Antares Au Tin-Chun (Chinese: 区天骏; pinyin: Qū Tiānjùn; Jyutping: Keoi1 Tin1 Zeon3; born 24 March 1979[1]) is a Hong Kong racing driver. He is the 2024–25 Asian Le Mans Series GT champion.[2]
GT career
GT3 debut and early success (2019–2022)
At the start of 2021, Au finished sixth in the Dubai 24 Hour and won the inaugural 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi.[3][4] Au also made his full-season debut in the GT class of Asian Le Mans, racing for Herberth Motorsport alongside Klaus Bachler and Steffen Görig.[5]
For 2022, Au returned to Asian Le Mans and Herberth Motorsport, teaming up with Ye Yifei and Bachler.[6] Au also returned to the 24 Hours of Spa, joining Jaxon Evans, Dylan Pereira and Kevin Tse in Herberth Motorsport's Pro-Am lineup.[7]
Class wins in major endurance races (2023–present)
In 2023, Au competed in the Spa round of the International GT Open championship alongside Matteo Cairoli, in preparation for the 24 Hours of Spa. The pair won in the Pro-Am class.[8] In the 24 Hours of Spa, Au won in the Bronze class, becoming the first driver from Hong Kong to win the race in any class.[9] In October, Au finished on the Pro-Am podium on his GT World Challenge America debut at the 2023 Indianapolis 8 Hours and finished third in class at the Gulf 12 Hours.[10][11]
In 2024, Au raced in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring with Lionspeed GP. He became the first driver from Hong Kong to win in any GT category by winning in the SP9 Pro-Am class.[12] Towards the end of the year, Au made a one-off appearance in the GT World Challenge America for Herberth Motorsport, Au won the Indianapolis 8 Hour in the Pro-Am class.[13]
In December, Au returned to the Asian Le Mans Series, joining Manthey Racing alongside Joel Sturm and Klaus Bachler. In the first round at Sepang, Au retired in race one but rebounded in race two to take his first podium in the series by finishing second.[14] After taking one win at Dubai and staying out of trouble at Yas Marina, Au became champion at the final round of the season, earning an invite to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.[15]
In early 2025, Au returned to the Middle East Trophy alongside Jonathan Hui, Kevin Tse and Frank Yu.[16] At the 24 Hours of Dubai, Au finished runner-up.[17]
Racing record
Racing career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 24H Series – SP3-GT4 | GDL Racing Team Asia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 3rd |
| Porsche Carrera Cup Asia | Modena Motorsports | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 8th | |
| 2018 | 24H GT Series – GT4 | BLACK FALCON Team TMD Friction[18] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 3rd |
| Porsche Carrera Cup Asia | Modena Motorsports | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 16th | |
| 2019 | Dubai 24 Hour – A6 Am | Team Porsche Centre Hong Kong | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 4th |
| Porsche Carrera Cup Asia – Pro-Am | Earl Bamber Motorsport[19] | 14 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 153 | 4th | |
| Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup – Am | OpenRoad Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 26th | |
| 2020 | 24H GT Series – GT3 Am | Team Hong Kong Craft-Bamboo Racing[20] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 7th |
| 2021 | 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi – GT | Car Collection Motorsport | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1st |
| Asian Le Mans Series – GT | Precote Herberth Motorsport | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | 15th | |
| GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup – Pro-Am | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC | ||
| Dubai 24 Hour – GT3 Am | Herberth Motorsport[21] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 6th | |
| 2022 | Asian Le Mans Series – GT | Herberth Motorsport[22] | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 8th |
| GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup – Pro-Am | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 15th | ||
| British GT Championship – GT4 Am | Allied Racing by Herberth | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0† | NC† | |
| 2023 | Asian Le Mans Series – GT | Herberth Motorsport[23] | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 16th |
| Gulf 12 Hours – Pro-Am | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 3rd | ||
| Intercontinental GT Challenge | Herberth Motorsport Huber Motorsport |
2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 19th | |
| International GT Open | Huber Motorsport | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 17th | |
| GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup – Bronze Cup | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 9th | ||
| GT World Challenge America – Pro-Am Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | NC† | ||
| GT World Challenge Asia – Am | Modena Motorsports | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | NC† | |
| 2023–24 | Asian Le Mans Series – GT | Herberth Motorsport[24] | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 15th |
| Middle East Trophy – GT3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 7th | ||
| 2024 | 24 Hours of Nürburgring – SP 9 Pro-Am | Lionspeed GP[25] | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1st |
| Intercontinental GT Challenge | Huber Motorsport Lionspeed GP Lionspeed x Herberth |
3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 11th | |
| GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup – Bronze Cup | Lionspeed x Herberth | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 29th | |
| International GT Open | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 68th | ||
| 24H Series – GT3 Am | Car Collection Motorsport | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 32 | 16th | |
| GT World Challenge America – Pro-Am Cup | Herberth Motorsport | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | NC† | |
| GT World Challenge Asia – Am | Audi Sport Asia Team Absolute | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 12th | |
| 2024–25 | Asian Le Mans Series – GT | Manthey Racing[26] | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 86 | 1st |
| 2025 | Middle East Trophy – GT3 | Herberth Motorsport | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 3rd |
| Source:[27][28] | |||||||||
† As Au was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.
