(Shanghai, China - September 3, 2005) A few weeks ago in Zhuhai, Hanss Lin from Champ Motorsports won both races while Red Bull Junior Driver Jim Kato from the Shangsai FRD Team followed Lin twice to 2nd, and also got the Pole Position.Continuing the trend, Lin won again for Round 9 of the Asian Formula Renault Challenge while Kato took 2nd.This time how ever, it was Lin that took the Pole and Kato 2nd off the grid.Finishing 3rd, but first time on the Podium was Shanghai resident Michael Ting for the Asia Racing Team.
This morning the rain came down for the 2nd practice session.All drivers chose to go out on rain tires, but by the end of the session, the track was almost dry.For qualifying however, the track was totally dry.By evening time, the clouds came in again and it started to drizzle as the cars left the pits for the grid.Luckily the storm clouds passed over quickly, and nothing more than just a few droplets ever fell.
There weren’t any big surprises for qualifying, as the times were quite similar to the practice times.Hanss Lin was on top by almost a second over Jim Kato.Takuya Nishitani from the Person’s Racing Team FRD + Winds took 3rd just a few hundredths off of Kato.The next three was Michael Ting, Yoshihisa Namekata from the Person’s Racing Team FRD + Winds and Yang Liu from the Huawin Racing Team.
At the start of the race, Nishitani got of the line very quickly to almost pass both Hanss Lin and Jim Kato into Turn 1.In fact, he was so quick off the line; it almost looked like he jumped the gun!As he got in between Lin and Kato through Turn 1, Kato came out in front, then Nishitani and then Lin.
Kato kept the lead for the first few laps, keeping Lin and Nishitani close behind.Around Lap 4 it was Lin that came across the finish line first, only to get attacked by Nishitani entering Turn 1 while Kato fell back to third.Lin defended his position well, and kept the lead till the end of the race.Later on during that same lap Nishitani dropped back but was still able to salvage 5th.
Some of the most exciting action came further down the pack in places 7th to 9th.Drivers Jeffery Lee of Champ Motorsports, David Louie of DTM Motorsports and Mark Williamson from Shangsai FRD Team repeatedly drove down the main straight and into Turn 1 three wide!It seemed like almost every lap one of these drivers was getting sandwiched by the other two entering Turn 1.Surprisingly there was never any contact and everyone came back to the garages with smiles on their faces.
Liu Yang held on to 3rd place for quite some time till Michael Ting passed him half way through the race.At the end it was Hanss Lin, Jim Kato and Michael Ting on the Podium.Visiting the podium for his very first time, Ting celebrated with his team as if he was king of the world!The Person’s Racing Team FRD + Winds took 4th and 5th with Namekata and Nishitani.Henry Lee Jr. brought home 6th place for the Shangsai FRD Team.
Next race will be tomorrow, September 4, 2005.And do not forget, not only will there be a race for the Formula Campus and Formula Renault, but there will also be the Jackie Chan Charity Cup.This race is a must see for the audience as there will be 20 female Celebrities driving, and 20 Formula Renault drivers holding on to their dear lives in the passenger seat.If it is not a mixture for disaster, it will surely be one for excitement!This is all thanks to FRD Motorsports, the Asian Motorsports Pioneer.
By Vinay Basavaraja
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