Heading the 2010 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA) standings before this weekend’s double points race at the Shanghai International Circuit in China, New Zealand race driver Craig Baird had a nightmare run on wet tyres in what will be his final round of the series.
Calendared to be the final round of the 2010 championship, Baird struggled with grip from recycled tyres in the wet qualifying conditions. He trailed pace-setter and defending champion Christian Menzel (Germany) by 1.924 seconds. Tracking a shortened circuit of 4.603 kilometres, Baird and his Auckland based Triple X Motorsport crew had to settle for a starting position of fourth for the Saturday afternoon 11-lap race.
Again in wet weather, Baird fought conditions in the VnC Cocktails Porsche GT3 RS 997, ultimately dropping a position to finish fifth.
“We were out for a pasting,” said a dejected Baird. “And we got hosed.”
“It’s hard for all of us here, having been going so well and then be so far away.”
While stopping short of explaining the tyre and grip situation, the team managed different tyres for the Sunday finale. In drier conditions Baird snared two places early to finish third for the race. The net result drops the 40-year-old ex-pat Kiwi to second in the standings, from a four point lead to a nine point deficit.
Attempting to resolve the recent extension of the calendar season by organisers to move the final weekend to early November, Baird and his Triple X Motorsport team will instead concentrate on his New Zealand championships.
“We’ve done pretty well for a first season; it’s just a shame the Porsche spirit was lost and the calendar for the final weekend was suddenly changed without regard for other teams’, including our own.”
“Second was our best in the end – I just hope that doesn’t get taken away because we have to choose defending multiple championship titles in New Zealand the same weekend they decided to move the Asian final to.”
Monday, October 25, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Porsche Asia interfere with FIA calendar – and deny Baird title shot
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA) management has come under fire for altering dates sanctioned by the Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA) by the series leader Craig Baird and his New Zealand based Triple X Motorsport team.
Their rookie year in the illustrious manufacturer series has seen them fight off intense competition to hold a slender lead after what was calendared to be the penultimate event for the 2010 season. That position is now threatened by a late change to the series by sporting management that would scuttle the 40-year-old Kiwi’s chance of the title.
“In reality I have Hobson’s choice”, a disgruntled Baird revealed to the press today. “When we entered the series the dates were all set out and subsequently confirmed by the FIA. Nothing conflicted with what we were doing in New Zealand for 2010/2011. Now out of the blue and almost at the end of the series the organisers have gone outside the governing body’s approved calendar to slot in a new round.”
Baird has two championship titles to defend in New Zealand, with the 2010/2011 season starting the same weekend as the proposed Porsche Carrera Cup Asia race in China (5-7 November).
“Our team contracted to both series on the basis of there not being any date clashes,” he added.
Team Principal Shane McKillen of Triple X Motorsport says there appears to be little regard for rules in a series that has provided the team with fantastic competition in their inaugural international season.
“Quite simply they have opted to extend the season without regard to the International Sporting Code which governs the running of the series,” he said from his New Zealand base.
“Despite the team’s legal advisers taking this to the organisers, bigger interests seem to be involved in their decision.”
“Ultimately it is the Porsche brand that will be tarnished by their lack of authority to abide by a set calendar – which will effectively deny Baird a fair chance of competing for the title. We entered in good faith and for the chance to win – without breaking or infringing our own contracts.”
Having completed eight races out of the original 10 scheduled for 2010, Baird leads defending champion Christian Menzel (Germany) by a slender four points.
“To date this series has been fantastic in its competitive nature and has run on and been a supporter to Formula One events. However what international team or driver would ever contemplate running in this series in the future if the organisers can add rounds ad hoc to suit themselves and the outcome?”
“Hopefully a successful resolution will be obtained before the team is committed to sending its team to Shanghai for what should be the final round on the 22/23 October,” McKillen said.
Currently the team are in last minute discussions with the local ASN (National Sporting Authority) and the FIA to see whether they will intervene before the event is run as a championship round.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Bamber earns €200,000 in two weekends
Young New Zealand race driver Earl Bamber (20, Wanganui) has struck major prize money twice in as many weekends, driving the Chinese rounds of the illustrious Superleague Formula (SF) global racing series.
