Audi customers have claimed championship titles in all categories entered at the Circuit Hero One series in Zhuhai, China. After finishing third in Saturday’s round five, Julio Acosta of JY Racing was crowned Circuit Hero One GT3 champion, finishing the season with an unbroken podium run.
After Sunday’s round six was cancelled due to an incoming typhoon, round five became the series finale. Audi customers ensured the season ended in style with Zun Motorsport’s Adderly Fong leading home an Audi R8 LMS 1-2-3-4 finish at China’s oldest permanent circuit. Fong finished ahead of Tianshi Racing Team’s (TSRT’s) Max Wiser and Acosta, with Zun Motorsport’s Alexandre Imperatori coming in fourth.
In the GTC category, reigning Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup Am+ champion David Chen of TSRT won his second Circuit Hero One class championship in a row, after finishing second in round five. TSRT teammate Billy Lo wrapped up the TCR championship by finishing second in round five behind Champ x TA Motorsport’s Filipe Souza, both in an Audi RS 3 LMS.
“Audi customers have enjoyed a truly memorable season in the Pearl River Delta. Congratulations to JY Racing and Tianshi Racing Team for winning their Circuit Hero One titles, and also to Zun Motorsport and Champ x TA Motorsport for their impressive race wins ” said Martin Kuehl, Director of Audi Sport customer racing Asia. “The growth of the Circuit Hero series is a testament to the work of the organisers and the professionalism and commitment of the drivers and teams.”
In the GT3 championship, 48 points was enough to win Acosta the title. Fong was second overall on 32 points with the TSRT pair of Max Wiser (25 points) and Liu Peng (24 points) third and fourth respectively in the final standings. In the GTC class, Chen claimed the title with 44 points, while teammate Billy Lo won the TCR category with 48 points, 12 points ahead of Souza (36 points).
Round five report
With the morning’s official announcement from the organisers that Sunday’s round six had been cancelled, the nine Audi customers who were competing across three classes at Circuit Hero One knew this was to be their last shot at Pan Delta glory this year.
Adderly Fong had posted a lightning 1:32.038 in the morning’s qualifying session, beating his Zun Motorsport teammate Alexandre Imperatori to pole position by 13 hundredths of a second. With Acosta starting third and Wiser fourth there was an Audi R8 LMS lockout of the first two rows.
When the lights went green Fong got away well to hold position into turn one. Imperatori, making a big move round the outside going into the first corner, came into contact with a competitor and spun, falling down the order.
The Swiss driver then set about working his way through the field, and was up to sixth place when the safety car was called out on lap six. With the race restarting at the start of lap 10, Imperatori had five laps to close in on a podium place. It proved too tall a task, with his impressive lap times moving him up to fourth by the flag.
Imperatori was not the only man on the move. Wiser, running third, was all over the tail of Acosta as soon as the safety car had unleashed the pack, eventually getting by him on lap 11 to take his TSRT Audi R8 LMS home in second, four seconds ahead of Acosta.
Out in front Fong was untouchable in taking his second win of three races contested this season.
Liu Peng of TSRT crossed the line in ninth place.
In the GTC class, David Chen was an impressive sixth overall, second in class, securing the title. 18th overall, fourth in class was Zun Motorsport’s Lin Yiming.
For Souza in the Champ x TA Motorsport Audi RS 3 LMS it was a lights-to-flag run to cross the line just over two seconds clear of category champion Lo.
Source. Audi
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