FastMotoring Motor News In Speed
Following after Round 7, Alexandre Imperatori completed a maximum points haul this weekend in Malaysia by taking victory in Round 8 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia after Team Eagle – Jiejun & Junbaojie driver Martin Ragginger was handed a 30-second time penalty for overtaking under a yellow flag.
[singlepic id=12716 w=620 h= float=]
Ragginger crossed the line first after an 11-lap thriller at the 5.54km Sepang International Circuit. The Austrian had fought off an unrelenting attack from points leader Imperatori to lead Round 8 from 7th on the grid.
[singlepic id=12705 w=620 h= float=]
Third over the line, but second in the results, was Team Jebsen’s Rodolfo Avila, with just over half a second separating the top three at the finish.
[singlepic id=12697 w=620 h= float=]
Asia Racing Team’s Huang Chu Han took the Class B win, with Modena Motorsports’ Wayne Shen, who had started from pole having finished Round 7 in 8th, joining him on the podium along with OpenRoad Racing’s Francis Tjia.
[singlepic id=12711 w=620 h= float=]
Imperatori further strengthens his hold in the championship leaderboard, although the title is still wide open. The Shanghai-based Swiss talent leads from reigning champion Keita Sawa of the LKM Racing Team by 34 points, with Avila and Budweiser Team StarChase driver Tung Ho-Pin tied in third. In Class B, Shen has increased his lead over second-placed Egidio Perfetti to 32 points.
[singlepic id=12710 w=620 h= float=]
For Imperatori, who started from 8th on the grid having won Round 7, the epic battle was further evidence that the new reverse grid regulation is proving a masterstroke: “It’s offering a great show for spectators. Martin and I both had a great start, and it was quite amazing to be up in the top five after the first couple of corners. At one stage I had to go on the grass to avoid contact with Martin, but I kept the championship points in mind so was pushing hard but trying to avoid contact. Martin made no mistakes and stayed on the line as he should, and I couldn’t find a way past.”
Avila was thrilled to be back on the podium, having maximized his new tyres: “I started well, but released the clutch too quickly so lost some places with wheelspin. Then the tyres came in, and I made some places but was held up for a while. Once I made it past (Keita) Sawa, I decided to join the party. I knew if Martin or Alex made a mistake, I was right there.”
In Class B, winner Huang, who had finished 3rd in the earlier round, was already looking ahead to the next races: “This time I was more cautious with my tyres, but this is the start of many more wins to come!”
[singlepic id=12720 w=620 h= float=]
Starting alongside Shen on the front row was Team Yongda Dongfang driver Benjamin Rouget, who shot off the grid like lightning at the start, building up a gap of more than 1.5 seconds by the close of the opening lap. As the Frenchman set about pulling away at the front, behind him LKM Racing Team’s Sawa was on a charge, passing Ragginger to grab 2nd. Any thoughts the Austrian had of reclaiming the position had to be put hold as Imperatori pounced, piling on the pressure and briefly giving Sawa the smallest of breathing spaces.
Right on the limit, Imperatori dramatically ran wide and onto the grass, allowing Budweiser Team StarChase driver Tung Ho-Pin to get by briefly. Avila tried but failed to follow Tung, remaining behind Imperatori, as Ragginger took the chase to Sawa ahead. Rouget, meanwhile, had increased his lead to more than two seconds by the end of Lap 3, but it was to be short lived.
In searing heat, Ragginger held off a sustained and fierce attack from Imperatori while keeping Sawa firmly in his sights, plunging past the Japanese driver on Lap 5, and hunting down Rouget. Imperatori was not far behind though, and was back on Ragginger’s bumper almost immediately. Avila, too, was on a charge, passing first Tung then Sawa, and suddenly looming large in Imperatori’s mirrors.
[singlepic id=12722 w=620 h= float=]
By the end of Lap 7, the pack had reeled in Rouget, with Ragginger and Imperatori getting by and Avila joining the epic four-car battle, the Macau racer getting by the Frenchman. Sawa, too, was still in the fight, also passing Rouget in the penultimate lap.
The last-lap thriller saw Imperatori giving it everything he had, headlights ablaze, Ragginger holding his line superbly, and Avila glued to the Swiss driver’s bumper awaiting an error. Following an inquiry by race Stewards, Ragginger was handed the penalty which demoted him 9th in the order.
As it thunders towards the brilliant climax to its 10th season, the series is back in action later this month with the Porsche SC Global Carrera Cup Asia – Singapore 2012 on the Marina Bay street circuit as part of FORMULA 1 SINGTEL SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX which happening from September 21-23, 2012.