Winner of the 2010 New Zealand Grand Prix with Auckland’s Triple X Motorsport (VnC Cocktails Mad Butcher Toyota FT40), Bamber has now secured double victory piloting a V12 powered 750 horsepower wings-and-slicks car. Treacherous conditions around the street-circuit in Beijing’s Shunyi district over the weekend saw Bamber excel to win his second cheque for €100,000 in as many weekends.
Originally drafted by the 12-round series as a television commentator, the 20-year-old was offered a last minute opportunity to drive for the FC Porto team when their original driver was unable to obtain a visa to enter the country,
Following a thrilling battle in the six-car, five-lap, dash-for-cash weekend-ending race at Ordos International Circuit that netted him his first €100,000, Bamber was offered to then drive for the PSV Eindhoven for the Beijing weekend.
Bamber’s switch netted the same overall winning result, where he again out-classed the regular European based competition on a circuit he’d never seen before and in diabolical conditions.
“It was a tighter version of the Hamilton street circuit,” described Bamber of the track. “Except we were doing 250km/h through the chicane.”
Qualifying for the two Sunday races went against Bamber, when car handling issues and a strategic plan failed: “I had a plan of heading out late in the session, but was struggling with the brakes.”
Just as Bamber was about to set out, the session was ended when one of the cars crashed, leaving him 18th on the time sheets and having to start from the back of the grid for the opening race on Sunday.
Finishing an incredible sixth, he started from ninth in the afternoon race, working through to second before the race was stopped to clear the track where the race leader went off.
Expecting to start from pole at the re-start, Bamber had to settle for second when the previous leader was reinstated. Following him for the remaining five minutes, Bamber didn’t quite get past in the run to the chequered flag.
With the Super Final five-lap dash-for-cash cancelled due to deteriorating track and weather conditions, Bamber’s points tally left him atop the prize winners podium.
“I can’t believe it. We started last on the grid for race one so I never thought we’d be leaving with a cheque for €100,000! It was so dark when they restarted the race that I couldn’t even see the buttons on my steering wheel! I just followed Álvaro (Parente) and watched his rear light to see what line he was taking. Maybe China is lucky for me. I certainly can’t complain about €200,000 in two weekends!”
Having only contested two of the 12 rounds, Bamber is placed seventh on the winners table and has pledged his earnings to the respective race teams. The winning trophies are to be added to the Triple X Motorsport collection where Bamber has his New Zealand Grand Prix trophy stored.
SF Round 11 China- Race 1 results
Location: Beijing
Date: 10th October 2010
Race 1 - SF Round 11 China – Classification – top ten.
Pos Car # Club Driver Time/Gap
1, 19, Tottenham Hotspur, Craig Dolby, 40:05.209
2, 33, Girondins de Bordeaux, Franck Perera, 3.047
3, 1, Liverpool, Frédéric Vervisch, 4.891
4, 69, Olympique Lyonnais, Tristan Gommendy, 11.747
5, 2, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Adrián Vallés, 13.932
6, 5, PSV Eindhoven, Earl Bamber, 16.099
7, 3, AC Milan, Yelmer Buurman, 16.714
8, 22, AS Roma, Julien Jousse, 19.397
9, 9, Olympiacos, Ben Hanley, 46.750s
10, 88, Team China, Ma Qing Hua, 14 laps
SF Round 11 China- Race 2 results
Location: Beijing
Date: 10th October 2010
Race 2 - SF Round 11 China – Classification – top ten.
Pos Car # Club Driver Time/Gap
1, 16, FC Porto Álvaro Parente, 49:18.621
2, 5, PSV Eindhoven, Earl Bamber, 0.844
3, 3, AC Milan, Yelmer Buurman, 2.633
4, 18, Sevilla FC, Marcos Martínez, 2.696
5, 15, Atlético de Madrid, Paul Meijer, 9.353
6, 24, Beijing Guoan FC, John Martin, 31.651
7, 1, Liverpool Frédéric Vervisch, 1 lap
8, 19, Tottenham Hotspur, Craig Dolby, 1 lap
9, 2, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Adrián Vallés, 1 lap
10, 33, Girondins de Bordeaux, Franck Perera, 1 lap
Winner of the 2010 New Zealand Grand Prix with Auckland’s Triple X Motorsport (VnC Cocktails Mad Butcher Toyota FT40), Bamber has now secured double victory piloting a V12 powered 750 horsepower wings-and-slicks car. Treacherous conditions around the street-circuit in Beijing’s Shunyi district over the weekend saw Bamber excel to win his second cheque for €100,000 in as many weekends.
