JUNE 11 2024 – RACE REPORT SHANGHAI INTERNATONAL CIRCUIT
David ZHU scored a brilliant victory in the second race of the weekend at Shanghai, with the team also putting two cars on the podium in the first race to solidify its lead in the teams’ standings. After a very competitive weekend for Lynk & Co Teamwork Motorsport, ZHANG still leads the standings with ZHU also firmly in the fight for a second drivers’ title.
Qualifying
After showing good pace in practice, the team qualified well with ZHANG Zhi Qiang third in his Lynk & Co 03 TCR, with the brothers David and Juan Carlos ZHU sixth and seventh, while Sunny WONG just missed the top ten with the 11th fastest time in Q2, which is where he’d line up for both of the weekend’s races.
Race 3
ZHANG made a great start and was immediately up to second place at the first corner, while David ZHU was up two spots by the end of the opening lap and closing on the final podium position already.
The race was disrupted by safety cars three times, with the first on lap two. Unfortunately the second safety car deployment came just one lap after the restart after Juan Carlos ZHU stopped with a technical issue.
Just before the third safety car, David ZHU moved up to third with a daring pass at the chicane o the Audi of ZHANG Hong Yu, in a timely move given the deployment time of the safety car due to another car stopped at Turn 1.
The race restarted with one lap to go, and ZHANG made a last-minute attempt to take the lead at the back straight but to no success, and would have to settle for second with ZHU third.
Sunny WONG had made good ground and was up to seventh, but fell to eighth on the final lap after he was pushed aside at Turn 2, but still scored good points in eighth.
Race 4
For the reversed grid race, Juan Carlos ZHU was the best-placed driver on the grid in fourth, with brother David starting fifth and ZHANG Zhi Qiang seventh.
All three made a great start and were straight up to third, fourth, and fifth, chasing down the leading Hyundai pair.
There was a brief safety car for a spinner further down, while at the restart, Juan Carlos ZHU took second position off the Hyundai of Andy YAN at Turn 14, but YAN came back at him a few corners later.
The two then both got a good exit out of Turn 13 onto the back straight and went side-by-side, while David ZHU drafted up the inside and took second away from the pair of them.
Then it was disaster, as YAN moved over on Juan Carlos and they locked wheels and both span off into barriers and were effectively out of the race.
The safety car was called with ZHU now second ahead of ZHANG Zhi Qiang, while Sunny WONG had moved up to sixth at this point.
At the restart, ZHU took the lead from Martin CAO at Turn 14 and began to sprint away, while ZHANG was stuck in a battle with the privateer Hyundai of LO Sze Ho.
There was a final safety car, after the customer Audi of Paul POON was involved in an accident at Turn 1 on lap eight, and then after the restart it was confirmed by the officials that David ZHU would have a five-second penalty for slight contact with CAO at Turn 14 earlier in the race just after the incident with Juan Carlos and YAN.
ZHU managed to pull enough of a gap to only drop one spot at the finish, and while he wasn’t able to stand on the centre of the podium, the team were successfully able to prove ZHU was not at fault in the incident with CAO to the stewards post-race and the victory was reinstated.
ZHANG had been hit by LO at the restart and this caused him handling issues which saw him fall behind Henry HO’s Honda. ZHANG made an attempt to reclaim third at the final corner but was run wide and dropped to seventh, promoting Sunny WONG to his second P4 finish of the season.
With ZHU’s victory in Race 4, and a double-podium in Race 3, it was a very successful weekend for Lynk & Co Teamwork Motorsport, which continues to lead the teams’ championship.
ZHANG also still leads the drivers’ standings with a two-point gap over Martin CAO, with David ZHU just one point further behind. The next round of the championship taking place again at the Zhejiang circuit on August 9-11.
What the drivers said
ZHANG ZHi Qiang #36
It was a very good weekend for the team at Shanghai and for me. I had good pace in qualifying and in the first race, we weren’t quite able to fight for the win, but we were right there and in a position to score very important points for the championship.
Unfortunately the second race had a bit too much drama, I was hit a few times and lost a very important podium finish and if that hadn’t happened I’d still be in the lead of the championship.
Still, I’m only one point behind and there’s still a long way to go.
David ZHU #9
A victory and a podium is definitely a good weekend for me.
While we didn’t have the ultimate qualifying pace, we worked hard and had an amazing car for both race days.
I was able to fight my way up to third, and then defend my team-mate, who I could have passed on the final lap with his run-in with XIE but it was better for the team to lock-in a 2-3 finish.
The second race the car was fantastic, and we drove straight through the field and into the lead. I was disappointed I couldn’t celebrate it on the podium because of the incorrect penalty, but at least it was all put right in the end and we’re now right back in the hunt for the drivers’ title, and really looking strong for the teams’.
Sunny WONG #12
It was a mixed weekend which ended on a high for me. It was tough for us in qualifying, and a mistake on my Q2 lap cost me a top ten position which could have been really important come the races.
I had a good run through the field in both races with good starts. Unfortunately I lost a spot on the final lap in Race 3, but then I gained a few on the final laps in Race 4 and put that all right with fourth in the race and more good points scored in the teams’ title.
We improved massively throughout the weekend so hopefully we can carry that momentum at the next round at Zhejiang in two months.
Juan Carlos ZHU #5
It was a disspointing pair of races for me unfortunately.
I qualified well and we were having a good run in Race 3 and were on target for at least fifth, quite probably fourth before I had to stop with an engine issue.
Race 4 and a 1-2 with my brother was on the cards until I was spun out by the Hyundai and the car was too badly damaged to continue.
While I had a bad few days, the pace was there, and I’m happy the team were able to get some good results.
