From April 16 to 19, the opening round of the 2026 China GT Championship kicked off at the Shanghai International Circuit. Team KRC fielded two BMW M4 GT3 Evo race cars and one BMW M4 GT4, competing across three categories: GT3 Pro-Am, GT3 Am+, and GTS Pro-Am.
GT3 Pro-Am Class: Zhang Mingyang / Zhang Zhendong (No. 18 Car)
A new addition to Team KRC for the full 2026 season, the No. 18 crew delivered a standout performance. After extensive pre-season testing, the drivers have mastered the BMW M4 GT3 Evo. A single-set tire strategy was used in qualifying to save fresh rubber for the second half of the race.
- Race 1 (Saturday): Zhang Zhendong had a strong start with several overtakes. Despite a 5-second penalty for a start procedure violation, the team executed the penalty smoothly in the pits. Zhang Mingyang then chased down the field, breaking personal lap records to secure 3rd place in the GT3 Pro-Am National Class.。
- Race 2 (Sunday): Zhang Mingyang quickly warmed up his tires and stabilized his pace, completing multiple overtakes before the pit window. Zhang Zhendong maintained the momentum in the second half, finishing 6th overalland taking the GT3 Pro-Am National Class Victory.
GT3 Am+ Class: Jiang Jiawei / Samantha Tan
Teaming up after the official Shanghai test, the duo saw vehicle setups optimized for their driving styles, allowing them to qualify near the front.
- Race 1 (Saturday): Canadian driver Samantha Tan started and quickly broke through the pack into podium contention. Jiang Jiawei took over with a steady performance, using precise late braking to overtake rivals and claim the GT3 Am+ Class Victory.。
- Race 2 (Sunday): Jiang Jiawei struggled initially with slow tire warm-up, dropping to the back. Once the tires hit the working window, he mounted a fierce comeback. Samantha Tan maintained a consistent rhythm to finish 7th in class .
GTS Pro-Am Class: Ethan Ho / Ruan Cunfan (BMW M4 GT4)
The returning duo faced a puncture during qualifying, which hampered their times, leading to 7th and 4th starting positions in their respective sessions.
- Race 1 (Saturday): Ethan made steady progress before handing over to Ruan Cunfan. With tires at optimal temperature, Ruan dominated the defensive and offensive battles against fellow drivers to earn a hard-fought Runner-up finish in the GTS Pro-Am Class.。
- Race 2 (Sunday): Ruan Cunfan led the pack early on fresh tires. However, the pit stop time-compensation rule saw them drop back. During the second stint, Ethan Ho was involved in a severe collision caused by an opponent's illegal track reentry, forcing a DNF due to significant car damage.
Team KRC has successfully concluded the Shanghai season opener, with all three BMWs demonstrating competitive pace. The team will now focus on repairing and prepping the damaged car for the next round in Ningbo.
