Bamber and Hamdan on pole for Shanghai championship showdown
Shanghai. LKM Racing’s Earl Bamber, points leader and defending champion, was the fastest man on track during qualifying for the final rounds of the 2014 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season at the Sports Car Champions Festival at the Shanghai International Circuit. The single point Bamber collected for topping the times sheets also removed two of his three title rivals - Alexandre Imperatori of PICC Team StarChase and Budweiser Team Absolute Racing’s Tung Ho-Pin of China – from championship contention, setting the stage for a final showdown with Team Porsche Holding’s Martin Ragginger this weekend.
Imperatori will start Round 11 alongside Bamber, while Ragginger and Team Jebsen’s Rodolfo Avila make up the second row of the grid. For Round 12, Bamber is once again on pole, having set the quickest and second fastest times in the single qualifying session, with Ragginger alongside. Imperatori and Avila make up the second row.
Bamber’s protégé Alif Hamdan of Nexus Racing was the fastest Class B driver on track, taking category pole position for both races and running in 5th overall for much of the session, before being dropped down the order to seventh by late charges from guest driver Carlo Van Dam of The Netherlands, making his series debut this weekend, and Zheng Tong Auto’s Zhang Da Sheng.
Hamdan’s disappointment at dropping down the overall order was tempered by the knowledge that he had put several cars between himself and his rivals in the race for Class B honours. OpenRoad Racing’s Francis Tjia, second on the leaderboard and now four points adrift, was second fastest in the session and 12th overall.
Dorr Havelock Racing’s Yuey Tan of Singapore, third in the standings, was fourth fastest in Class B behind Modena Motorsport’s Wayne Shen of Hong Kong, meaning he and Tjia have an epic battle ahead to keep Hamdan from claiming the title.
Said Bamber, who also leads the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup in what has been a phenomenal season for him: “It was a really good session. There were a few yellow flags, but it’s great to be on pole. I’m not nervous [about the championship], but just looking to put on a good show. It’ll be the same goal as usual, to finish in the best position and the best position is always first!”
Although he has it all to do in Round 11 if he’s to take the championship battle down to the wire, Ragginger was upbeat, despite not taking pole position: “I made a mistake on my first set of tyres, then on the second set a marshal’s umbrella blew across the track and spoiled my lap! The championship is out of my control now, and the aim this weekend is to be on the podium twice.”
Hamdan was another driver mindful not to get ahead of himself before the race: “It’s always slippery here in Shanghai, so it’s quite hard to get traction. We made some changes to the car this morning, just to refine the set up. I’m a bit disappointed to have dropped down the order at the very end of the session, but I mustn’t be too greedy. As they say, to finish first, you must first finish!”
With two championships at stake, the tension in the paddock was palpable as the 28-strong field prepared to take to the race track for the penultimate time in 2014.
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia – Rounds 11 & 12 Qualifying
Round 11 Qualifying
Pos | No | Driver/Nationality | Class | Entrant/Nationality | Times |
1 | 1 | Earl BAMBER (NZL) |
| LKM Racing (MAS) | 1:49.293 |
2 | 99 | Alexandre IMPERATORI (HKG) |
| PICC Team StarChase (CHN) | +0.217 |
3 | 86 | Martin RAGGINGER (AUT) |
| Team Porsche Holding (CHN) | +0.347 |
4 | 20 | Rodolfo AVILA (MAC) |
| Team Jebsen (HKG) | +0.850 |
5 | 55 | ZHANG Da Sheng (CHN) |
| Zheng Tong Auto (CHN) | +1.100 |
6 | 77 | *Carlo VAN DAM (HKG) | B | Tiger Racing Team (HKG) | +1.403 |
7 | 72 | Alif HAMDAN (MAS) | B | Nexus Racing (MAS) | +1.513 |
8 | 8 | Ro.C. Skyangel (SIN) |
| Team Yongda Dongfang (CHN) | +1.703 |
9 | 58 | TUNG Ho-Pin (CHN) |
| Budweiser Team Absolute Racing (HKG) | +1.721 |
