Fist-Team AAI Honda Civic wins again in TCR Taipei

Chan Junhua and Liu Weizhi drove their Fist-Team AAI-run Honda Civic to a second consecutive win in TCR Chinese Taipei’s inaugural season. They benefited from a late pit stop that delayed the AutoHub Racing Audi RS 3 LMS of Jonathan Lester that had comfortably led for the whole race.

Lester had placed the Audi on pole ahead of the Honda. Lester’s codriver Chen Hancheng got away well at the rolling start and pulled away, while Dai Xiaoxiang in his Speed Verse Racing Audi sprinted from P3 on the grid to second ahead of Liu Weizhi. Liu was quick to repass Dai for second and few laps later Dai lost the third position to Huang Jianye in the Border Team Honda Civic FK2. 

The leader pitted after 40 minutes, handing the wheel to Lester, which promoted Liu and Huang to first and second until they both made their pit stops seven minutes later and were replaced by Chen Junhua and You Yihao respectively. 

After all the cars have visited the pits, the order was reinstated, and Lester led with a margin of 18 seconds and 25 minutes left on the clock. Five minutes later the Carsman Racing Honda crashed and caught fire, but the marshals extinguished the flames. 

Lester consistently increased his leading margin, but eight minutes before the end he pitted with a rear flat tyre and rejoined in fourth position, just when the safety car was deployed to recover the Team Go Honda that had pulled over with a technical issue. 

Time ran out and after the safety car left the track, the chequered flag was waved, with the Fist-Team AAI Honda the winner from the Border Team old Civic and the Speed Verse Racing Audi.

The win meant that the Fist Team AAI pair has increased their margin in the standings to 15 points over the AutoHub Racing team.

The third race meeting will take place again at Lihpao Racing Park on August 19/21.

Lihpao – Race
1. J. Chen/W. Liu (Fist-Team AAI, Honda Civic Type R FK7), 30 laps
2. J. Huang/Y. You (Border Team, Honda Civic Type R FK2), 1.405
3. X. Dai/YH. Lin (Speed Verse Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS II), 1.964

Championship points
1. J. Chen/W. Liu 40 pts; 2. H. Chen/J. Lester 25; 3. X. Dai/YH. Lin, 24

Picture: TCR Taipei