At Ningbo, Zhang Zhen Dong retains TCR China points lead
The TCR China event at Ningbo was due to be in favour of the Lynk & Co cars that were racing on the brand’s own racetrack. In fact, the Teamwork Motorsport-run cars dominated the Qualifying and Race 1 in which David Zhu Dai Wei led a 1-2-3 ahead of Jason Zhang Zhi Qiang and Sunny Wong Yat Shing. Jason Zhang was also the first to take the chequered flag in Race 2 after a thrilling battle with Zhang Zhen Dong, but a penalty for track limits demoted him to third, handing the victory to the Hyundai driver, the third for him in four races.
Zhang Zhen Dong has retained the lead in the standings, eleven points clear of David Zhu, while Jason Zhang lies third, 27 points adrift.
Race 1 – The Lynk & Co cars had dominated qualifying filling the first five spots of the grid with David Zhu on pole and Sunny Wong alongside him, while points leader Zhang Zheng Dong sat on P6. Zhu led at the start from teammates Jason Zhang and Wong, while the private Lyn & Co of Richard Li Guang Hua that was fifth on the grid was punted into a spin.
Zhang Zhen Dong passed Paul Poon Tak Chun for P4 and Wong for P3; he then closed in on Jason Zhang and after a couple of laps behind the safety car overtook him in lap 9. Jason Zhang struck back and retook the position a couple of corners later. Zhang Zhen Dong lost momentum and settled for third, while Zhu cruised to a comfortable win.
Race 2 – Zhou Yun Jie was on pole with Huang Yin alongside; Zhou made a good start but during the first lap he was passed by Zhang Zhen Dong and Jason Zhang who had started from P5 and P8; then Wu Yi Fan and David Zhu also overtook Zhou moving up to third and fourth. The safety car was deployed in lap 2 to recover Liu Hong Zhi’s Elantra following a collision with Sunny Wong who pitted and retired. Racing resumed in lap 4, with Zhu passing Wu for P3; however, Zhou Yun Jie who had dropped to seventh crashed in lap 5 and despite he was able to rejoin the safety car was sent on the track again for just one lap.
During the following eight laps, Zhang Zhen Dong offered a stubborn defence to Jason Zhang’s assaults until the latter found a gap and took the lead in lap 14, leaving his rival falling under pressure from David Zhu. Jason Zhang took the chequered flag three seconds before Zhang Zhen Dong who kept Zhu at bay. However, Jason Zhang was demoted to third by a five-second penalty for repeated track limit infringements and Zhang Zhen Dong inherited the win.
The next event will be at Zhejiang on 27/29 June.
Race 1
- David Zhu Dai Wei (Lynk & Co Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03), 16 laps
- Jason Zhang Zhi Qiang (Lynk & Co Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03), 4.445
- Zhang Zhen Dong (Z.Speed N, Hyundai Elantra N), 6.386
Race 2
- Zhang Zhen Dong (Z.Speed N, Hyundai Elantra N), 16 laps
- David Zhu Dai Wei (Lynk & Co Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03), 0.232
- Jason Zhang Zhi Qiang (Lynk & Co Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03), 1.469
Championship points
- Zhang Z.D., 162 pts; 2. D. Zhu D.W., 151; 3. J Zhang Z.Q., 135
Picture: TCR China
