For the second event back to back, Zhuhai provided an unstable weekend of TCR auto racing delivering two first-time winners with strategy plus good old-fashioned door-to-door racing featuring again the strength of the latest touring car formula.
Just three weeks ago competitors were at Zhuhai for the second event of the year, on that occasion we got a ‘world first’ with Vw Hong Kong teenager Jasper Thong claiming the initial ever victory to get Audi’s impressive new RS3 LMS TCR in round three, ahead of Thai star Metallic Sritrai grabbed the get in round 4.
Then – as was the truth this past weekend – the weather was wildly unknown, with conditions altering constantly making startup strategy difficult for groups and engineers.
Ultimately it had become R Engineering’s experienced travelling car campaigner WS Lai who was speediest in the damp disorders in opening practice, the Malaysian driver working with his years of experience to position the R Industrial Honda on top within the opening wet appointment ahead of the Liqui Moly Team Engstler automobiles of Kantadhee Kusiri and details leader Diego Moran.
In appointment two though it ended up being Thai star Kusiri – the male many believe is definitely the likely heir to the TCR Asia Series throne this season – that set the pace ahead of team-mate Moran and Lai, the British driver more than a minute clear of the Malaysian Honda pilot.
Of interest to most in pit isle was the effectiveness of new Phoenix Bike racing Asia recruit Barry Thong, the rising GT3 star getting in to the team’s second entry to support youthful brother Jasper’s title goals, and very quickly your reigning GT Japan Series Pro-Am Cup safe bet was right in the struggle at the pointy end of the field.
Qualifying seemed to be damp and it was Honda who reported the top spot with Lai and team-mate Abdul Kaathir leading this area ahead of Kusiri and Tim Thong. They, together with Moran, Jasper Thong and the twin Viper Niza Racing item listings of Douglas Khoo and the heading back Bill O’Brien would make the second leg of passing, whilst the two Beautiful Racing Team Seating and the luckless Sritrai would be expected to start both races from the rear of the field.
Whilst Lai held the benefit heading into 2nd qualifying, it was Kusiri who emerge fastest, this #2 Liqui Moly Team Engstler Volkswagen a lot of women the charts previous to Kaathir, Lai and Moran. Phoenix Rushing Asia team-mates Shaun and also Jasper Thong were next designed for Audi, with Douglas Khoo the potential risk of new team-mate and 2017 TCR China Cup rival O’Brien designed for position seven – O’Brien for that reason, claiming the trellis for the second kind of the weekend (power grid is set by an inverted top seven order from Q2).
