02 Jul 2017 High standard competition - FRD LMP3 Main Race

Yesterday’s sudden downpour ended the FRD LMP3 Opening Race prematurely. But it was enough to let the spectators get a good idea of prototype racing, especially about driver changes and driver change time requirements. These rules add more spectacle to the race.

Today (2 July 2017 Sunday) at 13:20, FRD LMP3 main race is on. This is the absolute highlight of the race weekend. Today’s race is longer and the two drivers of each car must complete the 1 hour race distance.

According to the race regulations, there is some change to today’s grid, Craft Bamboo #95 is on pole position, starting driver is Mathias Beche; next is S&D Motorsport #33 with Ma Qing-Hua as its starting driver, third on the grid is KCMG #18 with Josh Burdon in the driving seat.

The race uses a rolling start, after the formation lap the race official begins. #33 cuts to the inside right at the start but it oversteers and hits #1. As #1 drives around #33, its right rear wheel is cut and it has to change the damaged tyre.

Race leader #95 keeps extending its lead, by lap 5 it is 3.8 seconds ahead of #18. By lap 10, S&D Motorsport #33, driven by Ma Qing-Hua, is up to 9th place. But #91 in front of him is defending well, affording no chance for Ma Qing-Hua to overtake.

As the race progresses, the race cars are more spread out, although their lap times are very competitive against each other. The fastest laps for 10 out of 11 cars are set within 0.5 second. The competition standard is clearly very high.
 
At the 25 minutes mark, the driver change window is open. #95 enters the pit lane on lap 21 and Australian driver James Winslow climbs in to complete the race. #91 and #33 follow. The order on track now is #18, #3 and #20. Other race cars also begin to make driver changes and the order is changed again. On lap 28, #18 continues to lead with #20 in second place. #95 is very close behind, it soon attacks and overtakes it for second.

In the last 10 minutes, #95 begins to pressure #18. #18 misses its braking point at T13 and is overtaken by #95. Once back in the lead, #95 begins to break away. With 3 minutes to go, #95 is already 8 seconds ahead and the result is more or less set.

At the end of the race, #95 Craft Bamboo takes the chequered flag and wins the race. KCMG Racing #18 finishes second while Eurasia #3 completes the podium.

After the race, Mathias Beche said he had some problems in the opening race yesterday, but fortunately there was not much damage on the car. Today in the main race the grip level is lower, but he tried hard to adapt, the team and his teammate performed very well and he was very happy to win.

Martin Cao, winner of the opening race yesterday, said he had communication problems with the team in today’s race, so he wasn’t sure of his race position. Later the communication problem was resolved and he fought hard, he is satisfied with the result.