The Lynk & Co cars dominate TCR China races in Ordos
The TCR China weekend in Ordos was dominated by the Teamwork Motorsport-run Lynk & Co cars that finished 1-2-3 in Race 1 and filled the top five places in Race 2. Jason Zhang Zhi Qiang and David Zhu Dai Wei shared wins and second positions, with Sunny Wong Yat Shing finishing twice third. Richard Li Guang Hua and Paul Poon Tak Chun completed the quintet in the second race.
These results propelled Zhang and Zhu to the first two places in the standings, split by one point, demoting the previous leader Zhang Zhen Dong to third, four further points behind. Once again, the Z.Speed Hyundai driver had to fight against the domineering team strategy of the five Lynk & Co drivers who helped each other and worked together to block him. On top of this Zhang was also hit by bad luck in the form of a broken driveshaft and a half-loose bonnet.
In the TCR China Challenge, 326 Racing Team’s Liu Zi Chen moved on top of the standings thanks to the absence of the previous leader Sean Chang Chien Shang.
Race 1 – Zhu had won the pole, one tenth faster than Zhang Z.Q., but he made a slow start and dropped to third behind Zhang Z.Q. and Zhang Z.D.; Sun Ju Ran was also slow from P4 on the grid, while Li G.H. stalled from P5 and fell to the back. In lap 4, Zhu passed Zhang Z.D. for second while Jamie Lai Jin Weng was fourth, but he was passed by Wong and Poon, then pitted with technical issues just before the safety car was deployed to recover Leong Keng Hei’s Honda that had stopped in a cloud of smoke. Racing resumed in lap 14 with Zhang Z.Q. holding on to the lead, behind him Zhang Z.D. was sandwiched between Zhu and Wong, then he slowed down during the last lap with a broken driveshaft and limped to finish fourth behind Wong, but ahead of Wu Yi Fan and Liu Z.C.
Race 2 – Poon and Leong should have shared the front row of the reversed grid, but Leong was demoted five spots for an engine change and Wong inherited P2. Wong led the field at the start, while Li G.H. and Zhang Z.D. made contact at T2, causing a pile up that involved Liu Z.C., Wu and Liu Hong Zhi. Li G.H, Zhang Z.D. and Liu Z.C. rejoined in 10th, 16th and 17th, Wu retired in the pits while Liu H.Z. stopped on the track and the safety car was deployed in lap 3. Racing resumed in lap 7, with Wong leading from Poon, Zhu and Zhang Z.Q. Soon, Zhu and Zhang overtook Poon and then Wong, moving up to first and second. The focus shifted on the battle for P4 with teammates Poon and Li G.H. chased by the recovering Zhang Z.D. whose Hyundai was slowed by a half-loose bonnet. During the penultimate lap, Poon let Li through in fourth place and then shut the door to keep Zhang behind.
Challenge – Sun Ju Ran made a slow start from P4, which enabled Liu Zi Chen to take the lead; Li led the challenge throughout the race and finished sixth overall, while Sun recovered to the second place, benefitting from the retirement of Liu Chao in lap 4. Sun won the second race in eighth overall, leading all the way after Liu Z.C. was involved in the first lap pile up. Liu advanced to second after Liu Chao spun in lap 10.
The next event will be on 19/21 September, in Shanghai.
Race 1
- Jason Zhang Zhi Qiang (Lynk & Co Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03), 17 laps
- David Zhu Dai Wei (Lynk & Co Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03), 4.323
- Sunny Wong Yat Shing (Lynk & Co Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03), 5.481
Race 2
- David Zhu Dai Wei (Lynk & Co Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03), 17 laps
- Jason Zhang Zhi Qiang (Lynk & Co Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03), 4.387
- Sunny Wong Yat Shing (Lynk & Co Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03), 8.689
Championship points
- J Zhang Z.Q., 302; 2. D. Zhu D.W., 301; 3. Zhang Z.D., 297
Challenge points
- Liu Z.C., 288 pts; 2. S. Chang C.S., 212 pts; 3. Sun Y.R., 203
Picture: Jun Qian Motorsport
