With the new Buriram International Circuit in Thailand in fantastic condition, plus fair weather and a balmy 30 degree air temperature, conditions were perfect for racing. The series welcomes four local Thai racers, including Mr. Supachai Weeraborwornpong returning to race again, this time on home turf. The grid liveries wowed spectators as always, with a pallet of metallic, pastel and day-glow hues fitting with the magic and beauty of Thailand and the country’s top race track.
The qualifying session for race one again saw Japanese drivers put in a good performance, with two of the top three grid positions held by Japanese teams. Yudai Uchida, and New Zealand teammate Jono Lester came in pole on the grid, with Dilantha Malagamuwa of Sri Lanka and Armaan Ebrahim of India in second, and Toshiyuki Ochiai of Japan and PRO teammate Afiq Yazid of Malaysia in third. Indonesian AM driver Andrew Haryanto qualified fourth overall, with Taiwanese drivers Chun Hua Chen and Yen Chien Lee racing in the Lamborghini Cup Class fifth on the starting grid.
After a safety car start, Malagamuwa and Ebrahim made a strong push forward to take the lead in car #24, forcing Uchida and Lester into second, while Ochiai and Yazid remained in third.
By halfway through the race, Chen and Lee had pushed their way up the grid to third, but the glory was to be short lived, with Zen Low from Malaysia along with Italian teammate Max Wiser squeezing past, followed by Andrew Haryanto who really put the hammer down to push into fifth overall just behind Low and Wiser.
The final few laps saw a flurry of action among the top three racers, with Malagamuwa and Ebrahim in pole doing their best to keep Uchida and Lester at bay, who were in turn being hounded by Ochiai and Yazid. While Uchida and Lester managed to get past #24 we then saw the kind of inspirational display of driving skill we have come to expect from the Lamborghini Squadra Corse’s young driver program graduate Afiq Yazid, with his car #12 managing to work its way past both #23 and #24 to take pole position and the overall win.
The Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo represents the essence of gentlemanly sportsmanship, and is the perfect platform to express a love for motorsport and racing. Race 2 will start in a few hours today.