References
- ^ "Antares Au". gt-world-challenge-europe.com.
- ^ O'Connell, RJ; Kilbey, Stephen (16 February 2025). "APR & Manthey Punch Tickets To Le Mans After Clinching Asian Le Mans Titles". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "【賽車】杜拜24小時耐力賽意外頻生 港將區天駿名列組別第6". sportsroad.hk. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "Car Collection Motorsport wins the first-ever Hankook 6H ABU DHABI". 24H Series. 23 January 2021. Archived from the original on 21 December 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "Hong Kong racer Antares Au on why he risks it all in name of motorsport ahead of Asian Le Mans outing". scmp.com. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "Antares Au enters 2022 Asian Le Mans Series". 2nernation.com. 27 January 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "許建德與區天駿分途出擊 爭逐斯帕耐力賽". hk.on.cc. 19 July 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ^ "Hong Kong's Antares Au wins at Spa GT Open race in preparation for 24-hour endurance classic". becauseracecar.my. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "區天駿成首位勝出Spa 24小時賽的香港車手". lightsout.cc. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ^ "區天駿奪洲際 GT 賽美國站冠軍". car1.hk. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ^ "賽車｜區天駿克服阿聯酋賽道重重困難 2023賽季攞獎作結". singtao.ca. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ^ "德國紐布靈24小時賽 區天駿成首位獲GT組冠軍的香港車手". fitz.hk. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "賽車｜區天駿美國站耐力賽首名衝線 鎖定今季洲際GT賽獨立盃總冠軍". news.mingpao.com. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "賽車｜區天駿亞洲利曼賽大馬揭幕戰奪亞". hk.sports.yahoo.com. 11 December 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "区天骏首夺亚洲利曼总冠军 6月战利曼24". bisai6.com. 17 February 2025. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
- ^ "4位香港車手再「合體」 挑戰杜拜耐力賽決心爭冠". hk.on.cc. 9 January 2025. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "香港車手勇奪迪拜 24 小時賽組別亞軍". car1.hk. 16 January 2025. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "【杜拜24小時耐力賽】港車隊奪冠變亞軍 港歷來最強陣容齊站頒獎台". sportsroad.hk. 14 January 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ^ "【专题】这，不是富豪的游戏，而是天才的发掘地！". sohu.com. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ^ "Team Hong Kong Craft-Bamboo Racing 確定參戰2020杜拜24小時耐力賽". sportsimageplus.com. 10 December 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ^ "【賽車】港將區天駿再戰杜拜24小時耐力賽劍指組別冠軍". hkelite.org. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ Lloyd, Daniel (25 January 2022). "Porsche Selected Driver Ye Among Herberth Crew". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ Goodwin, Graham (17 January 2023). "Herberth Motorsport Confirm Asian Le Mans Series Crew". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ Plümer, Jonas (10 November 2023). "Tim Heinemann goes to Asia". GT-Place.com (in German). Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ Euwema, Davey (12 April 2024). "Au, Niederhauser, Dontje Join Lionspeed for N24". sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ Euwema, Davey (18 November 2024). "Au, Hardwick in Manthey GT3 Lineup". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "Antares Au Results". Motorsportstats.com. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "Antares Au | Racing career profile | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
External links
- Antares Au career summary at DriverDB.com