Jay Robotham is the first Australian to confirm a place in the 2024 Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Series after signing with Chinese outfit, Climax Racing.
 
The Victorian will co-pilot one of the team’s three Mercedes-AMGs alongside Chinese driver Min Heng and has committed to three of the opening four rounds of the season.

Climax Racing is a highly experienced outfit in the Asian GT scene, where they have enjoyed lots of success in GT competition, as well as in the ever-competitive Carrera Cup Asia.

Robotham himself boasts a respectable resume behind the wheel, having had stints in a range of categories and vehicles that includes Excels, Toyota 86s, Production Cars and Trans-Am.

The 21-year-old has also had success within the Supercars pathway, winning the 2020 Dunlop Super3 Series, while also having twice taken on co-driver duties in the Repco Bathurst 1000.
 
This year, Robotham will make his third appearance at the famous Mount Panorama for the great race as co-driver, partnering up with Bryce Fullwood at Brad Jones Racing.

In addition to his initial Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia and Supercars commitments, Robotham will also run in the Thailand Super Series for Corliss Race Engineering.

“It’s awesome to be able to lock in these races with Climax Racing in GT World Challenge Asia, they are a very professional team in a super competitive championship,” Robotham said.

“GT racing in Asia is a big deal – the fields are typically large with some different machinery to what we normally see in Australia.

“Also, the series attracts a lot of international interest with some big-name drivers from around the world involved, while guys like Triple Eight are typically front runners.

“You always want to be able to test yourself against the best, and I think in this field, the level of competition is right up there.

“It’s always great to get as much seat time as possible, especially with the longer GT formats in play.

“Hopefully, the different programs this year will put me in good stead by the time the Supercars enduros roll around, and I can be on the pace at Bathurst.”

Robotham and Climax Racing begin their 2024 Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia campaign later this month, with the first round to take place at Sepang International Circuit on 19-21 April.
 

2024 Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia calendar

19-21 April – Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia
10-12 May – Chang International Circuit, Thailand
8–9 June – Sportsland SUGO, Japan                 
21-23 June – Fuji International Speedway, Japan
6–7 July – Japan Suzuka International Racing Course, Japan
24–25 August – Japan Okayama International Circuit, Japan          
14–15 September – China Shanghai International Circuit, China
* Robotham will take part in bolder italicised rounds