Originally drafted by the 12-round series as a television commentator, the 20-year-old was offered a last minute opportunity to drive for the FC Porto team when their original driver was unable to obtain a visa to enter the country,
Following a thrilling battle in the six-car, five-lap, dash-for-cash weekend-ending race at Ordos International Circuit that netted him his first €100,000, Bamber was offered to then drive for the PSV Eindhoven for the Beijing weekend.
Bamber’s switch netted the same overall winning result, where he again out-classed the regular European based competition on a circuit he’d never seen before and in diabolical conditions.
“It was a tighter version of the Hamilton street circuit,” described Bamber of the track. “Except we were doing 250km/h through the chicane.”
Qualifying for the two Sunday races went against Bamber, when car handling issues and a strategic plan failed: “I had a plan of heading out late in the session, but was struggling with the brakes.”
Just as Bamber was about to set out, the session was ended when one of the cars crashed, leaving him 18th on the time sheets and having to start from the back of the grid for the opening race on Sunday.
Finishing an incredible sixth, he started from ninth in the afternoon race, working through to second before the race was stopped to clear the track where the race leader went off.
Expecting to start from pole at the re-start, Bamber had to settle for second when the previous leader was reinstated. Following him for the remaining five minutes, Bamber didn’t quite get past in the run to the chequered flag.
With the Super Final five-lap dash-for-cash cancelled due to deteriorating track and weather conditions, Bamber’s points tally left him atop the prize winners podium.
“I can’t believe it. We started last on the grid for race one so I never thought we’d be leaving with a cheque for €100,000! It was so dark when they restarted the race that I couldn’t even see the buttons on my steering wheel! I just followed Álvaro (Parente) and watched his rear light to see what line he was taking. Maybe China is lucky for me. I certainly can’t complain about €200,000 in two weekends!”
Having only contested two of the 12 rounds, Bamber is placed seventh on the winners table and has pledged his earnings to the respective race teams. The winning trophies are to be added to the Triple X Motorsport collection where Bamber has his New Zealand Grand Prix trophy stored.
SF Round 11 China- Race 1 results
Location: Beijing
Date: 10th October 2010
Race 1 - SF Round 11 China – Classification – top ten.
Pos Car # Club Driver Time/Gap
1, 19, Tottenham Hotspur, Craig Dolby, 40:05.209
2, 33, Girondins de Bordeaux, Franck Perera, 3.047
3, 1, Liverpool, Frédéric Vervisch, 4.891
4, 69, Olympique Lyonnais, Tristan Gommendy, 11.747
5, 2, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Adrián Vallés, 13.932
6, 5, PSV Eindhoven, Earl Bamber, 16.099
7, 3, AC Milan, Yelmer Buurman, 16.714
8, 22, AS Roma, Julien Jousse, 19.397
9, 9, Olympiacos, Ben Hanley, 46.750s
10, 88, Team China, Ma Qing Hua, 14 laps
SF Round 11 China- Race 2 results
Location: Beijing
Date: 10th October 2010
Race 2 - SF Round 11 China – Classification – top ten.
Pos Car # Club Driver Time/Gap
1, 16, FC Porto Álvaro Parente, 49:18.621
2, 5, PSV Eindhoven, Earl Bamber, 0.844
3, 3, AC Milan, Yelmer Buurman, 2.633
4, 18, Sevilla FC, Marcos Martínez, 2.696
5, 15, Atlético de Madrid, Paul Meijer, 9.353
6, 24, Beijing Guoan FC, John Martin, 31.651
7, 1, Liverpool Frédéric Vervisch, 1 lap
8, 19, Tottenham Hotspur, Craig Dolby, 1 lap
9, 2, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Adrián Vallés, 1 lap
10, 33, Girondins de Bordeaux, Franck Perera, 1 lap
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Baird scoops international Porsche series lead
Leading New Zealand race car driver Craig Baird is still in awe after taking the series lead in the 2010 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA) at what was initially the penultimate round in Singapore two weeks ago.
