Bangladesh’s Avik Anwar and his team marked a milestone in their racing career by securing a podium finish at the 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi Endurance Race, held at the iconic Yas Marina Circuit on Saturday.

The race was part of the internationally renowned 24H Series, organized by Creventic, a championship that attracts elite touring car drivers from around the world.

Representing the team named “As Best Racing,” Avik, Ahmed Al Khaja, and Fahad Khan competed in the TCE category, which includes special touring cars and silhouette cars.

The trio drove a Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR DSG against the likes of the Alpine A110 Cup and Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS, and finished the race after 117 laps with an average speed of 102.07 km/h.

They finished just milliseconds behind the Porsche team, which recorded an average speed of 102.93 km/h, to clinch third place.

Despite being assigned what was considered one of the slowest cars on the grid—reportedly around three seconds per lap slower than its competitors—the team defied expectations. They demonstrated exceptional resilience, strategy, and teamwork to overcome the disadvantage.

Their determined performance resulted in a third-place finish on the podium, a remarkable achievement given the circumstances and the caliber of the field.

Speaking after the race, Avik described the achievement as a “milestone” in his career and expressed gratitude for the opportunity, crediting faith and hard work for the success. He also hinted at ambitions to continue competing in the top tiers of touring car racing.

Avik also informed that they were the first Bangladeshi to perform in this event and make history for the country.

This podium finish represents a significant step forward for Bangladeshi representation in international motorsport and signals promising prospects for the future.