SAWA GAINS 1st PORSCHE CARRERA CUP ASIA VICTORY

7 May 2007

Cref Motorsports’ Keita Sawa put forth a superlative performance to take victory in Round 4 of the 2007 Asian Festival of Speed's Porsche Carrera Cup Asia while second place went to Thailand’s Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak, followed by Team Vertu’s Nigel Albon.

Sawa took his first Porsche Carrera Cup Asia victory after championship leader Tim Sugden was given a drive through penalty for anticipating the start.

SCC Racing’s Christian Jones (left), who was running 2nd for most of the race, was forced to retire with radiator damage caused when he challenged Sugden for the lead.

As they battled it out in the closing stages of the race, Sawa, Vutthikorn (below left) and Albon (below) were completely unaware they were chasing the three podium places.

At the start, pole-sitter GruppeM Racing’s Sugden got away well, too well according to race officials, with Jones hot on his trail.

Behind them, however, this time it was Sawa who stole the march on Albon, moving up to 3rd after a few tense seconds where the pair were side by side.

Behind them, Sunseeker Asia’s Alain Li (left) was challenging Team Hayashi’s Dilantha Malagamuwa when the pair came together, colliding and spinning.

Li embarked on yet another charge through the field, before spinning again and retiring.

Jones’ made his move for the win on lap 15, but experienced triumphed and Sugden (right) grabbed back the lead. Jones retired shortly afterwards, while Sugden took his penalty.

Oblivious to the fact he had secured a podium finish, Albon was pushing Vutthikorn hard in the closing stages as he held Albon at bay to the chequered flag.

In the overall championship classification, GruppeM Racing's Tim Sugden tops the Class A leaderboard, while Sawa holds second, just eight points behind, with Vutthikorn in third. Sugden had earlier taken a dominant win in Round 3, his third straight, over SCC Racing’s Christian Jones and Thailand’s Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak.

[View Results & Standings]