**Provisional Results – Round 8
|
Pos |
No |
Driver |
Class |
Entrant |
Time |
|
1 |
99 |
Alexandre IMPERATORI (SUI) |
|
PICC Team StarChase (CHN) |
24:32.599 |
|
2 |
20 |
Rodolfo AVILA (MAC) |
|
Team Jebsen (HKG) |
+0.548 |
|
3 |
1 |
Keita SAWA (JPN) |
|
LKM Racing Team (HKG) |
+1.627 |
|
4 |
8 |
Benjamin ROUGET (FRA) |
|
Team Yongda Dongfang (CHN) |
+4.250 |
|
5 |
98 |
TUNG Ho Pin (CHN) |
|
Budweiser Team StarChase (CHN) |
+7.567 |
|
6 |
81 |
HUANG Chu Han (CHN) |
B |
Asia Racing Team (CHN) |
+23.283 |
|
7 |
37 |
Davide RIZZO (CHN) |
|
BBT (CHN) |
+24.066 |
|
8 |
78 |
ZHANG Da Sheng (CHN) |
|
Team Basetex (CHN) |
+27.921 |
|
9 |
86 |
Martin RAGGINGER (AUT) |
|
Team Eagle – Jiejun & Junbaojie (CHN) |
+29.666 |
|
10 |
16 |
Wayne SHEN (HKG) |
B |
Modena Motorsports (HKG) |
+37.652 |
|
11 |
21 |
Francis TJIA (HKG) |
B |
OpenRoad Racing (HKG) |
+38.336 |
|
12 |
6 |
ZHENG Ting (CHN) |
B |
BBT (CHN) |
+45.739 |
|
13 |
55 |
*Marc CINI (AUS) |
B |
PS Racing (FIN) |
+1:01.233 |
|
14 |
96 |
LI Chao (CHN) |
B |
Asia Racing Team (CHN) |
+1:01.824 |
|
15 |
25 |
Christian CHIA (CAN) |
B |
OpenRoad By ART Motorsports (HKG) |
+1:06.095 |
|
16 |
83 |
Dr. MA Chi Min (HKG) |
B |
Dr. Ma Chi Min (HKG) |
+1:11.747 |
|
17 |
11 |
Ringo CHONG (SIN) |
|
Team Kangshun (CHN) |
+1:12.202 |
|
18 |
3 |
*Azman YAHYA (MAS) |
B |
Team Carrera Cup Asia (CHN) |
+1:19.048 |
|
19 |
28 |
John SHEN (HKG) |
B |
Modena Motorsports (HKG) |
+1:19.927 |
|
20 |
66 |
Rose TAN (CHN) |
|
Team C&D (CHN) |
+1:30.467 |
|
DNF |
5 |
Yuey TAN (SIN) |
B |
Dorr McElrea Racing (SIN) |
– |
|
DNF |
27 |
Adrian Henry D’SILVA (MAS) |
B |
Nexus Racing (MAS) |
– |
|
DNF |
88 |
Egidio PERFETTI (SUI) |
B |
Seminole Racing Team (USA) |
– |
|
DNF |
9 |
WANG Jian Wei (CHN) |
|
Team BetterLife (CHN) |
– |
|
DNF |
68 |
MAK Hing Tak (HKG) |
B |
OMAK (HKG) |
– |
|
DNF |
23 |
Paul TRESIDDER (AUS) |
B |
Hewlett Motorsport (AUS) |
– |
|
DNS |
95 |
*Kevin CHEN (USA) |
|
Asia Racing Team (CHN) |
– |
|
DNS |
31 |
*Eric LO (HKG) |
|
PS Racing (FIN) |
– |
*Non series registered
Fastest Lap: Alexandre Imperatori/PICC Team StarChase/2:12.119/149.092kph
#86 – 30 second penalty added to total time (overtaking under yellow flag)
**Provisional Points after Round 8
Overall
|
Pos |
Comp No |
Driver |
Entrant |
Points |
|
1 |
99 |
Alexandre IMPERATORI |
PICC Team StarChase |
147 |
|
2 |
1 |
Keita SAWA |
LKM Racing Team |
113 |
|
3 |
98 |
TUNG Ho-Pin |
Budweiser Team StarChase |
88 |
|
20 |
Rodolfo AVILA |
Team Jebsen |
88 |
|
|
5 |
86 |
Martin RAGGINGER |
Team Eagle-Jiejun & Junbaojie |
87 |
Class B
|
Pos |
Comp No |
Driver |
Entrant |
Points |
|
1 |
16 |
Wayne SHEN |
Modena Motorsports |
138 |
|
2 |
88 |
Egidio PERFETTI |
Seminole Racing Team |
106 |
|
3 |
21 |
Francis TJIA |
OpenRoad Racing |
97 |
|
4 |
81 |
HUANG Chu Han |
Asia Racing Team |
95 |
|
5 |
6 |
ZHENG Ting |
BBT |
78 |
**Results and Points provisional, pending a technical investigation
Photo Gallery: 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Rounds 7 & 8
[nggallery id=549]
