21 Jun 2013 Circuit Hero One Race 1: Mitsubishi Evo vs Mercedes C63

After the excitement of the ZIC Superbikes, it is the turn of Circuit Hero One, a category for modified touring cars and GT cars. As their machinery are better prepared for racing, Circuit Hero One competitors are afforded two races over the race weekend, one on Saturday and one on Sunday morning, giving the drivers more opportunity to gain experience and the fans more exciting races to watch.

The Mercedes C63 dominated the two races in the Spring Race. Being an imported GT machine, it is a thoroughbred racing car, capable of at least lapping 2 seconds faster than the majority of participants. But for this race, champion Sun Tit-Fan is back with his monstrous Mitsubishi Evo, that has dominated this race last year. The first head to head for these two machines is a mouth-watering prospect.

The Mercedes C63 driven by Mario Ferraris set the fastest lap time in qualifying and will start from pole position. Sun Tit-Fan will start in second place. Although the rain has stopped, the track is still not fully dry. In addition, the oil on the main straight due to the superbike accident has resulted in a lot of sawdust being laid. Drivers must be extra careful when they reach this point.

At the start, the Mercedes C63 does not get away well and is overtaken by the Mitsubishi of Sun Tit-Fan. Further down the grid there are problems and one of the Subarus hit the side wall and another car goes on the grass. The race officials sends out the safety car to temporarily halt the race so the stricken cars can be removed from the track. It seems one of the race cars spun on the sawdust and caused the accidents.

The new Audi S7 safety car leads the field around, the slick body of the car do not look out of place even compared with the race machines behind it.

On lap 7, the safety car returns to the pits and the race begins once again. Sun Tit-Fan makes a quick getaway to try to protect his lead position. But Mario Ferraris is able to keep up and the two cars are nose to tail most of the way around the lap. The Mercedes C63 used its speed advantage out of the last corner to outbrake the Mitsubishi into turn 1. Sun Tit-Fan, unaccustomed to running second, tries hard to get his lead back and the two cars continue to run nose-to-tail for the rest of the lap. Although Sun's Mitsubishi is more powerful, Ferraris' Merc is lighter and can put its power down earlier, allowing it to maintain its lead.

On the last lap, the leading duo has already encounted backmarkers, Mario tries to use them to gain some breathing space, but Sun is an expert on overtaking backmarkers and keeps up. At turn 12, Sun Tit-Fan pulls alongside Mario Ferraris but he does not have the racing line for the final corner. In the end Mario Ferraris takes the chequered flag ahead of Sun Tit-Fan. But because of an infringement, Mario Ferraris has 30 seconds added to his race time and he is demoted to second place overall but still the winner of GT class. Zhu Xiao-Dong, driving a BMW M3, takes third place overall and second place in GT class.