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Bamber and Hamdan on pole for Shanghai championship showdown

18.10.14
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia – Rounds 11 & 12 Qualifying

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