Trying conditions did not stop KC Motorgroup Ltd. (KCMG) from extending their reign in Asian Formula Renault’s fourth event at Shanghai International Circuit over the weekend. BlackArts Racing by KCMG driver Dan Wells stormed to his third consecutive double victory while Australian driver Garnet Patterson concluded the weekend on China’s arduous Formula 1 track with two podiums.
A very wet Qualifying session saw Wells and Patterson secure second and fourth positions on the starting grid on Saturday morning. As conditions continued to worsen, the Asian’s championship’s race start took place under the safety car that afternoon. However, the debilitating downpour at Shanghai did not keep Wells from making a superb start and ultimately grabbed the lead from opposition by Turn 2. The British driver’s commanding performance in the wet resulted in his fifth straight win in the series.
Meanwhile, Patterson was also on a mission to move further up the field, but a collision on the first corner with another driver stymied his race as he spun off track. Impressive overtaking manouveres paid off as the Australian driver tried to recover his position and successfully finished the race with a podium after crossing the finish line in third place.
Race 2, which saw multiple safety car periods, once again highlighted Wells and Patterson’s strong display of skill on Shanghai’s 5.451km configuration. Amidst tricky circumstances, both drivers’ pace resulted in an outstanding 1-2 finish, further extending their advantage in the Asian championship with Well’s leading the Drivers’ standings on 210 points, followed by Patterson with 188 points.
Garnet Patterson:“We had a weekend of mixed fortunes at Shanghai as we were unfortunate to get turned around in Race 1 during the opening lap and fell to the back of the field. I was able to fight my way back to third position, which was a great result under the circumstances. The car had great pace in Race 2, where we could have went for the win if only the session didn’t get red flagged with three laps to go, but that’s motorsport! A massive thanks to the whole team at KCMG for their effort over the weekend and to my sponsors for allowing me to race this weekend, Bayliss Trading, Quirindi Tyre Service, Sideways Driving Club, Toorace/Simpson Australia and Flight Centre Australia. Roll on Zhuhai!”
Dan Wells:“It has been a great weekend for the team. I’d like to thank d the team who did a fantastic job all weekend. Also thanks to my sponsors BlackArts Racing, Prestige, CTPS and Start JG for their continued support. I can’t wait to be back in the car!”
John O’Hara, KCMG Deputy Managing Director:“The team came to Shanghai with success in mind. We were keen to round off the weekend with top results and extend our lead in the championship and I’d like to commend everyone in the team for making this possible. Garnet and Dan’s impressive showings in variable conditions were laudable and I’m proud of what we have achieved over the weekend.”
To find out more about Asian Formula Renault, visit www.frdsports.com/en/AFR
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.
