Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2015 Race Report: Rounds 1&2 Shanghai International Circuit, China April 10 - 12, 2015
The 2015 season of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia got underway at the Shanghai International Circuit.
Preview : Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Prepares to Dazzle in Shanghai Shanghai. The 2015 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia gets underway this weekend in its home city of Shanghai as part of the Chinese F1 Grand Prix weekend. Twenty eight of the mighty Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (Type 991) racing cars will line up on the grid at the Shanghai International Circuit, with an international field representing the finest sportscar talent racing today behind the wheel.
In This Issue: Rounds 1&2 Preview Qualifying Qualifying Results Round 1 Round 1 Results Round 2 Round 2 Results P8 2015 Championship Standings General and Media Enquiries
P1 P2 P3 P5 P6 P7 P9 P9
The double-header season opener will see both newcomers and championship regulars take to the track for the first time in 2015, with a single qualifying session followed by two, 12lap races. Competing for the overall championship as the field storms off the grid will be 2014 vicechampion Martin Ragginger of Team Porsche Holding, who is joined by other returnees from last season Rodolfo Avila (Team Jebsen), China’s Tung Ho-Pin (Budweiser Team Absolute Racing), young Malaysian and reigning Class B champion Alif Hamdan (Alif Hamdan Motorsports), Singapore’s Ro Charlz Skyangel (Team Yonda Dongfang), and Bao Jin Long, this year competing with Zheng Tong Auto. Joining them are the world record holder for Porsche Cup victories, Craig Baird of New Zealand (Clearwater Racing), fellow countryman and Porsche Carrera Cup Asia rookie Chris van der Drift (Kamlung Racing), and the series’ youngest ever entrant, 17-yearold Nico Menzel (PICC Team StarChase), son of two-time champion Christian. What promises to be a battle of epic proportions for the coveted Class B title, a category for non-professional drivers held within the series, also gets underway this weekend. Front runners Yuey Tan (partnering Avila in a two-car entry from Team Jebsen), Francis Tjia
(OpenRoad Racing), and Hong Kong brothers Wayne and John Shen (Modena Motorsports) will be quick off the mark, but face a number of newcomers and guest drivers. Non-series registered drivers for this weekend are Samson Chan, joint 6th in Class B last season and standing in for Kenneth Lau in Shanghai, newcomer Andersen P Martono of Indonesia who replaces Singapore’s Ringo Chong at Team Kangshun for the season opener, LKM Racing’s Siu Tit Lung replacing his brother Siu Yuk Lung, and Australian Max Twigg taking the seat of Henri Richard. The grid positions for Round 1 will be determined by the fastest laps in Saturday’s single qualifying session, with the second quickest lap by each driver setting the grid for Round 2. When the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia embarks upon its 13th season this weekend as part of China’s most prestigious race weekend, all eyes will be on the 28 cars and drivers as they roar into what promises to be an utterly enthralling 14-round, no-holds-barred battle for glory.
Qualifying :
Team Jebsen’s Rodolfo Avila was the fastest driver in Staurday’s Qualifying and earned pole position for both Rounds 1 and 2.
