Kiwi Craig Baird MNZM has moved to second overall in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia standings, following a pair of second placings in the VnC Cocktails Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car at Bejing’s Goldenport International Circuit on Sunday.
Climbing another step toward the top of the series podium, Baird’s result was again at a circuit he’d never previously driven. The two races counted toward rounds three and four (of 11) in the 2010 series, with Baird pleased at their forward progress compared the series opener at Shanghai in April.
“In some ways it’s been a great weekend – we went back to basics here, and the car is good in terms of setup, now we can concentrate on beating (Christian) Menzel,” said Baird.
On 66 points – 14 behind series leader Christian Menzel (GER), Baird’s best result was in qualifying when he was 0.128 second off the fastest time around the 2.4 kilometre circuit. Unable to capitalise on the front-row position alongside the defending series champion at the start, Baird instead had to follow Menzel’s bumper for the accident shortened 14 lap race (of 25).
In a repeat result for the afternoon 25 lap race, Baird could but follow the German, finishing 1.717 seconds behind at the chequered flag.
“I had a better start than in the first race, but still not good enough to get the advantage over Menzel. My car was probably better than his at the start of the race but you could see his team’s strategy of it coming on late-race is what kept him out of reach.”
Adding to his weekend, Baird was notified he’d been awarded the prestigious Jim Clark Trophy at the MotorSport New Zealand’s premier awards on Saturday evening.
“That was great news and is a very special award for any driver to have hold. So to me, to win it for the second successive year, makes it a very rewarding weekend – it’s just a shame I could be in New Zealand to uplift it. But it’s also a tribute to my team – the Triple X Motorsport guys, here with me, and the rest back home for our Porsche title. Plus the United Video PSR Racing team, including my father-in-law Gary Pedersen – who helped me to that V8 title.”
Returning to his Queensland home for a few weeks, Baird will reunite with his Triple X Motorsport team in China mid-June for round’s five and six, being raced at the Zhuhai International Circuit (18 – 20 June).
# # #
Results: Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2010 - Beijing International Circuit (rounds three and four).
Round 4 Results
Pos. Driver Cls Entrant Time
1 Christian MENZEL (GER) A Team StarChase (CHN) 31:03.066
2 Craig BAIRD (NZL) A Team PCS Racing (SIN) +1.717
3 Keita SAWA (JPN)* A LKM Racing (HKG) +5.326
4 Rodolfo AVILA (MAC) A Team Jebsen (HKG) +5.620
5 MOK Weng Sun (SIN) B Team PCS Racing (SIN) +11.758
6 Philip MA (HKG) A Jacob & Co Racing (HKG) +14.182
7 Jean Marc MERLIN (FRA) B Team J2M Racing (FRA) +16.934
8 Wayne SHEN (HKG) B Modena Motorsports (HKG) +17.206
9 Yuey TAN (SIN) B Wimobilize McElrea Racing (SIN) +18.035
10 Christian CHIA (CAN) B OpenRoad Racing (HKG) +22.654
Round 3 Results
Pos. Comp No. Driver Cls Entrant Time
1 Christian MENZEL (GER) A Team StarChase (CHN) 18:32.903
2 Craig BAIRD (NZL) A Team PCS Racing (SIN) +3.600
3 Marchy LEE (HKG) A Red Bull Racing (HKG) +8.067
4 Rodolfo AVILA (MAC) A Team Jebsen (HKG) +8.638
5 MOK Weng Sun (SIN) B Team PCS Racing (SIN) +13.448
6 Jean Marc MERLIN (FRA) B Team J2M Racing (FRA) +20.755
7 Philip MA (HKG) A Jacob & Co Racing (HKG) +21.245
8 Francis TJIA (HKG) B OpenRoad Racing (HKG) +24.124
9 Yuey TAN (SIN) B Wimobilize McElrea Racing (SIN) +25.259
10 Christian CHIA (CAN) B OpenRoad Racing (HKG) +29.491
2010 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Championship – overall points (after four of 11 rounds) – top-five.
