Matt Liddy shows the pit-board during the final minutes of qualifying.
PICCA Rounds 6 & 7 - Beijing Goldenport,
China
(14-15th August 2004)
A-Ha Racing’s Matthew Marsh won the sixth and seventh rounds of the Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia at Beijing Goldenport Circuit on Sunday. The Hong Kong resident now lies second in the championship.
Matt Liddy shows the pit-board during the final minutes of
qualifying.
These victories for the new A-Ha Racing team are Marsh’s first in a Porsche and follow his win last month in the Maserati Trofeo race at the British F1 Grand Prix. “A hat trick is nice!” smiled the 35-year old. After dominating Friday’s practice sessions Marsh qualified fastest on Saturday. “Winning in Asia’s premier category and establishing A-Ha Racing as a leading contender is very important.”
Pole position by almost half a second.
The weather on Sunday was changeable and the first race started with a damp track. “It was too dry to use wet-weather tyres,” said Marsh, “but quite slippery on the dry-weather ones.” The race was stopped after two laps when the track was blocked by wreckage from a crash involving Rizal Ramli from Malaysia and the defending champion, Charles Kwan Siu-cheung from Hong Kong.
On the grid before the first start of Round Six.
Into the first corner.
At the re-start Marsh was briefly challenged by C. Nattavude from Thailand but was otherwise untroubled. He finished the race more than nine seconds ahead of Canadian-Chinese Darryl O’Young and another Thai driver, Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak.
The only view A-Ha Racing's competitors saw in Beijing.
On the podium after Round Six with O'Young (left) and
Inthraphuvasak.
With the grid of the second race being determined by the results of the first, Marsh again started at the front whilst Kwan and Ramli were at the back – a consequence of their failure to finish earlier in the day. Ramli, three times a winner this year, drove superbly to eventually finish third behind O’Young. Marsh again led from lights to flag: “In some ways it’s more difficult to lead than chase because you have a lot to lose – you become very conscious of not making a mistake.”
Matthew speaks to his mechanic, Tomy George, before the start.
Matthew leads O'Young at the beginning of Round Seven. Kwan,
having started from the back of the grid, can be seen in the background.
Uni-President, the manufacturer of A-Ha ready-to-drink coffee, had over 100 guests at the circuit on Sunday to support their new team. “It really made a difference,” admitted Marsh. “Confidence is everything in sport and it helps to know there are people willing you on.” Immediately after the customary champagne spraying from the winners’ podium Marsh telephoned his fiancée, Jessie Leong, at their home in Hong Kong. “She knows how important this is for me and was thrilled – but she also understands that the bar has been raised even higher now. I won’t be satisfied with anything less in future!”
On the podium after Round Seven with O'Young and Rizal Ramli
(right).
As part of the A-Ha Racing Roadshow, Marsh will be in Beijing each weekend of August. The racing Porsche will be on display and the Briton will be on-hand to sign posters and present prizes. Next month the promotional tour moves to Shanghai where the next race of the 11-round Carrera Cup Asia series will be held as part of the Chinese F1 Grand Prix on 26th September.