Pole Apiece for Avila and Tan at Shanghai Curtain Raiser Shanghai. Team Jebsen team mates Rodolfo Avila and Yuey Tan took the overall and Class B pole positions for the opening round of the 2015 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season, held as part of the Chinese F1 Grand Prix weekend in Shanghai. Second fastest overall on track during the 30-minute Qualifying session was Clearwater Racing’s Craig Baird, the New Zealand driver under half a second off Avila’s polesetting time, with Team Porsche Holding’s Martin Ragginger and newcomer Chris van der Drift of Kamlung Racing securing the second row of the grid for Round 1. Behind them, Chinese driver Tung Ho-Pin of Budweiser Team Absolute Racing and Ro Charlz Skyangel of Team Yonda Dongfang, who got his second
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season off to a strong start, will line-up on the third row for the 12-lap race on the 5.451km track. Second fastest in Class B was Max Twigg, competing in place of series regular Henri Richard this weekend, with Modena Motorsport’s Wayne Shen, category champion in 2012, third quickest. With the first and second fastest laps in the single Qualifying session determining the grids for Rounds 1 and 2 respectively, and despite several drivers having times removed for yellow flag infringements, Avila will also line up on pole for Round 2, his third fastest time still lightningquick enough to better his rivals. This time though he will have Ragginger alongside. Behind the pair, Tung and Baird will form the second row. Said Avila: “What a great start! I’m very happy for Team Jebsen; I’m pole overall and Yuey’s on pole for Class B. It was a very good qualifying. Yesterday we showed we had quite good pace although we didn’t really manage to put a lap together in practice, but in Qualifying we knew we had the speed by miles. We managed to
put two good laps in straight away on the first set of tyres, and on the second set we went out to try and improve the lap time. I think the track got a little bit warmer, and also I probably over-drove a bit, so couldn’t go down to the [two minute, seven seconds] any more.” Baird, fifth fastest in Friday’s free practice, was pleased with his return to the series: “I set my time reasonably early, but the track sort of went away and I was panicking a bit to run a second set of tyres. I should probably have stayed out a bit longer on that first run, but P2 first up, that’s not too bad. The car was good, but the driver’s a little bit rusty and made a few mistakes! It’s one of those tracks where it’s very hard to get the whole lap right.” Ragginger was already looking forward to what promises to be an epic opening race of the 14-round season: “Everything was working well with both sets of tyres. On the first set, we had a continued on page 3
continued from page 2 yellow [flag] so I had to slow down, and after that I couldn’t finish my lap very well. It was not optimum but I’m looking forward to the race - it’s going to be an exciting one.” For Tan, runner-up in Class B for the last two seasons, it was a perfect start to his title campaign: “What a way to start the season! We’ve got a good feeling in the car in these conditions, so we’re hoping for more of the same for the race.” Menzel was the first to clock a quick lap as the session got underway, topping the time sheets ahead of Tung, Skyangel and Ragginger, before a trip to the gravel by Thailand’s Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak brought out the yellow flags. When the cars pitted for new tyres mid-way through, it was Avila, Baird, Ragginger, Tung and Menzel who locked out the top five. In the closing minutes, newcomer van der Drift shot up the order, gaining confidence with every lap, while the competition in Class B intensified further with both Wayne Shen and Max Twigg bettering their times. After an intense Qualifying, and with the grids set for the season-opening double header on China’s premier circuit, the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia is ready to raise the roof in Shanghai.
Zheng Tong Auto’s Bao Jin Long
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Team Jebsen’s Yuey Tan was the quickest Class B driver in Saturday’s Qualifying session.
Qualifying Results - Round 1 Pos No
