Taking into account two qualifying sessions and the gap 50-minute nation, it was Clearwater Racing who had the widest smiles by the stop of the third sphere-shaped of the 2014 GT Asia Series, with past champion Mok Weng Sun and co-driver Keita Sawa established on the challenging Autopolis trail.
In front of an almost bursting main pure grandstand, the gap GT Asia Series nation finally got underway taking into account its third attempt at a launch, officials afraid as regards how far the 27-car grid was smear in a daze as the leaders hit the launch line, preferring instead to bunch the field up and about and send them around again.. and then again..
On the third attempt Lyons slowed the field down so much, that it ultimately fee him the lead, Craig Baird in the Clearwater Racing Ferrari pulling alongside the Aston on the run into fork one, with Rui Aguas departure around the outside, the two Ferraris dropping the pole-sitter back to third on the run through to fork two.
97 Craft-Bamboo Racing Aston Martin Vantage: Richard Lyons, Frank Yu
Photo by: Craft Racing Behind them pandemonium ensued as the Nissan GT-R of Tetsuya Tanaka moved crossways into the braking zone, pure into the path of Hiroki Yoshimoto, forcing him into the side of his associate- - the luckless Alex Yoong. They answer its the gentleman drivers you have to watch over in a daze for at this level, when in fact its the professional drivers who are trying to prove a point that are the problem, Yoong lamented taking into account being strained into retirement with had it suspension for the second sphere-shaped in succession. He wasnt the simply wounded person of the gap lap fracas, Takashi Hata was strained varied on the exit of the concluding fork and into the gravel shut in near pit door, beaching the Porsche GT3-R with spoil to the rear of the car. Five laps later his associate, Fukujirou was as well in a daze, spinning his Porsche 997 Cup car into the fork one gravel shut in, ending what had been a good run to that point for the two Team KRM Porsches.
Up and about front the leaders started rotary laps in the low to normal 49s as they pulled left from the field ahead of the compulsory pit stops, other than just ahead of the pit break period gap, the field was brought less than Shelter Car situation for the stranded Joel Camathias who had rolled to a break on the edge of the trail with power-steering failure.
I just couldnt fork the car, the tall Swiss driver admitted afterwards. Tragically for the Team NB Aston, the puddle of fluid less than the car recommended the team would have a few exertion ahead of them previous to lining up and about for sphere-shaped four.
Amazingly for the top Aston team - that of Richard Lyons, lap ten would as well prove a game-changer for them taking into account Lyons - who was mounting an assault on an not at your best Aguas for second - suddenly slowed to walking pace. Lyons was hastily back up and about to speed, other than had dropped down to ninth taking into account he reset the cars systems.
For a few persuade it had jammed in gear, so the whole I could do was fork it the whole off, reboot it, and left we went again, he explained afterwards.
Lyons delay had as well provided Rui Aguas with a few breathing space, somewhat the Portugese driver had been searching for taking into account battling with contact from the gap lap taking into account an incident with one of the Aston Martins strained the rear diffuser to stretch apart and launch chafing on the right rear tyre.
Fortunately he was able to get to his intended pit period to have the team effect repairs during their compulsory break previous to handing the car to Muzayyin.
The big winner during the pit break sequences was Keita Sawa who handed the car crossways to Mok Weng Sun - the past nation winner and dual series champion left the lowest point instantaneously in front of Hiroshi Hamaguchi in the car hed mutual with Weng Sun during 2013.
The two drivers battled for the lead almost instantaneously, Hamaguchi clearly carrying extra pace and pushing hard to find a way past the Clearwater Racing team boss. He admitted afterwards that the pace of the Ferrari was so good that his options to effect a wash pass were limited, so he tried a run alongside the Ferrari less than braking into fork one. Hamaguchi stayed in a daze varied as Weng Sun restrict crossways to the head, with the Japanese driver looking to undercut him on the overlap, other than in a daze on the marbles towards the surface edge of the trail, the McLaren driver spun whilst attacking for the lead.
Fortunately he was able to rejoin the field taking into account forceful steadily through the gravel shut in that had already claimed the Team KRM Porsche, and continue.
