30 Mar 2015 Pan Delta Circuit Hero One Race 1: A new ear has begun

With a more tidy classification and more competitive race machines, Circuit Hero One now appears more professional than before. A good race looks to be on the cards.

At 3pm on 21 March, Circuit Hero One race 1 is set to commence. In the open class, there are GT cars like Mercedes Benz SLS, Audi R8 and Lamborghini Gallardo; in class B, there is the eternal battle between Mistubishi Evo and Subaru STi; in class F there are 3 BMW M3s fighting an internal battle, plus the 5 TTXs in class D. These class battles are very competitive and will keep everyone interested.

The Open class machines are undoubtedly the fastest class in Circuit Hero One. The Mercedes Benz SLS manages a 1:37.299. That's almost as fast as a Formula Renault 2.0 which managed 1:36.618 just a few minutes ago. Second on the grid is the Audi R8 of Huang Xi-Zhan, his lap time is 1:39.243. Third is the Lamborghini Gallardo of Mark Chung, who did a 1:39.894.

At the start, all 26 cars get away well, the Mercedes SLS makes a good start but not as good as the Audi R8 or the Caterham of Bill O Brien. The Audi R8 is in the lead with the Caterham behind it, but the Mercedes SLS soon recovers and zoom past the Caterham and immediately puts pressure on the Audi. At turn 9 the Mercedes SLS cannot wait any longer and goes past the Audi for the lead. The move slows the Audi enough to allow the Lamborghini Gallardo to get close.

After two laps, the Mercedes SLS leads the way with the Audi and Lamborghini following. The cars behind them run relatively closer together. In class B, the Mitsubishi Evo, Subaru STi and the trio of BMW M3s race competitvely against each other.

On lap 5, the Mercedes SLS is already lapping backmarkers, while #25 Lamborghini is 7 seconds behind. But the battle for second is developing into an exciting fight. After the Audi R8 re-pass the Lamborghini, it loses second place again on lap 5 when it is outbraked by the Lambo. On the main straight on lap 6, the two cars go for it side-by-side, until they come up against a slower car. There one car go one way and the other go the other way pass the backmarker and then try to outbrake each other for turn 1. The Lambo just manages to squeeze by on the outside line.

At turn 4, both cars encounter backmarkers. Lambo passes one of them but on the second one it seems to have caught the backmarkers unawares and the two have a coming together. Both the Lamborghini and the backmarker retire from the race on the spot, while the Audi R8 gets away from this mayhem unscathed and now safely into second place.

Now without the Lambo to harass it, the Audi R8 begins to push hard and it soon gets to the rear end of the Mercedes SLS. By now the 15 laps race is down to the final 5 laps. If the SLS cannot speed up, then the battle for the lead is on. There are many backmarkers and both cars progress are hindered. It is very testing on the drivers skills in this situation.

On the last lap, the Audi's bumper is almost hitting the Mercedes tail. But he still cannot find a way past. Finally, #12 Guo Guo-Xin takes his first victory here at Pan Delta in his Mercedes SLS. #75 Huang Xi-Zhan finishes second in the Audi R8 and #12 Jon Flinn takes third place overall in his Radicasl SR1.