You Yihao and Gao Zilong share wins in TCR Chinese Taipei
The second event of TCR Chinese Tapei at Lihpao Racing Park saw You Yihao and Gao Zilong sharing race wins.
You won a relatively quiet first race on Saturday, after Gao had failed to make a good start from the pole position. Sunday’s Race 2 was much more animated, with You and last year’s champion Shi Shiwei involved in a tough battle for the lead that culminated in three clashes, and eventually resulted in time penalties for both drivers. Shi was given 20 seconds but did not lose the second position behind Gao, while the 25 seconds imposed to You, meant that he dropped from third to fifth overall, though he remained third in the Class A.
The victory in Race 2, his second in the season, helped Gao to take the lead in the standings, ten points clear of Shi.
Race 1 – Gao had set the pole position in his new Honda Civic FL5, nearly seven tenths faster than You’s Civic FK7. At the start You Yihao led from Shi, Wu Yizhan and Gao who had a slow getaway. The leading pair pulled away, while Gao overtook Wu for third in lap 2. Shi was able to stay with You for the first few laps, but then began to lose contact while Gao was closing on him. Eventually, Gao passed Shi for second in lap 11 and tried to catch up with You, but the latter held on to the lead and took the chequered flag with half-a-second gap; Shi’s pace faded in the last part of the race, but he retained the third position ahead of Wu who topped the Class B in a Liming Racing Honda Civic FL5, while Liang Wenjun (Team Tein Volkswagen Golf GTI) won the newly-established Class C.
Race 2 – You started well from the pole, followed by Shi and Gao who were on P3 and P2 of the grid respectively. In lap 1, Chen Guoping passed Wu for the fourth place and the Class B lead. Up front, Shi lunged at You, their cars clashed, and Shi’s half spun while the exhaust of You’s got loose. Their fight continued until lap 4, when Shi made another move on You, they collided again and eventually Shi sent You into a spin and moved into the lead, while You rejoined in sixth position. For the remaining of the race, Shi had to defend the lead from Gao, while You passed Huang Sijia in lap 7, Wu in lap 10 and finally Chen in lap 11, recovering to third. In lap 14, Shi seemed in trouble with the tyres, and Gao managed to overtake him for the victory. Behind the top three, Chen won the Class B from Wu, while Huang Xun (Yu Speed, Audi RS 3 LMS) kept Liang Wenjun at bay for the victory in Class C.
The series will resume al Lihpao for rounds 5 and 6 on 30th August and 1st September.
Lihpao – Race 1
- You Yihao (Team Border, Honda Civic Type R FK7), 15 laps
- Gao Zilong (Liming Racing, Honda Civic Type R FL5), 0.501
- Shi Shiwei (GH-Team AAI, Honda Civic Type R FK7), 18.963
Lihpao – Race 2
- Gao Zilong (Liming Racing, Honda Civic Type R FL5), 15 laps
- Shi Shiwei (GH-Team AAI, Honda Civic Type R FK7), 22.474
- Chen Guoping (Liming Racing, Honda Civic Type R FK7), 26.522
Championship points
- Gao Zilong, 42 pts; 2. Shi Shiwei, 32; 3. You Yihao, 25
Picture: STS
