Thong Demonstrates Race Winning Race at Mixed Conditions in Sepang

2019 - 2020 Asian LeMans Series

Sepang International Circuit February 13-14, 2020

After the debut race for Shaun Thong with the first ever Japanese LMP2 team K2 Uchino Racing in the opening round of the 2019 - 2020 Asian LeMans Series in Shanghai. It was unfortunate that the crew has to skip Round.2 in Australia due to health issue for Thong’s teammate and team principal Haruki Kurosawa.

It did not take long before Thong found comfortable inside the Oreca 07 / Gibson LMP2 where he puts the #96 K2 Uchino Racing LMP2 on provisional pole position with less than 1 minute to go. The lap time was ultimately beaten by Super GT champion and Super Formula Champion Nick Cassidy at the very end but it still marks the highest grid position for Thong and the team at 2nd place. “It’s amazing to put the car on the front row, considering its only my 2nd race with this car and the team, i think P2 is a very solid effort and we will keep learning the car throughout the season” Said Thong.

On Saturday the 15th, just minutes before the start of the 4 Hours Sepang. The circuit was hit by a heavy downpour and lighting, causing a lengthy 2 hours delay to the race start. The race was eventually green again alongside a safety car start. Thong having benefited from the front row has pulled a sizeable gap to 3rd place in the soaking wet conditions for the first hour of the race. Eventually Thong took the lead and made a comfortable gap of 30 seconds over 2nd place after 1.5 hours of racing in the mixed weather conditions.

However few lengthy pitstop and a door locking mechanism problem cost Thong and his teammate a valuable podium finish as the pace of the #96 K2 Uchino Racing machine showed lighting speed throughout the whole race, constantly posting fastest lap of the race throughout the drying circuit. Ultimately they crossed the checkered flag in 4th place with just 10 seconds behind 3rd place the #26 G-Drive Racing machine. Thong added “Its unfortunate that we had to do one more unscheduled pit stop due to the door which cost us a podium finish. I think with the pace we have today we are looking comfortably within the top 3 but that’s endurance racing. Now we defiantly have more confidence and knowledge as a team going into Buriram next week. “

The Asian LeMans Series finale will be held next week at Chang International Circuit, Buriram Thailand from February 21 - 23. With Thong and his team eyeing for a podium finish.

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