During a break in the U.S. racing calendar, Gresham Wagner made is debut abroad in Lotus Cup China, which quickly turned into one of the standout stories of the Sepang season opener. Originally joining the event as a one-off opportunity, Wagner adapted immediately to both the Lotus Emira Cup car and the unique challenges of the Sepang International Circuit, showing competitive pace from the opening sessions of the weekend.
Teaming with past TC America and TechSport Racing teammate Shaoyi Che in the No. 29 Emira campaigned by Racing Panda, the pair were the pacemakers from the first laps of the season. Despite limited familiarity with the car, Wagner quickly established himself among the front-runners, alongside co-driver Che, who earned podiums in the series in 2025.
Competing as a Pro/Am class lineup, the pairing entered the weekend with winning aspirations. Although sidelined by a mechanical failure in Race 1, the duo bounced back with an overall and class victory in Race 2, alongside Fast Lap. With Che taking the start of Race 2, he gained multiple spots and positioned the car strongly to hand-off to Wagner at the mandatory pitstop. After the driver-swap, Wagner eventually made the pass for the win with about 15 minutes remaining, continuing on to victory.
The strong debut not only highlighted his versatility across different platforms and racing environments, but also reinforced Wagner’s reputation as a driver capable of delivering results whenever opportunities arise.