24 Mar 2019 Circuit Hero Race 2: Adderly Fong takes victory as David Chen finishes second
On 24 March 2019, Pan Delta Super Racing Festival – Spring Race is held at Zhuhai International Circuit. In Circuit Hero Race 2, Zun Motorsport Crew #38 Adderly Fong takes overall victory, Tianshi Racing #99 David Chen finishes second while Zun Motorsport Crew #7 Lin Yi-Ming finishes third.
According to the regulations, the top 8 finishers of yesterday’s race will start today’s race in reverse order. So the first on the grid is Grid Motorsport #63 Steven Bei, with #88 Liu Peng alongside him. The winner from yesterday’s race 1 Adderly Fong and his teammate Ma Jia-Jun start on row 4.
As there is still a slight drizzle, the race organizers displayed the Wet Track board. The drivers face a dilemma, should they use dry weather tyres or wet weather tyres? In the end, just before the race start, the majority of drivers including Adderly Fong, Steven Bei and Philip Lawrence Kadoorie all opted for dry weather tyres.
The race uses a rolling start, at turn 1, six race cars: #21, #63, #2, #88, #77 and #66 come together and partially block the track. There is also plenty of debris. The race organizers send out the safety car. #38 Adderly Fong and #99 David Chen both manage to avoid the mayhem and are now first and second. Sadly both front row starters Steven Bei and Liu Peng have to retire from the race.
After two laps the safety car leave the track and the race resumes. Adderly Fong quickly leave David Chen behind, while #7 Lin Yi-Ming runs third, #16 Philip Lawrence Kadoorie is fourth and #77 Ma Jia-Jun is up to fifth after being delayed in the turn 1 incident.
#16 Kadoorie once again demonstrate his aggressive style and fights Lin Yi-Ming for third place. Ma Jia-Jun soon gets close to the pair and pass Lin Yi-Ming, managing the fastest lap of the race 1:35.757 in the process. His next target is David Chen who is 2 seconds up the road.
At half distance, #77 Ma Jia-Jun and #99 David Chen are penalized drive-throughs for jumping the start. David Chen re-joins the race just ahead of Lin Yi-Ming and remains in second place. But Ma Jia-Jun re-joins in fifth place behind #16 Kadoorie.
On lap 11, #77 Ma Jia-Jun and #66 Lin Li-Feng are penalized for overtaking under safety car conditions and have to do a drive-through. Therefore Ma Jia-Jun once again goes through the pit lane and this time he re-joins without losing a position.
Adderly Fong, running alone in front, crosses the finish line to win the race by a minute from David Chen. #7 Lin Yi-Ming and #16 Philip Lawrence Kadoorie finish third and fourth respectively after a race long battle.
Team Master Champ #66 Lin Li-Feng fails to carry out his drive through penalty, therefore he is penalized 1:35 seconds. Also Zun Motorsport Crew #21 Wang Hao is penalized 35 seconds for causing the accident at turn 1.
After the race Tianshi Racing driver David Chen said he is surprise and happy to finish second, “From the accident to going through the pit lane, I am very satisfied with my result today. It felt a lot better than yesterday, the overtaking moves on the straight went very well, too. I was lucky to avoid the accident at turn 1. There were a lot of variables and I am very happy to have finished second.” He also said because he is using an older race car, the team spent more time preparing it yesterday.
Third place finisher Zun Motorsport Crew’s Lin Yi-Ming said, “The penalty of the car in front (#77) allows me to move up a place. I was lucky and hopefully I can get a good result in the next race, too.”
A dramatic race is hereby over. The crowd is already anticipating the next showing of these supercars. Let’s meet again in June!