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August 29,2023,Sepang.- Sime Darby Racing Team’s Nazim Azman claimed his first Carrera Cup Asia podium finish, while Chris van der Drift emerges as a new championship contender at Rounds 9 and 10 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2023 season in Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit.
The race started with Meidong Racing’s Florian Latorre once again in first, continuing his unbroken record of taking home a pole position point. Team Shanghai Yonda’s Chris van der Drift started in p2, buoyed by his first win of the season at the last stop. Zheng Tong Auto’s Bao Jinlong had a p7 start, while BD Group’s Yang Ruoyu led the Am pack from his impressive p6 start.
Things swiftly went from bad-to-worse for the points-leader, as Latorre clashed with his season rival TORO Racing’s Luo Kailuo on turn one, with their clash continuing on to turn 2 with both drivers ending up in the gravel. With contact between both cars, Latorre drop down to p16 and Luo Kailuo drop down to p11.
Chris van der Drift who had started in second begin opening up his lead and developed a steady 5-second lead. With local hero Sime Darby Racing Team’s Nazim Azman just behind him. Latorre and Luo Kailuo spent their race catching up, with each driver managing an impressive number of overtakes throughout the race – however not enough to reach the podium. The race ended with Chris van der Drift over the line first, seven seconds ahead of Ragginger in p2, with Azman coming in p3 and claiming his first Carrera Cup Asia podium finish.
This gave opportunity for Christ van der Drift to begin opening up his lead. With local hero Sime Darby Racing Team’s Nazim Azman just behind him, and his old rival Porsche Holding’s Martin Ragginger in p3, van der Drift maintained his focus and developed a steady 5-second lead. Latorre and Luo Kailuo spent their race catching up, with each driver managing an impressive number of overtakes throughout the race – however not enough to reach the podium. The race ended with van der Drift over the line first, seven seconds ahead of Ragginger in p2, with Azman coming in p3 and claiming his first Carrera Cup Asia podium finish.
The battle between TORO Racing and Meidong Racing for the top spot, with both teams switching position a number of times, Team Shanghai Yonda have stormed into contention at the close of Round 10. , are now in second place. A vanishingly thin margin of just 5 points separates the top three. A single slip up for any of these teams will see their championship chances plummet. With a mere four races left in the season, it looks like the top three teams will be battling hard for the season victory until the very last second.
