Shi and Choi start a two-way fight for TCR Taipei’s title

In the first event of the TCR Chinese Taipei series at Lihpao Racing Park, newcomer Choi Jeong Weon and former champion Shi Shiwei showed that a two-way battle for the title is going to be the leitmotif of the season.

Shi, who was the series’ first ever champion in 2023 and finished runner-up last year, has swapped his Honda Civic FK7 for a newer FL5 still run by the Fist-Team AAI. He won the first race, resisting huge pressure from his Korean competitor, the 2024 TCR Japan champion, who then took revenge with an authoritative victory in Race 2 in his KMSA Motorsport-run Hyundai Elantra N. The Qualifying points helped Choi to take the lead in the standings, one point ahead of Shi.

Race 1 – Choi had been fastest in qualifying, but Shi was faster at the start and led for the whole race. Choi did not lose contact and remained at striking distance.

During the last three laps Choi stuck on the tail of Shi’s car, but the leader did not open any gaps and won by three tenths. Yang Mengqiao finished a distant third ahead of Wei Shibin and Lin Yihong who won Class B and Class C respectively.

Race 2 – Shi was on pole, but too much wheelspin meant that Choi made a better start from P2. The Korean driver pulled away and kept a steady pace, consistently increasing his gap; eventually, Choi won by 5.6 seconds.

Behind them, Yang passed Wei in lap 8 to complete the podium once again; Wei encored his victory in Class B, while the Class C was won by Joe Chen Chun Chao.

TCR Taiwan will return to Lihpao on 27/29 June.

Race 1

1. Shi Shiwei (Fist Team AAI, Honda Civic Type R FL5), 12 laps
2. Choi Jeong Weon (KMSA Motorsport, Hyundai Elantra N), 0.322
3. Yang Mengqiao (Yishun Racing Team, Honda Civic Type R FK7), 22.575

Race 2

1. Choi Jeong Weon (KMSA Motorsport, Hyundai Elantra N), 12 laps
2. Shi Shiwei (Fist Team AAI, Honda Civic Type R FL5), 5.652
3. Yang Mengqiao (Yishun Racing Team, Honda Civic Type R FK7), 16.868

Championship points

1. Choi J.W., 24 pts; 2. Shi S., 23; 3. Yang M., 11

Picture: STS