Valuable points in Fuji with podium finish
Rounds 3 & 4 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia for me was not too shabby, although somehow, I feel as we had the potential to go a little better than we did.
I managed pole position in the Pro Am by a tiny margin, but pole position it was. The pressure was on as the Fuji Speedway in Japan is by far, has been historically for me the best circuit I have raced at.
The qualifying session was pretty tense and action packed. I decided that I wanted to run in clean air, so I let the field go out onto the circuit before I did. On my first outing, I needed to abort my flying lap as the red flag was raised due to an accident which looked pretty nasty on the wall of turn 1! On the second outing, we decided to put on a second set of new tyres and even before I started my flying lap, a car broke down on circuit and the red flag was out once again. When was I going to get into it?
We went back into pitlane and decided that we were going to wait one more time. Though this time, things went differently! It paid off and we did a pretty awesome lap! I was pretty stoked! Both races were a battle with Evan Chen and unfortunately, I came out second best on both occasions although it was a little unlucky to say the least! During race 1, we had tyres that weren’t in the condition of our competitors as Chen started on new and we started on used. We kept our better tyres for race 2! Then during race 2 while I was far ahead, fellow Singaporean Andrew Tang took a big hit into the wall in turn 1. As I braked behind him, some of the debris from his car got stuck in my wheel arch, destroying my left front tyre and taking away any chance I had of driving fast. I nursed the car back defending Francis Tjia for 5 laps, just managing to finishing in front of him. So from a damage control perspective, things weren’t too bad!
During the Fuji Speedway weekend, we also had our traditional face off as the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia took on the Porsche Carrera Cup Japan. There were 41 starters on the grid making a mega spectacle at the historic Japanese race track and once again had an epic battle with Evan Chen that saw us pass each other a total of six times during the race. Epic.
I must say that I had a bloody awesome two races with Evan. We are matched to a tenth of a second lap for lap and whatever happens, I know its going to be a mighty close season and hopefully I can finish on top and win more silverware this year. It’s still early in the championship so anything can happen in motor racing; and it usually does!!!
I am currently 2nd in the PCCA Championship Pro-Am. Next up, the Bangsean Street Circuit. Its going to be nuts!!!!
