The Chinese FRD LMP3 season kicked off last weekend at Zhejiang circuit in Shanghai with a double header of a 45 minute ’sprint’ and 60 minute ‘endurance’ races planned, though race 1 would be red-flagged after 35 minutes with track conditions deteriorating due to rain.
The ACO licensed, all Ligier JSP3 sprint series saw a pair of races for the 11 cars thus far delivered (a twelfth, understood to be chassis 81), is still customs-bound in Shanghai, bound, it is understood, for KCMG.
For the stats merchants out there the 11 current cars are as follows:
Chassis 56 is the demo car that was at Zhuhai’s Asian Le Mans Series race last year and has since then been extensively used in launches and for tyre testing, the car now runs as now FS Sports Car #1
S&D use Chassis 72 and 78-S&D (78 was car #33, and 72 was car #25, according to the team) Eurasia are using Chassis 76 and 82
Craft Bamboo are using Chassis 77 and 88
PTRS are using Chassis 80 and 85
KCMG are using Chassis 87as their #18
DC Racing are using Chassis 89 as their #38
Race 1 saw the lead contested between the #95 Craft Bamboo car of James Winslow the #33 S&D car of Ma Qinghua and the #3 Eurasia Car of Martin Cao, the #95’s challenge fading after Winslow briefly took the lead but was then tapped into a spin.
The Eurasia car would be through into the lead by lap 9 and would keep it to the flag, Garnet Patterson bringing it home for the first ever FRD LMP3 race win.
Race 2 saw the #95 on Pole with Mathias Beche at the wheel, the Swiss driver pulling out to a healthy lead before surrendering the car to James Winslow who would rejoin in third, overhaul team-mate Greg Taylor in the sister #20 car after a great scrap and would go on to pass the leading #18 KCMG Ligier of Neric Wei, the KCMG man hanging on to claim second place for a double podium weekend after taking third in the opening race alongside Josh Burton.
Winslow though would pull away too take a comfortable victory for Craft-Bamboo.
Mathias Beche: “What a race! Bringing our Lighting McQueen car from pole to victory with a new track record was a great journey. Big credit goes to our boys from Craft-Bamboo Racing, they did a fantastic job, as well as my teammate, James. We couldn’t expect more for the opening round. I’m really pleased to be part of this project. The championship is competitive and many different cars have a chance for victory, well done to the FRD organization. We are now leading the championship and I can’t wait to be in Shanghai for round two!”
James Winslow: “We had the perfect race, winning the main event after we led from the green light. We then fought our way back to the front after our two-minute maximum compulsory pit stop time. My co-driver Mathias and the whole Craft-Bamboo team were exceptional all weekend and the #95 was lightning quick all weekend.”
