Viper Niza Racing heads into this weekend’s 12 Hours of Paul Ricard with high hopes and unfinished business as the Malaysian outfit seeks to strengthen its position at the top of the Michelin 24H European Series GT3-AM standings.

After two rounds of competition, Viper Niza Racing shares the championship lead with Hofor Racing and HAAS RT, with all three teams locked on 56 points. As the season enters a crucial phase, the team is focused on maintaining its consistency and collecting valuable points at the demanding 5.842-kilometre Circuit Paul Ricard in southern France.

The venue evokes a mixture of confidence and caution for the team. During the 2025 edition of the race, Viper Niza Racing endured a major setback when its Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO suffered severe chassis damage during qualifying. Faced with a seemingly impossible challenge, the team secured a replacement car and mounted an impressive recovery, finishing eighth overall and third in the GT3-AM category. Their perseverance earned them the prestigious Spirit of the Race award, recognising their determination and resilience under difficult circumstances.

Team Principal and lead driver Douglas Khoo believes the experience from last year serves as both a reminder of endurance racing’s unpredictability and a source of motivation for the team’s current campaign.

According to Khoo, the priority this weekend is to protect and strengthen the team’s championship position while maintaining a race-by-race approach. Although the team is aware of the larger title picture, the immediate objective is to maximise points in each of the remaining three races of the season.

The Malaysian squad narrowly missed a championship podium finish in 2025, ending the year fourth overall. Encouraged by a stronger start this season, the team has once again set its sights on a top-three championship result, while remaining ambitious about its chances of capturing the GT3-AM title if opportunities arise.

Khoo will share driving duties with long-time teammates Dominic Ang and Melvin Moh as they compete against 14 other GT3 entries in a grid featuring 31 cars. The unique format of the 12-hour event will see competitors race for six hours on Saturday before entering parc fermé overnight, with the remaining six hours resuming on Sunday.

This marks Viper Niza Racing’s third appearance at Paul Ricard. Khoo previously competed at the circuit in the 2018 V de V Endurance Series, where he finished 13th in the LMP3 category driving a Ligier JSP3 against a field of 27 competitors.

Supported by Motul, IWC as its Official Watch Brand, Momentum Autoparts, and SPARCO Italy, Viper Niza Racing enters the French endurance classic determined to convert its promising start to the season into a genuine championship challenge.