Formula Masters China Series (FMCS), China and the region’s leading international junior single-seater championship, is set for a season finale showdown in Shanghai as the field of fledging talents race at the inaugural China Speed Weekend. While Estonian Martin Rump (19) of Cebu Pacific Air by KCMG sealed the championship title last month in Zhuhai, there is still plenty at stake for this weekend’s triple-header Races 16-18.
With each driver looking for an opportunity to finish what has been an intensely competitive season on a high note, Races 16-18 are expected to feature wheel-to-wheel battles with each driver bring his very best to the China’s F1 track. The China Speed Weekend also represents one final opportunity this season for drivers to impress. Representatives from the different sportscar series within Volkswagen Group China will be in attendance at weekend celebrating motorsport and sports car culture, and with the championship’s close links to the Audi R8 LMS Cup, the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia and the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, there is no time like the present to leave a lasting – and winning – impression.
Leading the charge into Shanghai is Rump, who took seven straight wins on his way to the 2015 title. Rump’s focus last month was on securing the title, but he will no doubt be looking to add to his trophy cabinet with victories in Shanghai. Jake Parsons (20) of Meritus.GP is looking to finish in the runner-up position in the championship and after an unlucky weekend in Zhuhai which saw his championship hopes dashed, the Australian has some unfinished business and will look to close out the season on a high note.
With FMCS serving as a platform for young drivers to develop a motorsport foundation and as a credible international benchmark, the young drivers hailing from across China, Asia, Australia, Europe and South Africa who are all vying for a chance to stand atop the podium. Rump’s teammate Nicholas Rowe (17) of Australia is currently third in the championship, while fellow Australian Aidan Read of Eurasia Motorsport, who at 16 is the youngest driver in the championship, is ranked fourth. Rounding out the top five is Malaysian Daniel Woodroof (19) of Meritus.GP.
Although he joined the series with new team Absolute Racing just two months ago, Belgian Alessio Picariello (22) has already made his mark on the series, taking wins Races 14 and 15 last month in Zhuhai. Picariello is joined at Absolute Racing by American Oliver Askew (18), who joins FMCS for his second race weekend.
Star Racing Academy (SRA) driver Jeffrey Ye (18) of Cebu Pacific Air by KCMG will be looking to wrap up the Best Chinese Driver Trophy in Shanghai. Ye along with teammate and fellow first-year SRA driver Sean Zheng (17) are looking to make positive gains in Shanghai and who hope to one day emulate the success of third-year SRA drivers Bao Jin Long, who now races in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, and Yuan Bo, who, in addition to racing in FMCS, competes with the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia.
Several FMCS alumni have gone on to compete in the Volkswagen Group China sportscar series, while this year Rump and Ye had an opportunity to test an Audi R8 LMS Cup car and Parsons made his GT debut in the Cup last May. Such are the opportunities provided by FMCS that makes a strong performance in Shanghai an absolute must.
Races 16-18 of the Formula Masters China Series are being held as part of the China Speed Weekend from October 16-18, 2016. Saturday, October 17 will feature two qualifying sessions, which determine the grid for Races 16 and 18, respectively. The 10-lap Race 16 takes place on Saturday afternoon, with Races 17 (6 laps) and the season finale Race 18 (10 laps) held on Sunday, October 18.