10 | 66 | Jason ZHANG Zhi Qiang (CHN) |
| Team C&D (CHN) | +1.759 |
11 | 88 | Egidio PERFETTI (SIN) |
| Mentos Racing (SIN) | +1.834 |
12 | 21 | Francis TJIA (HKG) | B | OpenRoad Racing (HKG) | +2.154 |
13 | 7 | BAO Jin Long (CHN) |
| Team Synsanly (CHN) | +2.207 |
14 | 18 | ZHANG Zhen Dong (CHN) |
| Team Basetex (CHN) | +2.415 |
15 | 16 | Wayne SHEN (HKG) | B | Modena Motorsports (HKG) | +2.636 |
16 | 11 | Ringo CHONG (SIN) |
| Team Kangshun (CHN) | +2.667 |
17 | 9 | LI Chao (CHN) |
| Team Betterlife (CHN) | +2.697 |
18 | 5 | Yuey TAN (SIN) | B | Dorr Havelock Racing (SIN) | +2.730 |
19 | 98 | Henri RICHARD (USA) | B | Silicon Tech Racing LLP (USA) | +3.289 |
20 | 3 | Michael S. (INA) | B | OpenRoad Racing (HKG) | +3.491 |
21 | 12 | MOK Weng Sun (SIN) | B | Clearwater Racing (SIN) | +3.527 |
22 | 33 | Samson CHAN (HKG) | B | Samson CHAN (HKG) | +3.897 |
23 | 51 | Johnson HUANG (TPE) | B | Team BC Racing Team (TPE) | +4.110 |
24 | 28 | John SHEN (HKG) | B | Modena Motorsports (HKG) | +4.326 |
25 | 22 | SIU Yuk Lung (HKG) | B | LKM Racing (MAS) | +5.993 |
26 | 68 | MAK Hing Tak (HKG) | B | Kamlung Racing (MAS) | +6.464 |
27 | 2 | *Kelvin KWAN (HKG) | B | Kamlung Racing (MAS) | +7.957 |
28 | 6 | *Max WONG (HKG) | B | Kamlung Racing (HKG) | +13.724 |
*Non series registered
Round 12 Qualifying
Pos | No | Driver/Nationality | Class | Entrant/Nationality | Times |
1 | 1 | Earl BAMBER (NZL) |
| LKM Racing (MAS) | 1:49.315 |
2 | 86 | Martin RAGGINGER (AUT) |
| Team Porsche Holding (CHN) | 1:49.688 |
3 | 99 | Alexandre IMPERATORI (HKG) |
| PICC Team StarChase (CHN) | 1:49.795 |
4 | 20 | Rodolfo AVILA (MAC) |
| Team Jebsen (HKG) | 1:50.285 |
5 | 77 | *Carlo VAN DAM (HKG) | B | Tiger Racing Team (HKG) | 1:50.774 |
6 | 55 | ZHANG Da Sheng (CHN) |
| Zheng Tong Auto (CHN) | 1:50.905 |
7 | 72 | Alif HAMDAN (MAS) | B | Nexus Racing (MAS) | 1:50.967 |
8 | 58 | TUNG Ho-Pin (CHN) |
| Budweiser Team Absolute Racing (HKG) | 1:51.032 |
9 | 66 | Jason ZHANG Zhi Qiang (CHN) |
| Team C&D (CHN) | 1:51.169 |
10 | 8 | Ro.C. Skyangel (SIN) |
| Team Yongda Dongfang (CHN) | 1:51.273 |
11 | 88 | Egidio PERFETTI (SIN) |
| Mentos Racing (SIN) | 1:51.280 |
12 | 7 | BAO Jin Long (CHN) |
| Team Synsanly (CHN) | 1:51.796 |
13 | 18 | ZHANG Zhen Dong (CHN) |
| Team Basetex (CHN) | 1:51.922 |
14 | 21 | Francis TJIA (HKG) | B | OpenRoad Racing (HKG) | 1:52.023 |
15 | 9 | LI Chao (CHN) |
| Team Betterlife (CHN) | 1:52.038 |
16 | 5 | Yuey TAN (SIN) | B | Dorr Havelock Racing (SIN) | 1:52.098 |
17 | 11 | Ringo CHONG (SIN) |
| Team Kangshun (CHN) | 1:52.288 |
18 | 16 | Wayne SHEN (HKG) | B | Modena Motorsports (HKG) | 1:52.380 |
19 | 98 | Henri RICHARD (USA) | B | Silicon Tech Racing LLP (USA) | 1:52.834 |
20 | 12 | MOK Weng Sun (SIN) | B | Clearwater Racing (SIN) | 1:53.533 |
21 | 51 | Johnson HUANG (TPE) | B | Team BC Racing Team (TPE) | 1:53.636 |
22 | 3 | Michael S. (INA) | B | OpenRoad Racing (HKG) | 1:53.786 |
23 | 28 | John SHEN (HKG) | B | Modena Motorsports (HKG) | 1:53.996 |
24 | 33 | Samson CHAN (HKG) | B | Samson CHAN (HKG) | 1:54.111 |
25 | 22 | SIU Yuk Lung (HKG) | B | LKM Racing (MAS) | 1:55.441 |
26 | 68 | MAK Hing Tak (HKG) | B | Kamlung Racing (MAS) | 1:55.885 |
27 | 2 | *Kelvin KWAN (HKG) | B | Kamlung Racing (MAS) | 1:57.286 |
28 | 6 | *Max WONG (HKG) | B | Kamlung Racing (HKG) | 2:04.061 |
*Non series registered
Overall Provisional Points after Rounds 11 & 12 Qualifying (top 5)
Pos | Comp No | Driver | Entrant | Points |
1 | 1 | Earl Bamber | LKM Racing | 159 |
2 | 86 | Martin Ragginger | Team Porsche Holding | 137 |
3 | 99 | Alexandre Imperatori | PICC Team StarChase | 118 |
58 | Tung Ho-Pin | Budweiser Team Absolute Racing | 118 | |
5 | 20 | Rodolfo Avila | Team Jebsen | 114 |
6 | 55 | Zhang Da Sheng | Zheng Tong Auto | 82 |
Class B
Pos | Comp No | Driver | Entrant | Points |
1 | 72 | Alif Hamdan | Nexus Racing | 152 |
2 | 21 | Francis Tjia | OpenRoad Racing | 148 |
3 | 5 | Yuey Tan | Dorr Havelock Racing | 146 |
4 | 16 | Wayne Shen | Modena Motorsport | 96 |
5 | 98 | Henri Richard | Silicon Tech Racing LLP | 84 |
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