AP: Round 12 Zhuhai race report

Lee Takes Second Victory as Championship Goes Down to the Wire

Hong Kong's Marchy Lee took his second series win in Round 12 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia today, with a comfortable lights-to-flag victory. SCC Racing China's Christian Jones was second, narrowing the points gap in the Class A title chase to just two points from championship-leader GruppeM's Tim Sugden who crossed the line in 5th.

Team Jebsen's Darryl O'Young made an excellent comeback from the rear of the grid to take the final podium spot after a coming together with Cref Motorsports' Keita Sawa had ended his earlier race. This time Sawa was 4th, but is out of contention for the title.

In Class B it was Tunku Hammam who took the lead, followed by Hong Kong's Philip Ma and Mok Weng Sun. Mok continues to lead championship after the weekend, six points ahead of William "Chip" Connor of Hong Kong. Philip Ma and Peter Boylan of Australia are tied in 3rd.

Lee got a superb start off the grid from pole, with Jones, Team Vertu's Nigel Albon and Sugden bunched together and vying for position. O'Young meanwhile was already on a charge from the back of the grid, as was Sawa who had started from 13th. Lee put in a blinding couple of laps to build up a gap from Jones, while Albon, Sugden, Sawa and O'Young fought it out behind.

Sawa made his move on Sugden on lap 4, getting by the Briton and taking the fight to Albon, who held him off brilliantly until the Japanese charged past on lap 7, and O'Young followed in his wake. Sugden tried to do the same but Albon was determined and, despite the pair being two abreast, the Team Vertu racer held his ground for another lap until he spun. He recovered to rejoin the race, eventually finishing 7th behind Geoff Morgan of Australia.

In Class B, at the start William "Chip" Connor moved over to the slippery part of the circuit, and had a coming together with Dilantha Malagamuwa and spun. Melvin Choo led the pack after the incident, followed by Hong Kong's Siu Tit Lung and Tunku Hammam. However it was all change by the second lap with Hammam grabbing the lead and holding it to the chequered flag.

Lee was thrilled to have taken his second Class A win of the season: "I'm glad I had a good start. Because I know the circuit well, I decided to push really hard in the first couple of laps even though my tyres were not quite warm. I was successful in this race because I managed to pull a big gap and I just held on and didn't make any mistakes. I'm looking forward to Macau, which will be difficult but as I am getting used to the Porsche now I hope to do an even better job."

Said Jones, who this season made his series debut and has mastered the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car so quickly he is a strong contender for the title: "Marchy was so far ahead he was never going to be caught. I had to finish. There were so many things running through my head. I'm happy to have a couple of second places as it's good for my championship. I'm walking away very happy." He also believes Macau is "one of the greatest circuits in the world," adding: "I competed in Macau in Formula 3 and I know the circuit. Hopefully it will go my way but you never know."

The final race of the 2007 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia series will be held as part of the Macau Grand Prix on November 19 on the famous Guia Circuit.

-credit: porsche.com/carreracup