Zandvoort: Team China Sunday notes

Team China gets car ready in time miraculously

HO-PIN TUNG QUICK IN FIRST A1GP-RACES

Ho-Pin Tungs' racing car arrived just in time at the Zandvoort track for the first A1GP-races of the new season, not having had a proper shake down test. Prior to the first race on Sunday morning Ho-Pin Tung could not make more than 10 laps to try the car. Plus the appalling weather conditions leading to chaotic situations and several safety cars interventions, these were the ingredients of the first outing of the A1GP-circus of the new season. Nevertheless Ho-Pin is rather satisfied. The pace was good in both races. In the first race he drove from a 16th place on the starting grid to a perfect 5th position in the penultimate lap. Then a gust of wind created over steer and Ho-Pin lost the car in a spin. A 12th position was his poor comfort. In this Sunday's second race at the circuit in the Dutch dunes he lost a lot of time with a spin, a drive trough penalty and a long ride behind the safety car. The young Chinese did not make it to the finish because he was hit from behind. He ended in 9th position rewarding Team China with the first points finish.

'The team did a tremendous job', Ho-Pin stated after the last race. 'It was a miracle that the guys managed to get the car ready in time.' The circumstances created a 'nothing to loose situation' for the Chinese team. 'The Sprintrace was a super race' tells Ho-Pin. 'Starting from 16th position I managed to get to 5th position in the closing stages. In the last corner before the long straight I lost the car because of a gust of wind creating over steer and a crash. The young Chinese found him self at the 12th position in the results.

With a 12th starting place and again heavy rain and wind Ho-Pin felt he could make it into the points. But in the first lap he spun off. Ho-Pin could not get the gearbox engaged and had to wait for help from the marshals. Later he was punished with a drive through penalty of which he has his personal opinion. 'My race was ruined and I found my self stuck behind the safety car so that I could not 'unlap' my self. The young Chinese did not finish because a fellow contender collided into the back of his car. Still he was listed 9th giving him at least a points finish. 'The car is quick and reliable. There are good chances for further success. I can hardly wait for the next race,' explains Ho-Pin Tung

-credit: china