JONES REIGNS SUPREME IN CHENGDU

21 September 2007

SCC Racing China’s Christian Jones rounded off a perfect weekend for his SCC Racing China team with a second dominant win in Round 8 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia held in the newly-completed 3.376km Goldenport Chengdu Circuit, China. Second this time out was Cref Motorsports’ Keita Sawa followed by Briton Tim Sugden with GruppeM Racing.

At the start of his second lights-to-flag victory of the day, Jones got another lightning getaway and never looked back, building lead of more than nine seconds by the finish line. By contrast, however, Sugden got another bad start and Sawa sped by on the opening lap.

Team Vertu’s Nigel Albon was up to 2nd after turn one, but locked up and dropped to sixth. He climbed back to 4th by the end of lap 3, but wasn’t able to challenge for a podium place.

As Jones set about pulling out an impressive lead, Sawa and Sugden were nose-to-tail with the Japanese ace refusing to give the determined Briton any chance of getting by. The pair battled it out to the finish line, with Sawa apologizing to his adversary after the race.

[View Results & Standings]

Earlier, Jones showed his prowess by taking a lights-to-flag victory in Round 7, his second win in a Porsche. 

Despite his best efforts, GruppeM Racing’s Tim Sugden couldn’t catch the Australian and had to settle for second, while Cref Racing’s Keita Sawa was pleased to be on the podium in third.

Neither Australian put a wheel wrong, despite the demanding circuit and treacherous wet conditions.  Unfortunately, the 17-lap race ended under the Safety Car which was brought out after William “Chip” Connor went off.

At the start, Jones was away and clear while Sugden had a bad getaway and both Nigel Albon and Sawa were on to him immediately, with the Team Vertu driver briefly moving up to second from 4th on the grid. 

On the second lap, however, Tim and Sawa reclaimed 2nd and 3rd positions, demoting Albon to 4th. 

[View Results & Standings]

The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia runs as part of the Asian Festival of Speed, organised by Malaysian-based Motorsport Asia Limited.