Rookie South African driver Aston Hare is crowned the JK Racing Asia Series 2012 Champion after a dramatic end to the final race of the JK Racing Asia Series Championship. Hare snatched the Championship from his Eurointernational teammate, Nabil Jeffri after Jeffri was hit by fierce rival, Afiq Ikhwan just two laps from the end of the race. The race started out clean with Hare making a perfect start and keeping the lead. He was followed closely by Afiq Ikhwan and Aditya Patel, as Akhil Khushlani was followed by Aidan Wright. Jeffri who started the race in seventh was already up to fifth.
On the second lap, Jeffri made a move on the battling Khushlani and Wright taking them both in one manoeuvre at turn four for fourth. Then Jeffri started to make his move on Patel taking to the inside of turn 1 for third but could not make the move stick. On the next lap Jeffri found a way past Patel to move up to third, whilst behind them Khushlani and Wright continued to fight for fifth. Jeffri caught up to Ikhwan on lap six and began to make his move on the long straight into turn four taking Ikhwan for second at the turn. From there the Championship would have been his but heading into the last turn of the second last lap, Jeffri was collected from behind ending both of their races on the spot and destroying Jeffri’s Championship. Up ahead, Hare began to have some mechanical problems and started to lose time, slowing him down and allowing Patel to catch up and overtake him for the win, causing the stands to erupt. Patel maintained the lead right to the flag taking the win for India, with Hare crossing behind him and Wright maintaining his position ahead of Khushlani for third and fourth respectively.
Hare, who is usually calm even when he wins, finally registered a moment of triumph when he jumped out of the car and hugged his Team Principal, Antonio Ferrari and his mother, Kim Montgomery after the race was over.