Name
1
Rodolfo AVILA (MAC)
20
Class
Entrant
Time
Team Jebsen (HKG)
2:07.715
2
12
Craig BAIRD (NZL)
Clearwater Racing (SIN)
2:08.172
3
86
Martin RAGGINGER (AUT)
Team Porsche Holding (CHN)
2:08.219
4
68
Chris VAN DER DRIFT (NZL)
Kamlung Racing (HKG)
2:08.403
5
58
TUNG Ho-Pin (CHN)
Budweiser Team Absolute Racing (HKG)
2:08.456
6
8
Ro Charlz SKYANGEL (SIN)
Team Yonda Dongfang (CHN)
2:08.757
7
72
Alif HAMDAN (MAS)
Alif Hamdan Motorsports (MAS)
2:08.804
8
99
Nico MENZEL (GER)
PICC Team StarChase (CHN)
2:08.926
9
55
BAO Jin Long (CHN)
Zheng Tong Auto (CHN)
2:09.280
10
5
Yuey TAN (SIN)
B
Team Jebsen (HKG)
2:09.953
11
98
*Max TWIGG (AUS)
B
Max Twigg (AUS)
2:10.553
12
16
Wayne SHEN (HKG)
B
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
2:10.768
13
21
Francis TJIA (HKG)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
2:10.812
14
11
*Andersen P MARTONO (INA)
B
Team Kangshun (CHN)
2:10.937
15
51
Johnson HUANG (TPE)
B
Team BC Racing Team (TPE)
2:11.671
16
2
*Samson CHAN (HKG)
B
Samson Chan (HKG)
2:11.904
17
9
LI Chao (CHN)
B
Team Betterlife (CHN)
2:12.025
18
69
Christian CHIA (CAN)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
2:12.336
19
3
Michael S. (INA)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
2:12.500
20
65
ZHU Jun Han (CHN)
B
Absolute Racing (HKG)
2:12.815
21
28
John SHEN (HKG)
B
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
2:13.132
22
78
Suttiluck BUNCHAROEN (THA)
B
True Visions Motorsports Thailand (THA)
2:13.958
23
23
Paul TRESIDDER (AUS)
B
Paul Tresidder (AUS)
2:14.010
24
88
Hugues RIPERT (HKG)
B
Spark Motorsport (HKG)
2:14.227
25
17
FUNG Yui Sum (HKG)
B
Arrows Racing (HKG)
2:16.243
26
22
*SIU Tit Lung (HKG)
B
LKM Racing (HKG)
2:16.385
27
80
Sontaya KUNPLOME (THA)
B
Racing Spirit Thailand (THA)
2:19.054
18
Vutthikorn INTHRAPHUVASAK (THA)
B
Chang Racing Team (THA)
DNF
*Non series registered
Qualifying Results - Round 2 Pos No
Name
1
Rodolfo AVILA (MAC)
20
At right: Team Porsche Holding driver Martin Ragginer in the first qualifying session of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2015 season.
Entrant
Time
Team Jebsen (HKG)
2:08.320
2
86
Martin RAGGINGER (AUT)
Team Porsche Holding (CHN)
2:08.699
3
58
TUNG Ho-Pin (CHN)
Budweiser Team Absolute Racing (HKG)
2:08.518
4
12
Craig BAIRD (NZL)
Clearwater Racing (SIN)
2:08.699
5
68
Chris VAN DER DRIFT (NZL)
Kamlung Racing (HKG)
2:08.737
6
72
Alif HAMDAN (MAS)
Alif Hamdan Motorsports (MAS)
2:08.988
7
99
Nico MENZEL (GER)
PICC Team StarChase (CHN)
2:09.112
8
8
Ro Charlz SKYANGEL (SIN)
Team Yonda Dongfang (CHN)
2:09.391
9
55
BAO Jin Long (CHN)
Zheng Tong Auto (CHN)
2:10.052
10
5
Yuey TAN (SIN)
Team Jebsen (HKG)
2:10.153
B
11
21
Francis TJIA (HKG)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
2:10.960
12
16
Wayne SHEN (HKG)
B
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
2:11.058
13
11
*Andersen P MARTONO (INA)
B
Team Kangshun (CHN)
2:10.943
14
98
*Max TWIGG (AUS)
B
Max Twigg (AUS)
2:11.466
15
51
Johnson HUANG (TPE)
B
Team BC Racing Team (TPE)
2:12.024
16
2
*Samson CHAN (HKG)
B
Samson Chan (HKG)
2:12.669
17
9
LI Chao (CHN)
B
Team Betterlife (CHN)
2:12.704
18
3
Michael S. (INA)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
2:12.788
19
28
John SHEN (HKG)
B
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
2:13.331
20
69
Christian CHIA (CAN)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
2:13.453
21
78
Suttiluck BUNCHAROEN (THA)
B
True Visions Motorsports Thailand (THA)
2:13.970
22
65
ZHU Jun Han (CHN)
B
Absolute Racing (HKG)
2:14.380
23
88
Hugues RIPERT (HKG)
B
Spark Motorsport (HKG)
2:14.406
24
23
Paul TRESIDDER (AUS)
B
Paul Tresidder (AUS)
2:15.302
25
22
*SIU Tit Lung (HKG)
B
LKM Racing (HKG)
2:16.802
26
17
FUNG Yui Sum (HKG)
B
Arrows Racing (HKG)
2:16.860
27
80
Sontaya KUNPLOME (THA)
B
Racing Spirit Thailand (THA)
2:19.073
28
18
Vutthikorn INTHRAPHUVASAK (THA)
B
Chang Racing Team (THA)
DNF
*Non series registered From top to bottom: • 2014 Class B champion Alif Hamdan ready to compete for the overall championship title. • OpenRoad Racing driver Francis Tjia • Paul Tresidder at the Shanghai International Circuit • PICC Team StarChase driver Nico Menzel in his Porsche Carrera Cup Asia debut
Class
Round 1 :
The start of Round 1 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2015.
