TCR World and life

14 CHINA & ASIA MaQingHuabeats JasonZhangtwice THE SHELL TEAMWORK LYNK & CO DRIVERS DOMINATE AT SHANGHAI AS THE MG XPOWER TEAMWIPE OUT The season opener for the TCR China championship and TCR Asia North Cup began with a clear success by Lynk & Co against MG. At the Shanghai International Circuit, the much-anticipated fight between the Chinese manufacturers resulted in a bitter defeat of the MG 06 cars, while the Shell Teamwork drivers dominated both races in their Lynk & Co 03 cars. The first race ended with Ma Qing Hua, Jason Zhang and Sunny Wong filling the podium, while three of the four MG XPower team cars were eliminated in incidents. Zhang Zhen Dong retired from P4 after he was hit by the Huffsport TM Audi of Yang Xi, but worse was to follow. When racing resumed after a safety car period to recover Zhang’s car, his teammates Martin Cao and Rodolfo Ávila made contact and crashed into the pit-wall. The race was restarted with two laps to go. Ma withstood pressure from Zhang, while Wong lost third at the end of the penultimate lap to the 326 MMK Racing Audi of Wan Cheng Zhang but was able to retake the position on the final lap. Ma Qing Hua and Jason Zhang then encored with a 1-2 finish in Race 2. Yang Xi started from the pole and led from the MG cars of Ávila and Zhang Zhen Dong. As Yang pulled away, there was a fierce battle behind him Round 1 – Saturday 7 May, Shanghai International Circuit 1. Ma Q. H. (Shell Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03); 2. J. Zhang (Shell Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03); 3. S. Wong (Shell Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03) Round 2 – Sunday 8 May, Shanghai International Circuit 1. Ma Q. H. (Shell Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03); 2. J. Zhang (Shell Teamwork, Lynk & Co 03); 3. Yang X. (Huffsport TM, Audi RS 3 LMS) between the two Zhangs and Ma. Under the pressure, Zhang Zhen Dong made a mistake on lap 8, opening a gap that both Jason Zhang and Ma used to pass him. The two Lynk & Co cars then caught and passed Yang’s leading Audi; Zhang went into the final corner as the race leader, but then ran wide, allowing Ma through to take his second win in a row.