French driver claimed two victories at the circuit during his successful 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia campaign, where he went on to secure the championship. His previous success gives Absolute another driver who understands the circuit’s technical demands and knows how to produce results there.
However, the Suzuka 1000km presents a significantly different challenge from Carrera Cup competition. Ghiretti must now share the car, manage traffic across multiple classes and contribute to a wider endurance strategy while competing against factory-supported GT3 combinations.
Nevertheless, his previous victories provide another valuable piece of experience within Absolute’s No. 7 line-up.
“I’m very proud and happy to be racing at this year’s Suzuka 1000km with Absolute Racing. I know the circuit well and enjoyed my trip there during the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season, scoring two victories that weekend. With Ayhancan and Dorian as my teammates, I know that a strong result is possible. A massive thanks to the team for giving me this incredible opportunity and I’m excited for the challenge.”
Absolute Racing expands to two strong Pro entries
The No. 7 confirmation completes a formidable two-car programme for Absolute Racing. The team had already announced a partnership with AO Racing for its No. 8 Porsche, which will compete in the distinctive ‘Bushi Rex’ livery.
Porsche factory drivers Picariello, Laurin Heinrich and Julien Andlauer will share that entry, giving Absolute two Pro-class cars with experienced and highly competitive line-ups.
Consequently, the team will attack Suzuka with six drivers who bring success from GT racing, endurance competition and Porsche one-make championships.
Absolute Racing team director Fabien Fior believes both combinations can challenge near the front despite the strength of the opposition.
“We’re delighted to be fielding two highly competitive Porsche entries in one of the world’s most iconic endurance races. The level of competition will be extremely high, but we’re confident in the strength of our team and our driver line-up. We’ve worked with Alessandro, Ayhancan and Dorian before, so we know what they’re capable of, and we’re sure they have the talent, experience and determination to fight for a strong result. We’re looking forward to taking on the challenge and giving everything to be at the front.”
That familiarity gives Absolute a strong foundation as it prepares both cars for the Japanese endurance contest.
Familiarity strengthens No. 7 combination
While Güven, Boccolacci and Ghiretti have not competed together in this exact configuration, each driver already has links to Absolute Racing. That factor could reduce the adjustment period during the Suzuka weekend. The team understands how each driver communicates and approaches set-up work, while the drivers already know many of Absolute’s working methods.
Meanwhile, Boccolacci and Ghiretti can provide circuit-specific knowledge as Güven learns Suzuka for the first time. The combination therefore blends different strengths. Güven brings championship-winning pedigree and international endurance experience, Boccolacci adds recent knowledge of the 1000km event and Ghiretti contributes previous success at the circuit.
Porsche strengthens Suzuka victory bid
Absolute’s expanded programme also gives Porsche another significant presence in the Pro-class battle. The No. 7 crew adds three more experienced drivers to a manufacturer line-up that already features the factory-backed trio in the No. 8 ‘Bushi Rex’ entry.
However, Absolute expects intense competition across the field, and the team knows that driver strength alone will not guarantee success. Suzuka demands consistent pace, effective traffic management, reliable machinery and strong strategic execution across the full race distance. Any mistake can quickly undermine the advantage created by outright speed.
Nevertheless, Absolute enters the event with two line-ups capable of fighting near the front and considerable experience within the Porsche package.
Güven targets victory on Japanese debut
Güven may enter Suzuka without previous racing experience in Japan, but he has set a clear objective for his first appearance. He already knows the team, trusts the Porsche package and will share the car with two drivers who bring valuable circuit knowledge.
For Absolute, meanwhile, the No. 7 complements an equally strong No. 8 entry and gives the team multiple opportunities to fight for a major endurance victory. The team will reveal the No. 7 Porsche’s primary sponsor and final livery at a later stage.
Before then, the sporting focus remains clear. Güven has spent years hoping to race at Suzuka; when that opportunity finally arrives in September, he intends to do far more than simply experience the circuit.