Baird makes Thunderous Return with Round 1 Victory Shanghai. Clearwater Racing’s Craig Baird added another Porsche Cup win to his world record tally with a superb victory in Round 1 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia at the Shanghai International Circuit. The New Zealand driver seized the lead from pole-sitter Rodolfo Avila on the opening lap and was not to relinquish it, despite fierce challenges from newcomer and fellow countryman Chris van der Drift of Kamlung Racing who crossed the line second. Team Porsche Holding’s Martin Ragginger claimed the final podium place after an epic battle with Avila. In Class B, an equallyheated contest between polesitter, Singapore’s Yuey Tan of Team Jebsen, and Max Twigg saw the Australian snatch the win. Third in the category, for non-professional drivers, was
Modena Motorsports’ Wayne Shen. Baird, who returns to the series for a full season for the first time since 2010, was thrilled to have marked his comeback with a victory, setting the fastest lap of the race for good measure: “To come out of the blocks and win the first round is very, very satisfying, especially with [team owner Mok Weng Sun] giving me this opportunity.” Van der Drift, meanwhile, who is competing in the first Porsche series of his impressive career, was surprised but delighted to find himself on the Shanghai F1 Grand Prix podium after his debut race: “It was good to have Kiwis one and two! I was a bit slow with the lights as I wasn’t sure about the clutch and how to get if off the line! The first lap was good and I managed to stay out of trouble into Turn 1 and to get up to third straight away. From there I had to wait and see what happened with the car as I had no idea what to expect. I tried to be as consistent as possible. Martin was quite quick at the end, but I was able to work out where he was quick and where I was quick. It was good experience and I sort of know a bit better what to expect tomorrow.”
With two-time and reigning Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champion Earl Bamber, since catapulted to the heady heights of Porsche LMP1 competition, also hailing from New Zealand, the success of that country’s drivers can be a source of frustration for the field. Joked Ragginger: “It was not too bad, but I just have a little problem with those Kiwis! It was a good start for me. I was trying to pass Craig on the outside, he opened a little bit, and I then was completely outside. Chris came on the inside and I couldn’t hold him. In the end it was a really hard fight with Rodolfo. It feels like he has 5km more top speed than anybody else, so it was difficult to pass him.” As the lights went out for the start of the 2015 season, Avila got away cleanly from pole but was almost immediately challenged, first by Ragginger, then Baird, with an audacious move by van der Drift continued on page 6
continued from page 5 demoting him to third by the end of the opening lap. Fourth after the start melee, Ragginger lost no time launching his attack on Avila, headlights ablaze. Behind the leading four, Budweiser Team Absolute Racing’s Tung Ho-Pin, who had made a superb start, Team Yonda Dongfang’s Ro Charlz Skyangel and Alif Hamdan were locked in battle, before the young Malaysian disappointingly retired prematurely from the race. In Class B, Tan had lost his pole position advantage at the first corner, but reclaimed the lead before a cat and mouse duel ensued, bringing the Shanghai crowds to their feet. With tyre wear taking its toll though, in the closing laps of the race Tan succumbed to the Twigg’s unrelenting attack. Things were no less exciting at the front of the pack, with Ragginger finally finding a way past Avila on Lap 8, and fighting off the furious Macau driver before breaking away and taking the chase to van der Drift up ahead. Action-packed from start to flag, the closing stages of the 12-lap thriller saw PICC Team StarChase driver Nico Menzel, who had closed up to Skyangel in sixth, get alongside as the pair crossed the start/ finish line two abreast into the final lap. Skyangel held firm, however, to cross the line sixth behind Tung. The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia is back in action tomorrow at the Shanghai F1 Grand Prix, with Round 2, where Avila once again starts from pole position, this time with Ragginger alongside. On the second row are Tung and championship leader, Baird. With the opening round of the season providing plenty of Shanghai surprises, a certainty for Round 2 is to expect the unexpected as the region’s premier international sportscar championship continues its conquest of Asia.
