Zhuhai. Team Porsche Holding’s Martin Ragginger snatched victory from 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champion Alexandre Imperatori of PICC Team StarChase in the closing stages of a dramatic final lap to win Round 4 of the 2014 season.
Taking the final podium place after the 12-lap race was pole-sitter Rodolfo Avila of Team Jebsen who survived spirited challenges from both Ragginger and Imperatori, both of whom made contact, in atrocious weather conditions, to take home double digit championship points. Budweiser Team Absolute Racing’s Tung Ho-Pin was the top-finishing Chinese driver in fourth, ahead of talented Zhang Zhen Dong of Team Basetex who turns 22 next week.
Nexus Racing’s Alif Hamdan took his third Class B victory in four races, followed home by OpenRoad Racing’s Francis Tjia and Silicon Tech Racing LLC’s Henri Richard taking his maiden podium.
Ragginger leads the provisional overall points table, an earlier Steward’s decision involving defending champion Earl Bamber in Shanghai still pending an appeal, with a four point advantage from Imperatori in second and Tung in third. Bamber is absent this weekend as he begins his first full season in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Hamdan leads the charge for the Class B championship, 15 points head of Tjia with Dorr Havelock Racing’s Yuey Tan in third.
Organisers of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia has made the decision to cancel Round 5 of the 2014 in the interests of safety during torrential rains and flooding at the Zhuhai International Circuit in China’s Pan Delta Region, citing the Force Majeure clause under the regulations.
Commented Porsche China Motorsport Manager Oliver Schwab: “The safety of our Porsche Carrera Cup Asia drivers is paramount and, following an inspection of the track, the decision was made to cancel Round 5 today.”
The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia continues next month when it travels to Japan for the first time in its 12-season history for a double header at the iconic Fuji International Speedway.