Winning two from two races on the streets of Marina Bay as a support class to the Formula One race, Baird’s table topping position has the 40-year-old Gold Coast based Kiwi elated at the team’s performance in its first year offshore.
Driving the #32 VnC Cocktails Porsche 997, the car was decked out in SC Global livery in a one-round deal with the Singapore corporate that saw Baird take his first ever win in the Asian series.
“We’ve got a recipe that’s worked for many years and relies on key individuals like Triple X Motorsport’s Todd and Ian plus Shane from VnC Cocktails. We all know what each other is thinking – so things get done and it makes life easier at being championship leaders,” said Baird, who has a four-point lead in a field of 29 international drivers.
The team’s first season in the Asian championship, Baird says the learning curve that sees them at the front doesn’t truly illustrate how tough the series is.
“You’ve got to remember we’re against the likes of defending champion Christian Menzel (Germany), who’s racing Porsche’s every weekend somewhere in Europe. His engineer is involved in the Porsche Supercup series and together they have done a lot of testing with the car and tyre combination used in the Asia championship.”
“Menzel finished fourth in his first year – where we’ve been second most of the season and now taken the series lead - putting it in to perspective.”
“We have to work smarter at beating their working harder – particularly at learning the brand new car and race circuits I’ve never seen before. As team we’ve moved forward – and will keep doing what we’re doing; especially now we’ve really started to take it to them.”
With the Singapore event the only circuit on the series Baird has contested before, he says it made a big difference to his chances given the unknown state of the car following significant damage repairs since he last drove it.
“It was a massive advantage having raced at the Singapore street circuit before – but that’s what the rest of the field is used to, whereas we’re still learning our way.”
Attention now turns to the addition of another round to the 2010 calendar – pushing the final date out to clash with the start of New Zealand’s summer series. Initially with one event left to contest for the season, Baird says there is a real dilemma ahead: “We have to weigh up trying to secure the PCCA title or focus more on the un-broken title streak in New Zealand – which is complicated by our backers being New Zealand businesses.
In-between, Baird’s next event is the Asian Festival of Speed at the Guangdong International circuit in China, 22 – 24 October.
2010 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia championship points (after round 8 of 10) – top five
1, Craig Baird, NZL, 120
2, Christian Menzel, GER, 116
3, Marchy Lee, HKG, 106
4, Mok Weng Sun, SIN, 96
5, Rodolfo Avila, MAC, 79
PCCA round 7 results - top ten
1, Craig BAIRD (NZL), SC Global Racing (SIN), 29:12.272
2, Darryl O’YOUNG (HKG), LKM Racing (HKG), +0.347
3, Marchy LEE (HKG), Red Bull Racing (HKG), +14.758
4, Rodolfo AVILA (MAC), Team Jebsen (HKG), +29.288
5, MOK Weng Sun (SIN), Team PCS Racing (SIN), +46.602
6, Ringo CHONG (SIN), Team Kangshun (CHN), +46.983
7, Philip MA (HKG), Jacob & Co Racing (HKG), +1:31.427
8, Jean Marc MERLIN (FRA), Team J2M Racing (FRA), +1:38.769
9, Wayne SHEN (HKG), Modena Motorsports (HKG), +1.46.963
10, Jeffrey LEE (TPE), Team Pauian Archiland (TPE), +1:48.150
PCCA round 8 results - top ten
1, Craig BAIRD (NZL),SC Global Racing (SIN), 28:49.024
2, Marchy LEE (HKG),Red Bull Racing (HKG), +2.251
3, Darryl O’YOUNG (HKG),LKM Racing (HKG), +3.114
4, Christian MENZEL (GER), Team StarChase (CHN), +11.078
5, Rodolfo AVILA (MAC), Team Jebsen (HKG), +21.138
6, MOK Weng Sun (SIN), Team PCS Racing (SIN), +53.741
7, Ringo CHONG (SIN), Team Kangshun (CHN), +56.339
8, Jeffrey LEE (TPE), Team Pauian Archiland (TPE), +58.901
9, Francis TJIA (HKG), OpenRoad Racing (HKG), +60.456
10, Philip MA (HKG), Jacob & Co Racing (HKG), +61.854
Winning two from two races on the streets of Marina Bay as a support class to the Formula One race, Baird’s table topping position has the 40-year-old Gold Coast based Kiwi elated at the team’s performance in its first year offshore.