Results - Round 1 Pos No
Name
1
12
Craig BAIRD (NZL)
Clearwater Racing (SIN)
26:07.731
2
68
Chris VAN DER DRIFT (NZL)
Kamlung Racing (HKG)
+0.542
3
86
Martin RAGGINGER (AUT)
Team Porsche Holding (CHN)
+0.883
4
20
Rodolfo AVILA (MAC)
Team Jebsen (HKG)
+5.684
5
58
TUNG Ho-Pin (CHN)
Budweiser Team Absolute Racing (HKG)
+9.698
6
8
Ro Charlz SKYANGEL (SIN)
Team Yonda Dongfang (CHN)
+11.067
7
99
Nico MENZEL (GER)
PICC Team StarChase (CHN)
+12.000
8
98
*Max TWIGG (AUS)
B
Max Twigg (AUS)
+33.359
9
5
Yuey TAN (SIN)
B
Team Jebsen (HKG)
+36.317
10
16
Wayne SHEN (HKG)
B
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
+36.668
11
55
BAO Jin Long (CHN)
Zheng Tong Auto (CHN)
+37.919
12
11
*Andersen P MARTONO (INA)
B
Team Kangshun (CHN)
+40.173
13
21
Francis TJIA (HKG)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
+40.736
14
9
LI Chao (CHN)
B
Team Betterlife (CHN)
+41.535
15
18
Vutthikorn INTHRAPHUVASAK (THA)
B
Chang Racing Team (THA)
+42.529
16
51
Johnson HUANG (TPE)
B
Team BC Racing Team (TPE)
+51.790
17
69
Christian CHIA (CAN)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
+59.044
18
3
Michael S. (INA)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
+65.911
19
2
*Samson CHAN (HKG)
B
Samson Chan (HKG)
+72.502
20
28
John SHEN (HKG)
B
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
+74.805
21
65
ZHU Jun Han (CHN)
B
Absolute Racing (HKG)
+74.955
22
78
Suttiluck BUNCHAROEN (THA)
B
True Visions Motorsports Thailand (THA)
+82.270
23
88
Hugues RIPERT (HKG)
B
Spark Motorsport (HKG)
+83.462
24
17
FUNG Yui Sum (HKG)
B
Arrows Racing (HKG)
+94.579
25
23
Paul TRESIDDER (AUS)
B
Paul Tresidder (AUS)
+107.985
26
80
Sontaya KUNPLOME (THA)
B
Racing Spirit Thailand (THA)
1 Lap
22
*SIU Tit Lung (HKG)
B
LKM Racing (HKG)
DNF
72
Alif HAMDAN (MAS)
Alif Hamdan Motorsports (MAS)
DNF
*Non series registered
Round 1 Class B winner Max Twigg.
Class Entrant
Time
Tung Ho-Pin (centre) celebrates with Rodolfo Avila (left), second, and Martin Ragginger (right), who finished third.
