GT Asia driver quotes after final races in Shanghai 21.10.2016: Shanghai International Circuit, China (20 October, 2016) GT Asia Series Shang Peng Race of Shanghai

Shanghai International Circuit, China (20 October, 2016)
GT Asia Series Shang Peng Race of Shanghai






What the drivers had to say (Rnd#11);


1. Alex Yoong (#6 Phoenix Racing Asia Audi R8 LMS GT3)


“I’ve done this championship for a few years now, so I was very tense and I really wanted to get that first win.


The new Michelin tyres that they brought for this race were excellent, the car was perfect, the team did a really good job with the car and pretty much Alex [Au] was perfect as well, his pace was so strong in the second half, so he was able to put Frank [Yu] under pressure.


Very, very happy with this win.”



1. Alex Au (#6 Phoenix Racing Asia Audi R8 LMS GT3)


“The last race here at Shanghai was definitely good preparation for this event, so that aided my progress, it’s fantastic though to finally stand on the top step of the podium.”




2. Adderly Fong (#7 Bentley Team Absolute Bentley Continental GT3)


“I think this is where we should have been. We got caught out yesterday in qualifying after I had a spin on my opening lap, and conditions worsened for my second lap.


Michelin brought fantastic tyres, so they were consistent and we saved a lot of time in the pit stop as well. Andrew [Kim] is doing a fantastic job, he’s definitely made big improvements and the Bentley isn’t the easiest car to drive in the wet.”





2. Andrew Kim (#7 Team Absolute Bentley Continental GT3)


“After I was fighting with Frank Yu I was forced to go slower, and I saw Marchy was coming but I didn’t care, so I managed to finish second.”





3. Shaun Thong (#6 Phoenix Racing Asia Audi R8 LMS GT3)


“Actually I got a good start and jumped up to fifth in a few corners, and I got some contact from some other cars. Over the first few laps, everyone was trying to find where the grip was as the rain started to pour down.



I had a few really big moments where I nearly lost the car, but to climb from eighth to third in these conditions I think is a very good race.”





3. Marchy Lee (#5 Phoenix Racing Asia Audi R8 LMS GT3)


“Today was quite tough for everybody because it was raining quite hard in the middle of the race.


I think Shaun did a good job, and handed me the car mid-field, and with the new Michelin rain tyre which performed really well, I just focused on getting through the traffic.



It was a good result for the team with Alex Au and Alex Yoong claiming the win, so very happy.”







What the drivers had to say (Rnd#12);




1. Jeroen Mul (#15 FFF Racing  by ACM Lamborghini Huracan GT3)


“It’s incredible, it’s the first championship that Lamborghini has won and it’s just the first year of the Lamborghini customer racing program.



 The win and certainly the championship mean a lot to the factory back in Italy as well, especially the people who work so hard on these cars. It’s very special.”





1. Marco Mapelli (#15 FFF Racing  by ACM Lamborghini Huracan GT3)


“We saved one set of [wet] tyres from practice and qualifying. Jeroen was really fast with old tyres at the beginning of the race to keep pace with the cars in front of us.



With new tyres I knew I had 3-4 laps to close the gap or even increase the gap if I had one, so it worked fine and we were able to win the race.”




2. Marchy Lee (#5 Phoenix Racing Asia Audi R8 LMS GT3)


“Second in the championship is not a bad result. For Phoenix Racing Asia it’s our first year, and we’re still learning.



The first three or four laps I lost a bit of time to the leader, but then I could match him for speed and held onto position before handing the car to Shaun.”




2. Shaun Thong (#6 Phoenix Racing Asia Audi R8 LMS GT3)

 
“I knew that Edo [Liberati] was much faster than me, but I was trying my best to keep him at bay and try to avoid any contact.



Today, to finish second in the championship is the maximum we can do.”




3. Andrea Amici (#55 FFF Racing  by ACM Lamborghini Huracan GT3)


“We feel great.. It’s an amazing job from all the team and from Lamborghini. It was great for us to win at the last round, because the competition was really high - we arrived in Shanghai for the final with five potential title rivals.



 I want to say a special thanks to FFF and to Lamborghini Squadra Corse to support us this season, but I also want to say a special thanks to my team-mate because it’s nice to share the experience with a great driver, and nice to have a great friend to share it with in the paddock.”




3. Edoardo Liberati (#55 FFF Racing  by ACM Lamborghini Huracan GT3)


“I was really glad to take the chequered flag, to cross the line and win the championship. It’s true that it was a little bit harder for me than for Andrea, but he did a really super job, in the races, in qualifying and especially in the wet here in Shanghai and in Fuji earlier in the year.



I’m really glad after the mistake in Korea, and in Thailand where we got a drive through penalty, I kept really focusing and I was sure that we could win this championship.



So thanks to everybody at FFF and Lamborghini who supported us, GT Asia is not easy at all, I think the other Lamborghini showed this - the drivers who came have raced in Europe, they’ve won in Europe, they did four championships with this car this year and they came here and had a lot of difficulties, so this showed that this championship is at a really high level.



 It’s been great, I still don’t realise what’s happened, I’m sure it will take a few days!”




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