There are race weekends that simply add points to a championship campaign, and then there are race weekends that define one.
For Malaysia’s Viper Niza Racing, the upcoming 12 Hours of Paul Ricard could very well be one of those defining moments.
Arriving in southern France for Round 3 of the Michelin 24H European Series, the team finds itself in unfamiliar yet exciting territory — joint leaders of the GT3-AM championship standings. Tied on 56 points with Hofor Racing and HAAS RT after two rounds, the Malaysian outfit is firmly in contention for the title with three races remaining in the season.
While the championship picture is beginning to take shape, Paul Ricard is a circuit that evokes memories of both heartbreak and heroics for the team.
Last year, what began as a promising weekend quickly turned into a nightmare when the team’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO suffered extensive chassis damage during qualifying. For many teams, that would have marked the end of the weekend.
Not for Viper Niza Racing.
Refusing to throw in the towel, the team sourced a replacement car and somehow turned disaster into one of the most inspiring stories of the season. Against all odds, the Malaysian squad fought its way to an eighth-place overall finish and third in the GT3-AM category, a performance that earned them the coveted Spirit of the Race Award.
It’s precisely that resilience that has become one of the team’s defining strengths in endurance racing.
“This circuit reminds us how quickly fortunes can change in endurance racing,” said Team Principal and driver Douglas Khoo. “But it also reminds us of what this team is capable of when faced with adversity. We have started this season strongly and our focus remains on scoring consistently and maximising every opportunity.”
Khoo will once again be joined by long-time teammates Dominic Ang and Melvin Moh as they tackle one of the most competitive GT3 fields in the series. A total of 31 cars will take to the grid this weekend, with 15 entries competing in the GT3 category alone.
Unlike a traditional endurance race, the 12 Hours of Paul Ricard is split across two days, with six hours of racing on Saturday followed by another six-hour battle on Sunday. It is a format that places equal emphasis on speed, reliability, strategy and driver consistency — areas where Viper Niza Racing has quietly excelled throughout the season.
The team’s current championship position is a reflection of exactly that. While outright victories grab headlines, endurance championships are often won through consistency, discipline and staying out of trouble. After narrowly missing out on a championship podium last season with a fourth-place finish overall, the team enters 2026 with unfinished business.
The objective is clear: finish among the top three teams in the GT3-AM championship and, if circumstances allow, challenge for the title itself.
For now, however, the focus remains on the task immediately ahead.
One race at a time.
One stint at a time.
One point at a time.
But make no mistake — the championship fight is very much alive, and Viper Niza Racing is right in the middle of it.