Round 2 : Tung takes Dazzling Victory in Shanghai Shanghai. China’s Tung Ho-Pin took his second career Porsche Carrera Cup Asia victory in front of an ecstatic home crowd in Shanghai today after an unforgettable 12-lap race. The Budweiser Team Absolute Racing driver clinched the win in Round 2, held as part of the Chinese F1 Grand Prix weekend, ahead of pole-sitter Rodolfo Avila of Team Jebsen, and Team Porsche Holding’s Martin Ragginger. Fourth across the line after the race which was twice interrupted by Safety Car periods, was Round 1 winner Craig Baird of Clearwater Racing followed over the line by Porsche Carrera Cup Asia rookie and, at 17, the series’ youngest-ever entry, Nico Menzel of PICC Team StarChase and Team Yonda
Dongfang’s Ro Charlz Skyangel. However, Menzel was later penalised for causing a collision with Malaysian Alif Hamdan, which dropped him down the order to 13th and promoted Skyangel to fifth. The Class B race winner was Modena Motorsports’ Wayne Shen of Hong Kong, who grabbed victory in dramatic fashion from Team Kangshun’s Andersen P. Martono in the closing metres of the final lap. Martono was another driver to be penalised by race stewards after he collided with Team Jebsen’s Yuey Tan, putting him 17th on the results. That meant second place went to Johnson Huang of Team BC Racing, who took his first Class B podium in just the second race of second season. Third was Samson Chan of Hong Kong. After the Shanghai double header, Baird leads the race for the overall title, but with a slim one-point lead over Avila. Tung and Ragginger are tied in third, just a single point adrift of the Macau driver, promising a thrilling championship battle over the coming 12
races. In Class B, Wayne Shen leads the charge, three points ahead of Tan, with Huang’s superb performance putting him third on the leaderboard. With a victory which was nothing short of brilliant, Tung has very definitely found his Porsche Carrera Cup Asia mojo, and the Chinese driver could not have been more delighted with his win: “It’s an amazing feeling to win in front of the home crowd here in Shanghai. I think it was a very nice and fair battle. Rodolfo, Martin and me were all kind of equal in terms of pace and we managed to pull a slight gap from the guys behind us. For the audience, it must have been a very enjoyable race. The pace was really there in the car today, so a big thank you to Absolute Racing and my sponsor Budweiser.” For Rodolfo, who wasn’t able to convert his Round 1 pole position into a podium finish, it was a much better continued on page 9
continued from page 8 day: “It was a very interesting race. I knew I had a better car than yesterday, but I noticed that I was still struggling at the same points as yesterday and they could catch up quite a lot. I knew it was going to be hard to stay on pole, but it was a good battle with Raggi. I was quite lucky with Safety Cars because my car, with a long run, tends to drop performance after a couple of laps so it could cool down during the Safety Car. After yesterday though, I’m really happy with second place.” Ragginger was quick to admit his frustration at Avila’s straight-line speed, but gave full credit to the race winner: “It’s so difficult to pass Rodolfo. He’s so fast in a straight line. Ho-Pin did a good job, made no mistakes and took the chances we gave him. Congratulations to him, he deserves the victory.” Wayne Shen, Class B champion in 2012, was glad to have got his quest for a second title off to a promising start: “I’m really chuffed, and I want to keep it up for the rest of the season. It was a really fun race, hectic with lots going on. I could see Andersen’s tyres were worse than mine, so I just had to be patient. He ran wide and I made my move stick.” As the lights went out at the Shanghai International Circuit, Avila made an excellent getaway from pole, with Ragginger again in hot pursuit, while Tung got by Baird off the start to go third. Fifth in the order was Skyangel ahead of talented Malaysian Alif Hamdan. Impressive newcomer Chris van der Drift of Kamlung Racing, second in Round 1, was left stranded on the second row of the grid with a broken clutch. Testament to the high standard of competence within the 28-strong field, all drivers skillfully avoided making contact as they left the grid. Behind the leaders, Menzel
An action-packed Round 2 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2015.
misjudged a move on Hamdan, catapulting the Malaysian off the track. Meanwhile, Team Betterlife’s Li Chao and Francis Tjia of OpenRoad Racing tangled with the tyre barriers, and Round 1 Class B winner Max Twigg came to a halt on the opening lap, bringing out the Safety Car for the first time. Twigg managed to get going again, limping back to the pits, while the Safety Car pulled off at the end of Lap 3. As racing resumed, Avila once again got away well, but Ragginger was looming large in his mirrors. As the Austrian tried a move on the inside of Avila, Tung neatly swept past to grab second. The following lap though, Ragginger reclaimed the position from Tung, who then had to hold off a hard-charging Baird. In a repeat of the earlier scenario, Ragginger closed up to Avila and set about getting past. As the Macau driver moved to the outside to defend his position, Tung nipped through on the inside to seize the race lead in a brave, perfectly-executed move. Despite a nudge from Avila, Tung held firm and set about pulling away. Tung’s hard work pulling clear of his rivals came to nothing though when the Safety Car was called out for a second time on Lap 8. The smell of victory was strong through, and at the restart the following lap, Tung got away well and, despite a last-lap wobble at the
parabolica, stormed home to a wellearned victory. The drama in one of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia’s finest races in many seasons was not over though. Menzel found his way past Skyangel in the closing stages of the race, while Team Jebsen’s Yuey Tan, who had led the Class B field for the entire race, was taken out by Martono on Lap 10. Martono inherited the category lead until the final lap when Shen made his move to seize the Class B win. At the front of the pack, Ragginger’s frustration at not finding a way past Avila saw him push too hard, allowing Baird to get by momentarily, until the Austrian grabbed the position back just metres before the flag. Having once again ignited the flame of sportscar fascination amongst the Shanghai fans with a superb seasonopener, the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia will be back in action next month, with another double-header, this time at the Korea International Circuit from May 15-17. At South Korea’s F1-standard circuit, the battle for the overall and Class B 2015 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia championship titles will resume in earnest.