Behind the battle for the top podium positions, the Ferrari of battle points leaders Davide Rizzo and Anthony Liu had crept back into contention, and three laps from home they were looking good to get to a podium finale when Liu was full off the trail at fork six taking into account an apparent error from K.S. Wang in the Taiwan Top Speed Racing Ferrari 458 Challenge. The GTM class contender spun into the side of Liu whilst trying to give out him span to pass, forcing both cars off, and forcing pastime over for the 37 Attitude of Nation Ferrari.
Sadly for their team-mates, Rui Aguas and Nasrat Muzayyin, they too were strained into retirement on the concluding lap, taking into account Nasrat came into contact with one of the Audis, forcing them to retire previous to the flag.
Another wounded person was impressive young Australian Nathan Antunes. Taking into account picking up and about a solid advantage during Dilantha Malagamuwas pit break less than Shelter Car situation, Antunes was clearly the quickest car on the trail and hauling in the leaders from the tail stop of the top ten, other than just three laps taking into account the Shelter Car pulled off the trail, so too did he..
The car was fantastic, other than three laps in I had warning lights surface on the dash, and then a make signs for low oil pressure, so I came pure in, Antunes explained. Because it wasnt clear there was an issue externally, we retired the car, other than expand inspection has revealed an inside failure, so the boys choice have an overnight change ahead of them, other than theres a emergency there, so we be supposed to be good to go again tomorrow, and this time from the front rumpus
In the stop all the same despite the relatively high attrition rate, nothing could break the Clearwater Racing team attractive another Autopolis victory..
I didnt have a great launch and was in a daze of position into fork one, Sawa explained. Taking into account that I suffered from a a small amount bit of oversteer, so really had to just clutch my knock down. We were fourth taking into account the Shelter Car reopen, other than behind a slower GTM car who was pulling into the lowest point, other than by then the lead trio had pulled left.
I knew that today we were in a position to get to the podium, so I just tried to close the gap to the cars in front ahead of the pit break to give out Weng Sun the car in the most excellent position achievable.
Its great to be back on the podium, other than I certainly didnt predict P1, Weng Sun added. We knew we had a fighting chance for the podium, so long as we kept a wash nation. We got a a small amount bit lucky, our team-mates with the McLaren had a success penalty added to their break time as a result of their podium in Korea which allowed us to stretch in a daze ahead of them.
My goal was to stay ahead of Hiroshi, and he gave me reasonably a good battle for a come to of laps. We were side-by-side into fork one at one stage, and he got against the marbles and gave me the get out for the take it easy of the nation.
We started pole position, so at the launch of the nation we were hoping for the win, Richard Lyons explained on the podium. We had a a small amount bit of wayward luck, the engine stopped - we werent really for sure what the problem was, other than looking at the data it looks like it got having difficulties in gear, so I had to fork the engine off and reset, and by the time Id prepared that, everybody was passing me. So we were unlucky, other than then we got a few luck with the Shelter Car and that allowed us to close up and about and give out Frank an opportunity to bring us home in second.
For me - happy at the stop, other than frustrated in the middle, other than its okay, we have another chance to do it again tomorrow.
In the GTM class a great battle was brewing between 2013 title contenders Francis Tjia and Wayne Shen. The Porsche pair had been powerless to get to the gap event in Korea, other than were hastily into the thick of things during the first nation at Autopolis. In the stop it was Tjia who impressed for the most part, moving from 19th the whole the way through to seventh outright and first in class.
Its a good way to launch off the season for me, Tjia admitted. Unfortunately I missed Korea due to the schedule change, so I came here with a lot of enthusiasm to comprehend back into the car. Taking into account qualifying I was a a small amount bit disappointed because it didnt peep like we could stay with the quickest cars, other than in the nation it the whole turned in a daze pretty well.
I had a good launch, other than I was cautious, and then felt that I possibly will have dived into the lowest point too soon with the Shelter Car, other than it turned in a daze well. I am flabbergasted too to be seventh, other than I could get that folks were starting to comprehend tired, and as well it appeared that a few of the GT3 cars were starting to struggle on their tyres, other than I had a very easy first time following Wayne Shen. I didnt yearn for to assail him too much and wear my tyres, so I just waited and my tyres stayed strong and we came through for the win.
