Photo: Thomas Lam
FIA GT at Zhuhai
Hong Kong Le Mans team's first international race
(14th November 2004)
Photo: Thomas Lam
Photo: Ian Haynes Bowers
Hong Kong’s future Le Mans team narrowly missed a podium position in their first international GT race. Charles Kwan and Matthew Marsh drove a Ferrari 360 GTC Modena in the final round of the FIA GT Championship at Zhuhai in China. The pair qualified sixth in their class and finished the three-hour race in fourth place - just 50 seconds behind the third placed Porsche.
Photo: Hans Hu
The Mega Racing International Ferrari ran at a very competitive pace but a starter motor problem cost at least three minutes at each of the two scheduled pit-stops for fuel, tyres and a driver change. “Our strategy worked well,” concluded Marsh yesterday. “We kept out of the first lap trouble and then lapped quickly and consistently. Without the starter problems the Hong Kong team would have been on the podium at their first attempt.”
Photo: Hans Hu
Charles Kwan is Asia’s leading sports car driver. He is the reigning Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champion and this year is fighting for championship honours with Marsh. Driving for the A-Ha Racing team, Marsh has won the last five rounds of the series. Kwan intends to retire after the final round of this year’s Carrera Cup in Macau on November 21st , but acknowledges, “this project might keep me racing.”
Photo: Hans Hu
The Le Mans 24-hours is the world’s greatest sports car race. Victory is fought for each year by leading car manufacturers and racing drivers. There has never been a Hong Kong entry or a Chinese driver in the race. “I think we proved today,” says Marsh, “that the Hong Kong team will be racing for a podium position at Le Mans. Many have been skeptical before but today changes everything. This is a serious and professional project which provides a significant commercial opportunity. It’s going to happen: we’re going to be at Le Mans in 2006.”
Photo: Hudson Lee
Photo: Hudson Lee
Photo: Thomas Lam
Photo: Thomas Lam
Photo: Thomas Lam