Results - Round 2 Pos No
Name
1
58
TUNG Ho-Pin (CHN)
Budweiser Team Absolute Racing (HKG)
28:09.136
2
20
Rodolfo AVILA (MAC)
Team Jebsen (HKG)
+1.985
3
86
Martin RAGGINGER (AUT)
Team Porsche Holding (CHN)
+2.305
4
12
Craig BAIRD (NZL)
Clearwater Racing (SIN)
+2.990
5
8
Ro Charlz SKYANGEL (SIN)
Team Yonda Dongfang (CHN)
+9.385
6
55
BAO Jin Long (CHN)
Zheng Tong Auto (CHN)
+10.243
7
16
Wayne SHEN (HKG)
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
+16.832
8
72
Alif HAMDAN (MAS)
Alif Hamdan Motorsports (MAS)
+19.693
9
51
Johnson HUANG (TPE)
B
Team BC Racing Team (TPE)
+23.557
10
2
*Samson CHAN (HKG)
B
Samson Chan (HKG)
+24.999
11
5
Yuey TAN (SIN)
B
Team Jebsen (HKG)
+30.306
12
3
Michael S. (INA)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
+30.396
13
99
Nico MENZEL (GER)
PICC Team StarChase (CHN)
+33.148
14
88
Hugues RIPERT (HKG)
B
Spark Motorsport (HKG)
+37.697
15
9
LI Chao (CHN)
B
Team Betterlife (CHN)
+38.216
16
23
Paul TRESIDDER (AUS)
B
Paul Tresidder (AUS)
+40.862
17
11
*Andersen P MARTONO (INA)
B
Team Kangshun (CHN)
+47.090
18
80
Sontaya KUNPLOME (THA)
B
Racing Spirit Thailand (THA)
+66.754
18
Vutthikorn INTHRAPHUVASAK (THA)
B
Chang Racing Team (THA)
DNF
65
ZHU Jun Han (CHN)
B
Absolute Racing (HKG)
DNF
69
Christian CHIA (CAN)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
DNF
22
*SIU Tit Lung (HKG)
B
LKM Racing (HKG)
DNF
17
FUNG Yui Sum (HKG)
B
Arrows Racing (HKG)
DNF
78
Suttiluck BUNCHAROEN (THA)
B
True Visions Motorsports Thailand (THA)
DNF
28
John SHEN (HKG)
B
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
DNF
21
Francis TJIA (HKG)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
DNF
98
*Max TWIGG (AUS)
B
Max Twigg (AUS)
DNF
68
Chris VAN DER DRIFT (NZL)
Kamlung Racing (HKG)
DNF
*Non series registered Top: Samson Chan ahead of Round 2 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Above: Clearwater Racing driver Craig Baird. Right: Team Yonda Dongfang’s Ro Charlz Skyangel finished fifth in Round 2 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia.
