Asia Racing Team’s Sandy Stuvik becomes the one to beat
Asia Racing Team’s Sandy Stuvik extended his AFR Championship lead with two second places finishes on a raceweekend that featured sunshine, rain, wind and plenty of action at the Chengdu International Circuit. With twopodiums during His first visit to the “City of Hibiscus”, the Thai rookie is looking like the man to beat.History said that Asia Racing Team monopolizes pole-position at Chengdu, but this year it didn’t happen.Nevertheless Stuvik impressed with a second on his first qualifying attempt in the bumpy Sichuan Provincepermanent track. The young Thai reckoned he should have been closer but was prepared to admit that pole-positiontime was out of range. After a thorny Free-Practice on Thursday and Friday, country fellow Tin Sritrai got over it andmanaged to get the fourth spot in the grid. Further back, “Naomi” Zhang Ran was just tenth as baffled by her lack ofpace.
Race 1 saw Stuvik playing for the championship, and securing a significant second place. Bearing in mind that thepoleman and upcoming Race 1 winner was a guest driver, the 15 years old Thai didn’t take any risk to fight for thefirst position. His pace was enough to leave the third placed far away from his tail. Sritrai had a much more eventfulrace. A bad start almost cost him a position but a quick bounce back and a good defensive maneuver in the lastcorner were rewarded with a fourth. Following the team instructions Zhang Ran made it to the checkered flag tofinish her first ever single seaters race. The local female star Zhang Ran was ninth for a while but lost the spot in thelast lap when her opponent took advantage of the blue flags right before the “Esses” to overtake the first femaledriver of the Macau’s Zhuhai based team.
On Sunday Stuvik repeated the second place with another strong performance, but not wanting to take anyunnecessary risks on such a tough track, comfortably finished the race in the podium, happy to scoop vital points toretain a sufficient points margin to lead the championship. Unable to maintain his position at the start of Race 2,Sritrai dropped back to sixth. The AKOC champion would get back one of the lost positions until the to finish fifth. Onthe other hand, “Naomi” endured another inauspicious race, making a good start and a strong first lap only to betorpedoed by an overambitious late brake in the chicane.
Asia Racing Team is currently leading both the drivers’ and teams’ championships and has four podiums. The nextrace of AFR Championship will take place on the Shanghai circuit in China from 13 to 15 of August.#3 Tin Sritrai (THA):Qualifying: 4th / Race 1: 4th / Race 2: 5th”Having in mind that I had no previous experience of the circuit, I was pleased with the way I qualified and with mydrive in yesterday's race. I had problems in both races with the start and first corner . In Race 2 I lost two positionsat the start and was really diifficult for me to catch up the drivers in front. The lessons learned in Chengdu will beuseful in the future and I can approach the Shanghai race with confidence.”
#5 Zhang Ran (CN):Qualifying: 10th / Race 1: 10th / Race 2: DNF“It was my first race in single seaters, and Chengdu track is phisically very demanding. I know where in the track Iwas loosing time and we know what are my weak points at the moment. It was a shame what happened in Race 2. Iwas quicker than the French driver. I tried to overtake him in the chicane but I blocked the wheels and finished in thegravel.”
#15 Sandy Stuvik (THA):Qualifying: 2nd / Race 1: 2nd / Race 2: 2nd“Overall I am happy with my performance this weekend. When you go for the championship, you have to be able notto take unnecessary risks. Race leader Cao was slightly quicker than me this weekend. I did two OK starts and tried tofollow him and maintain my position. I avoid any mistake and I got two important second places. I am very excitedabout the next race in Shanghai F1 track. I aim for wins but the championship comes first. ”Press - Release