Second overall was Jacky Yeung and Macaus Keith Vong, the Audi R8 duo working their way through to a strong second categorize in class and tenth outright, whilst the runners-up in Korea, George Chou and Thomas Fjordbach claimed third.
Unfortunately for local star Takuma Aoki and new associate- Ryu Ohtsuka, an additional balance-of-performance ballast for their Lamborghini Gallardo LP560 had an impact on their outright pace, and Aoki admitted it made a difference.
It was additional challenging to drive and I could certainly caress the additional weight, he said. Its okay, we have another chance tomorrow, other than I dont think it choice be easy.
Taking into account the high level of attrition in the gap nation at Autopolis, a few teams have a long nighttime ahead of them to be ready for nation two - the fourth sphere-shaped of the 2014 GT Asia Series which gets less than way at 10:30am (JST).
Lyons prevails in qualifying for Sphere-shaped 3
As he had prepared on both Thursday and Friday, Craft-Bamboo Racings Richard Lyons held the top recognize taking into account qualifying for sphere-shaped three, the British GT star falling just short of his predicted 1:47.5 lap, other than not by much. A come to of drivers fought over the other recognize on the front of the rolling-start grid, in the stop Ferrari veteran Rui Aguas fell just 17 one-hundredths short of Lyons for second, with Craig Baird top a trio of Clearwater Racing cars to be third. In the stop just six one hundredths of a second separated the three Clearwater cars
Team-boss Arjunen Kulasegaram explained that as a result of how close his three cars had competent, that hed warned his driver as regards etiquette prior to the launch of sphere-shaped three. I recommended that if in the least of the chrome cars came back with cherry on them, or the cherry car with chrome, that theyd better keep forceful to the airport, because otherwise there would be trouble
Carlo Front Dam up leave the second Craft-Bamboo Racing Aston on P6 ahead of the Japanese Nissan GT-R and Hiroki Yoshimoto in the first Absolute Racing Audi R8. Battle points leader Davide Rizzo was first in a daze of pit lane, and first to record a momentary lap, other than as he had predicted, it was Lyons on his first flying lap that set the pace, very little cars from that point on improved, with countless returning to pit lane to carry on tyres for the gap nation.
GT3 cars packed the first 15 grid places, ahead of the top GTM class car of past Autopolis GTM class winner Jacky Yeung who managed to excel- reigning champion Wayne Shen by just a quarter of a second, with Korea podium place-getter Thomas Fjordback third in the top Taiwan Top Speed Racing Ferrari 458 Challenge.
Points leader claims pole for Sphere-shaped 4
GT Asia Series battle points leader Anthony Liu emerged as the fastest driver in the second 15-minute qualifying session, the Ferrari 458 driver attractive the top recognize in the last stages taking into account series debutante Nathan Antunes leave the Dilango Racing Lamborghini FL2 to the top on the simply lap the team scheduled to wide-ranging.
We did a few pretty serious engineering exertion on the car overnight based on the data wed gained during Thursday and Fridays sessions, Antunes explained. Dilantha did a great job in his qualifier, and I knew that we really simply had one shot on the tyres in my session, so thats the whole wed intended to do. It looked good there for a time, other than in the stop, Anthony came through with a better time, other than its still a front rumpus launch for nation two
I got baulked on my first flying lap, and from there I knew my chance to launch off pole was the whole other than gone, Lui said post-session. We didnt yearn for to fit a second set of tyres, other than we sought after the position, so I came back in a daze in the last stages and leave together a lap that was good enough for pole.
Frank Yu held down second early in the session, and like Antunes, elected to wide-ranging just a join of laps to conserve tyres for the nation, other than as a result, a few late lunges by Hiroshi Hamaguchi, Mok Weng Sun, Kane Jiang and young associate- Tanart Sathienthirakul dropped him down to P7.
Christian Chia was the big mover in Q2, finding additional than three seconds between sessions to take pole for the GTM class, the Audi driver setting the eleventh fastest lap time, in the process out-qualifying the thundering Nissan GT-R
Second in GTM was Ryu Ohtsuka in the Dilango Lamborghini he was sharing with Takuma, with Taiwan Top Speed Racing team boss George Chou third.