Driving the #32 VnC Cocktails Porsche 997, the car was decked out in SC Global livery in a one-round deal with the Singapore corporate that saw Baird take his first ever win in the Asian series.
“We’ve got a recipe that’s worked for many years and relies on key individuals like Triple X Motorsport’s Todd and Ian plus Shane from VnC Cocktails. We all know what each other is thinking – so things get done and it makes life easier at being championship leaders,” said Baird, who has a four-point lead in a field of 29 international drivers.
The team’s first season in the Asian championship, Baird says the learning curve that sees them at the front doesn’t truly illustrate how tough the series is.
“You’ve got to remember we’re against the likes of defending champion Christian Menzel (Germany), who’s racing Porsche’s every weekend somewhere in Europe. His engineer is involved in the Porsche Supercup series and together they have done a lot of testing with the car and tyre combination used in the Asia championship.”
“Menzel finished fourth in his first year – where we’ve been second most of the season and now taken the series lead - putting it in to perspective.”
“We have to work smarter at beating their working harder – particularly at learning the brand new car and race circuits I’ve never seen before. As team we’ve moved forward – and will keep doing what we’re doing; especially now we’ve really started to take it to them.”
With the Singapore event the only circuit on the series Baird has contested before, he says it made a big difference to his chances given the unknown state of the car following significant damage repairs since he last drove it.
“It was a massive advantage having raced at the Singapore street circuit before – but that’s what the rest of the field is used to, whereas we’re still learning our way.”
Attention now turns to the addition of another round to the 2010 calendar – pushing the final date out to clash with the start of New Zealand’s summer series. Initially with one event left to contest for the season, Baird says there is a real dilemma ahead: “We have to weigh up trying to secure the PCCA title or focus more on the un-broken title streak in New Zealand – which is complicated by our backers being New Zealand businesses.
In-between, Baird’s next event is the Asian Festival of Speed at the Guangdong International circuit in China, 22 – 24 October.
2010 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia championship points (after round 8 of 10) – top five
1, Craig Baird, NZL, 120
2, Christian Menzel, GER, 116
3, Marchy Lee, HKG, 106
4, Mok Weng Sun, SIN, 96
5, Rodolfo Avila, MAC, 79
PCCA round 7 results - top ten
1, Craig BAIRD (NZL), SC Global Racing (SIN), 29:12.272
2, Darryl O’YOUNG (HKG), LKM Racing (HKG), +0.347
3, Marchy LEE (HKG), Red Bull Racing (HKG), +14.758
4, Rodolfo AVILA (MAC), Team Jebsen (HKG), +29.288
5, MOK Weng Sun (SIN), Team PCS Racing (SIN), +46.602
6, Ringo CHONG (SIN), Team Kangshun (CHN), +46.983
7, Philip MA (HKG), Jacob & Co Racing (HKG), +1:31.427
8, Jean Marc MERLIN (FRA), Team J2M Racing (FRA), +1:38.769
9, Wayne SHEN (HKG), Modena Motorsports (HKG), +1.46.963
10, Jeffrey LEE (TPE), Team Pauian Archiland (TPE), +1:48.150
PCCA round 8 results - top ten
1, Craig BAIRD (NZL),SC Global Racing (SIN), 28:49.024
2, Marchy LEE (HKG),Red Bull Racing (HKG), +2.251
3, Darryl O’YOUNG (HKG),LKM Racing (HKG), +3.114
4, Christian MENZEL (GER), Team StarChase (CHN), +11.078
5, Rodolfo AVILA (MAC), Team Jebsen (HKG), +21.138
6, MOK Weng Sun (SIN), Team PCS Racing (SIN), +53.741
7, Ringo CHONG (SIN), Team Kangshun (CHN), +56.339
8, Jeffrey LEE (TPE), Team Pauian Archiland (TPE), +58.901
9, Francis TJIA (HKG), OpenRoad Racing (HKG), +60.456
10, Philip MA (HKG), Jacob & Co Racing (HKG), +61.854
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