Santoso wins two races, but Chang is crowned champion
TCR Asia shared the grid with the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour at Hunan International Circuit for the season finale. Benny Santoso won the first two races that counted for the championship, while Sean Chang Chien Shang’s third place in Race 2 was enough for the Revx Racing driver to secure the title after his closest rival Diego Moran was sidelined by a technical issue.
Moran made up for the disappointment with a victory in the invitational Race 3.
Race 1 – Moran had been fastest in Qualifying, 14th overall, before he stopped with a broken front suspension.
Santoso took the lead at the start in his Eurasia Motorsport Hyundai Elantra and was followed throughout the race by Sean Chang Chien Shang's Audi and Diego Moran's Honda. In lap 10 Jiang Nan overtook Moran for the third position and which is the way they finished.
Race 2 – Andy Liang Wen Yao did not make the grid due to an engine issue, while Moran pulled into the pits after the warm up lap and failed to start due to a fuel feeding problem.
In the first part of the race, Jiang Nan passed Santoso for the lead and ran away, while Santoso was chased by Yang Hao Jie. The order was reshuffled after the safety car period following the breakdown of Esteban Guerrieri's car. Jiang - who had started on rain tyres - suddenly dropped down, which propelled Santoso to encore his yesterday’s victory ahead of Yang and Chang.
Race 3 – The third race of the weekend did not count towards the championship. Moran overtook Santoso for the lead; then Santoso collided with Chang and dropped to fourth behind Jiang and Yang. Santoso tried to regain one place and made contact with Yang, then eventually overtook Yang to complete the podium.
Race 1
1. Benny Santoso (Eurasia Motorsport, Hyundai Elantra N), 18 laps
2. Sean Chang Chien Shang (RevX Motorsport, Audi RS 3 LMS), 3.668
3. Jiang Nan (Z.Speed, Hyundai Elantra N), 6.900
Race 2
1. Benny Santoso (Z.Speed, Hyundai Elantra N), 16 laps
2. Yang Hao Jie (Z.Speed, Hyundai Elantra N), 1.706
3. Sean Chang Chien Shang (RevX Motorsport, Audi RS 3 LMS), 4.555
Race 3
1. Diego Moran (DM23 Ecuador Racing, Honda Civic Type R FL5), 17 laps
2. Jiang Nan (Z.Speed, Hyundai Elantra N), 4.534
3. Benny Santoso (Z.Speed, Hyundai Elantra N), 13.513
Championship points
- Chang C.S., 295 pts; 2. D. Moran, 273; 3. B. Santoso, 239
Picture: WSC/Jun Qian Motorsport