For media access to Porsche Carrera Cup Asia photos and press releases, please apply for media registration by visiting: carreracupasia.com/media
Class Entrant
B
Time
Overall Standings after Round 2 Pos
Comp
Driver
Entrant
Points
1
12
Craig BAIRD
Clearwater Racing (SIN)
34
2
20
Rodolfo AVILA
Team Jebsen (HKG)
33
58
Ho-Pin TUNG
Budweiser Team Absolute Racing (HKG)
32
86
Martin RAGGINGER
Team Porsche Holding (CHN)
32
3 5
8
Ro Charlz SKYANGEL
Team Yonda Dongfang (CHN)
22
6
68
Chris Van der DRIFT
Kamlung Racing (HKG)
18
55
BAO Jinlong
Zheng Tong Auto (CHN)
15
7 9
16
Wayne SHEN
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
15
99
Nico MENZEL
PICC Team StarChase (CHN)
12
5
Yuey TAN Yu Hian
Team Jebsen (HKG)
12
72
Alif HAMDAN
Alif Hamdan Motorsports (MAS)
8
98
Maxwell TWIGG
Max Twigg (AUS)
8
13
51
Johnson HUANG
Team BC Racing Team (TPE)
7
14
2
Samson CHAN
Samson Chan (HKG)
6
3
Michael S.
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
4
11
Andersen P MARTONO
Team Kangshun (CHN)
4
21
Francis TJIA
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
3
9
LI Chao
Team Betterlife (CHN)
3
19
88
Hugues RIPERT
Spark Motorsport (HKG)
2
20
18
Vutthikorn INTHRAPHUVASAK
Chang Racing Team (THA)
1
23
Paul TRESIDDER
Paul Tresidder (AUS)
0
80
Sontaya KUNPLOME
Racing Spirit Thailand (THA)
0
17
FUNG Yui Sum
Arrows Racing (HKG)
0
28
John SHEN
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
0
65
ZHU Junhan
Absolute Racing (HKG)
0
69
Christian CHIA
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
0
78
Suttiluck BUNCHAROEN
True Visions Motorsports Thailand (THA)
0
22
SIU Tit Lung
LKM Racing (HKG)
0
11
15 17
21
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia quote of the weekend:
“It’s an amazing feeling to win in front of the home crowd here in Shanghai. I think it was a very nice and fair battle. Rodolfo, Martin and me were all kind of equal in terms of pace and we managed to pull a slight gap from the guys behind us.” - Ho-Pin Tung
We want to hear from you! General Enquiries: Alexandre Gibot Motorsport Manager, Porsche China Alexandre.Gibot@porsche.cn Tel: +86 21 – 6156 5911
Ho-Pin Tung wins Round 2 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia.
Media Enquiries: Nikki Kemp Director, PR Plus Limited nikki@prplus.com.hk Tel: +852 - 25756995
Class B Standings after Round 2 Pos
Comp
Driver
Entrant
Points
1
16
Wayne SHEN
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
36
2
5
Yuey TAN Yu Hian
Team Jebsen (HKG)
33
3
51
Johnson HUANG
Team BC Racing Team (TPE)
26
4
2
Samson CHAN
Samson Chan (HKG)
21
5
11
Andersen P MARTONO
Team Kangshun (CHN)
21
6
98
Maxwell TWIGG
Max Twigg (AUS)
20
7
9
LI Chao
Team Betterlife (CHN)
19
8
3
Michael S.
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
18
9
21
Francis TJIA
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
12
10
88
Hugues RIPERT
Spark Motorsport (HKG)
11
11
18
Vutthikorn INTHRAPHUVASAK
Chang Racing Team (THA)
9
12
23
Paul TRESIDDER
Paul Tresidder (AUS)
8
13
69
Christian CHIA
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
7
14
80
Sontaya KUNPLOME
Racing Spirit Thailand (THA)
6
15
28
John SHEN
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
4
16
65
ZHU Junhan
Absolute Racing (HKG)
3
17
78
Suttiluck BUNCHAROEN
True Visions Motorsports Thailand (THA)
2
17
FUNG Yui Sum
Arrows Racing (HKG)
0
22
SIU Tit Lung
LKM Racing (HKG)
0
18
Behind the Scenes at the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia
On the grid ahead of Round 1.
From top down: • PICC Team StarChase driver Nico Menzel • Team Betterlife driver Li Chao • Kamlung Racing driver Chris Van der Drift.