C8.R finished one lap down from the leader

Corvette Racing Secures GTE-Am Title with Two Races to Spare

Corvette Racing clinched the world championship in GTE-Am by finishing fourth in class, while Dempsey-Proton Racing took the class victory.

Although Ben Keating, Nico Varrone and Nicky Catsburg failed to score a podium for the first time this season, the No. 33 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R now sits at 174 points.

The resulting points lead can no longer be overhauled by the rest of the GTE-Am field in the two remaining races in Fuji and Bahrain.

Keating retained his GTE-Am title from last year in the process, while Varrone and Catsburg both wozn their first WEC crowns.

The American squad ran near the front in the opening phase of the race, but dropped back due to a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pitlane.

The No. 33 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R then fought back with Varrone at the wheel, even taking the lead by passing the No. 86 GR Racing Porsche 911 RSR-19 of Riccardo Pera round the outside at Variante Ascari.

Corvette then dropped behind the No. 77 Dempsey-Proton Porsche of Christian Ried, Mikkel Pedersen and Julien Andlauer, which went on to win the race, and the No. 60 Iron Lynx entry when Catsburg took the car over in the penultimate hour.

The Dutchman eventually also conceded third place to the GR Racing squad, which completed the podium with Pera, Ben Barker and Mike Wainwright at the wheel of the No. 86 Porsche.