N.B. each race is classified a race round
1. C Menzel (GER), 82
2. C Baird (NZL) 66
3. M Sun (SIN) 48
4. R Avila (MAC) 40
5. D O’Young (HKG) 36
Monday, May 24, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Beijing Porsche battle for Baird
Recently honoured New Zealander Craig Baird MNZM, has higher aspirations for this weekend’s second round of the 2010 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia being raced in Beijing 21-23 May. Currently third in the title standings for professional race drivers after the first two rounds, 39-year-old Baird returns to China with his Auckland based Triple X Motorsport crew, sure of an improvement in his point position.
“We started the season on a new circuit (to me) with a new car – unsure of how setup changes would alter the car characteristics. It’ll still be a new circuit, but I’ve got my head around the car so feel comfortable at setting times to put us at the front of the grid,” said the now Queensland based Kiwi.
Tackling two races at the 2.4 kilometre Goldenport International Circuit, Baird says reigning Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champion Christian Menzel is there for the taking.
“He’s a great driver to race against – so is the perfect benchmark to start our weekend alongside.” Although Baird considers Menzel’s 11 point lead perfect fodder to oust the current leader.
“Even though he has an advantage of having raced the track previously, we’ve beaten him before so I have to keep him behind me. While we can claim some of our lost ground, it’s going to take a non-finish on his part to really open up the championship - its early days.”
With strict guidelines on when the cars can be prepared for the race weekend, the team head to Beijing Monday night, acclimatising ahead of the Wednesday morning when they can un-pack the VnC Cocktails Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. Checking the car over, the team rely on local contacts to supply any parts to have the car ready for Friday testing. Following qualifying on Saturday, the two 25-lap Sunday races account for rounds three and four of the 11 race season.
Located 20 kilometres from the Beijing Capital International Airport, the weekend incorporates the Fascination Porsche event from May 21-23, which will cover a host of motorsport-related activities. Featuring a display of vintage Porsche cars, brought especially to Beijing from the Porsche museum in Stuttgart, Germany, it will include icons of Porsche performance.
The impressive line-up will comprise such notable racing cars as the 550 Spyder which Hans Hermann drove to a class victory in the Carrera Panamericana of 1954, the record-breaking Porsche 904/8, and an icon of Porsche performance, the Porsche 917 Langheck which gave Porsche its first overall victory at Le Mans in 1970. Also featured will be a Porsche 959, the model which took first and second places in the 1986 Paris-Dakar Rally.
“We started the season on a new circuit (to me) with a new car – unsure of how setup changes would alter the car characteristics. It’ll still be a new circuit, but I’ve got my head around the car so feel comfortable at setting times to put us at the front of the grid,” said the now Queensland based Kiwi.
Tackling two races at the 2.4 kilometre Goldenport International Circuit, Baird says reigning Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champion Christian Menzel is there for the taking.
“He’s a great driver to race against – so is the perfect benchmark to start our weekend alongside.” Although Baird considers Menzel’s 11 point lead perfect fodder to oust the current leader.
“Even though he has an advantage of having raced the track previously, we’ve beaten him before so I have to keep him behind me. While we can claim some of our lost ground, it’s going to take a non-finish on his part to really open up the championship - its early days.”
With strict guidelines on when the cars can be prepared for the race weekend, the team head to Beijing Monday night, acclimatising ahead of the Wednesday morning when they can un-pack the VnC Cocktails Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. Checking the car over, the team rely on local contacts to supply any parts to have the car ready for Friday testing. Following qualifying on Saturday, the two 25-lap Sunday races account for rounds three and four of the 11 race season.
Located 20 kilometres from the Beijing Capital International Airport, the weekend incorporates the Fascination Porsche event from May 21-23, which will cover a host of motorsport-related activities. Featuring a display of vintage Porsche cars, brought especially to Beijing from the Porsche museum in Stuttgart, Germany, it will include icons of Porsche performance.
The impressive line-up will comprise such notable racing cars as the 550 Spyder which Hans Hermann drove to a class victory in the Carrera Panamericana of 1954, the record-breaking Porsche 904/8, and an icon of Porsche performance, the Porsche 917 Langheck which gave Porsche its first overall victory at Le Mans in 1970. Also featured will be a Porsche 959, the model which took first and second places in the 1986 Paris-Dakar Rally.
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