It was an action-packed day at Round 4 of the 2016 Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia series. The race set-off last Sunday with temperature in the low 90s (Fahrenheit) and typical sunny skies.
Held in Malaysia's world famous F1 circuit, the two-race format saw competitive action performed by all teams and drivers, but it was a double-win for local driver Afiq Yazid and teammate Toshiyuki Ochiai of Japan.
A graduate of Lamborghini's Young Talent Program, Yazid has been competing in the series for four years running now with an outstanding performance in the past two seasons.
Sepang circuit made its debut into the series since 2012 and once played the role of hosting World Final race in 2014, the circuit is loved by the drivers, teams as well as fans. With recently-resurfaced layout, it promises new experience and unpredictable results.
Race 1
Qualifying
1st - Dilantha Malagamuwa (Sri Lanka) and Armaan Ebrahim (India)
2nd - Zen Low (Malaysia) and MAx Wiser (Italy)
3rd - Afiq Yazid (Malaysia) and Toshiyuki Ohciai (Japan)
Qualifying - AM Class
1st - Vincent Wong (Hong Kong) and Sanghwi Yoon (Korea)
2nd - Andrew Haryanto (Indonesia) and Keong Wee Lim (singapore)
3rd - George Chou (Taiwan) and Samson Chan (Hong Kong)
Qualifying - Cup Class
1st - Sam Lok (Hong Kong)
2nd - Supachai Weeraborwornpong
During the race, there were significant rearrangements in driver positioning, as Yazid and Ochiai slipped through the race leader and snatched pole position from Malagamuwa and Ebrahim.
Meanwhile, Yudai Uchida of Japan and teammate Jono Lester from New Zealand has made exceptional performance, starting from tenth and made their way up to the third position.
In the AM Class, Haryanto took the lead from the second position, while Chou and Chan squeezed past Wong and Yoon into second.
Elsewhere, Weeraborwornpong moved past Lok to take first in the Cup Class.
Race 2
Qualifying
1st - Afiq Yazid (Malaysia) and Toshiyuki Ohciai (Japan)
2nd - Dilantha Malagamuwa (Sri Lanka) and Armaan Ebrahim (India)
3rd - Andrew Haryanto (Indonesia)
4th - Keong Wee Lim (Singapore)
5th - George Chou (Taiwan) and Samson Chan (Hong Kong)
Race 2 saw more wheel-to-wheel moments among the group behind the lead as the race got underway. Uchida and Lester who started sixth on the grid gradually moved their way up the leaderboard, followed closely by Low and Wiser, who began in seventh.
Malagamuwa and Ebrahim managed to defend their position for a while before they fell victim to the hard driving of Uchida and Lester, who went into second, jostling Malagamuwa and Ebrahim into third. However, the outstanding performance of Uchida and Lester could not close the gap between them and Yazid and Ochiai, who maintained their lead all the way to the checkered flag.
In the mean time, Wong and Yoon who started at eighth place, has put a remarkable pace, pushing past all other drivers in AM Class, chasing Haryanto and eventually took the victory, finishing in fifth overall.
Haryanto unfortunately did not finish, suffering an unforced error. Second place was taken by Lim and followed by Chou and Chan pair in third position, ahead of Hu Nan and He Xiao Le duo.
Lok managed to have a better run in Race 2 and took the victory for Cup Class, leaving Weerabornpong in second.
After another exciting race weekend, drivers and teams will now look forward to the next round which will take place at the Fuji International Speedway in Japan next month.
The race will be the fifth and final stop in Asia before they compete with drivers from the other regions in World Final in Valencia, Spain at the start of December.
Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo – Asia: 2016 Calendar
- Shanghai (CHN) 21/22 May
- Suzuka (JPN) 11/12 June
- Buriram (THA) 23/24 July
- Sepang (MAS) 6/7 August
- Fuji (JPN) 17/18 September
- Valencia (SP) 1/2 December
Valencia (SP) 3/4 December
Last edited:
