Cebu Pacific Air by KCMG concluded Formula Masters China Series’ fourth event at Sepang International Circuit with double podium finishes by James Munro and Dan Wells. The dramatic three-race affair saw the Hong Kong-based squad defend its lead in the Team and Driver rankings in changeable weather conditions throughout the weekend.
British driver Dan Wells delivered impressive qualifying laps and secured third and second spots on the grid, logging his best time of 2.08.369 during Qualifying 2. Meanwhile, series leader James Munro’s maiden outing at Malaysia’s F1 circuit delivered mixed results. After Friday’s two 15-minute qualifying runs, the 17-year-old Christchurch driver had to settle for fourth place on the starting grid for Races 10 and 12.
Formula Masters’ Race 10 saw Asian motorsport’s young blood battle intensely across the field in torrential conditions. Starting from third position, Wells was able to get past polesitter Jake Parsons as the latter spun off track on Lap 5. Munro was trailing closely behind and successfully overtook his teammate.
As the two Cebu Pacific Air by KCMG drivers battled for several laps, Munro defended his position and crossed the finish line in second place. Wells maintained a huge gap from Parsons and finished the race behind his teammate, taking third spot on the podium.
Results from the morning’s race determined the starting grid for Race 11. From the front row, Munro got off to a strong start and managed to overtake Matthew Solomon on the first lap. However, Solomon was able to recover the lead, which left Munro and Parsons battling for second place throughout the 6-lap race. True to form, Munro held his position and took his second podium of the weekend. Unfortunately, Wells was forced to retire after experiencing a rear wishbone failure on the formation lap.
The team returned to Sepang the following day for a scorching Race 12, which saw Wells start from the front row. The British driver made a strong start and was clocking impressive lap times as he tried to overtake opposition. Wells was challenging for his first series win but spun on the fifth lap. Meanwhile, Munro, who started from fourth place, struggled during the first few laps of the 20-minute race. After dropping to sixth, Munro recovered and fought his way back to fourth place. A three-lap battle ensued between Wells and Munro, but the British driver managed to pass his teammate and wrapped up the race with another podium. Munro finished in fourth place and still maintains his lead in the Drivers standings with a 14-point advantage.
James Munro: “It was a tough weekend. We didn’t seem to have the same speed as at other tracks, except in the wet where it was very good! I’m disappointed with the results, but on the bright side, I still have a big championship lead. I’m looking forward to the remaining events as these two meetings are at tracks that I already know, and at which I have won every single race! Things didn’t go our way this weekend but I’m sure we will be winning more races very soon.”
Dan Wells: “I’m not completely happy with the weekend as we did not win any races. But I did get two podiums this weekend, which is a good result. I’d like to thank my investors in Dan Wells & Investors for their support and looking forward to the final two rounds. We know what to work on and looking forward to going down to business.”
John O’Hara, KCMG Deputy Managing Director: “It was a tough weekend for the team and it is quite disappointing to leave Sepang with no wins. Nonetheless, two double podiums from Dan and James is still a great result and it clearly shows that they are one of the top contenders in the championship. The team still leads in the Team and Driver Classification standings and our aim is to further extend this advantage in the coming events.”
Cebu Pacific Air by KCMG maintains its lead in the Team Classification standings with 250 points. James Munro stays on top of the Driver rankings with 155 points while Dan Wells sits third with 101 points.
To find out more about Formula Masters China Series, visit http://www.formulamasterschina.com/
For more information about KCMG, visit www.kcmg.com.hk. To keep track of latest updates, please like KCMG’s Facebook page or follow @KCMotorgroup on Twitter and Instagram.
Copyright: Formula Masters China Series
