FMCS, Wells Ends Stellar 2014 Race Year With Race 18 Victory, Shanghai
Results – Race 18, Shanghai International Circuit, China. Briton Dan Wells (23) of Cebu Pacific Air by KCMG took the final win of the 2014 Formula Masters China Series (FMCS), getting past pole-sitter Jake Parsons (19) of Meritus.GP to claim his second series victory in Race 18 at the Sports Car Champions Festival at the Shanghai International Circuit.
While China and the region’s leading international junior single seater championship had crowned its 2014 champion, New Zealand’s James Munro (17) of Cebu Pacific Air by KCMG, in yesterday’s Race 17, the field of the region’s top junior talents was determined to battle it out one final time this season. Already secured a third-place finish in the championship, Wells left it all on the line and on Lap 5 made a move on Parsons for the lead. Japan’s Yuya Motojima (23) of Super License rounded out the podium in third, while Eurasia Motorsport driver Pu Ju Jin was named the weekend’s Best Chinese Driver.
Munro, who battled with Motojima for the third and final podium position, finished fourth, while championship runner-up Matthew Solomon (18) of Eurasia Motorsport was fifth.
While Munro, Solomon, Wells and Parsons wrapped up first through fourth yesterday, Hong Kong driver Ronald Wu (20) of Zen Motorsport claimed fifth in the championship, just ahead of Indonesians Darma Hutomo (16) of Humpuss Junior Racing Team and Andersen Martono (17) of Meritus.GP, who tied for sixth.
Starting from pole, Parsons got away cleanly at the start, while Wells overtook team mate Munro to move into second. But two opening lap incidents brought out the Safety Car on Lap 2 – newly crowned Best Chinese Driver Trophy winner Yuan Bo and German Philip Hamprecht (17) of Super License made contact ending Yuan’s race, while a second incident forced Australian Aidan Read (15) of Eurasia Motorsport to retire. Racing resumed on Lap 4 and Parsons held the lead, but a determined Wells was right behind him. Just a lap later, Wells seized the opportunity to get by his rival and pulled into the lead, a position he would hold for the remainder of the 11-lap race.
Behind the leading pair was a ferocious battle for third place. Munro attempted to fend off a resolute Motojima, but the Japanese driver got past on Lap 8 to take the final podium position. Meanwhile, Solomon, who unfortunately saw his championship hopes dashed after a gearshift problem in yesterday’s Race 16, moved up from seventh to fifth and showed his pace by setting the race’s fastest lap.
After Wells got past, Parsons tucked in behind in second. Staying three-tenths of a second behind, the Australian thought of making a move on the final lap, but a slight error meant he was unable to get close enough to pull it off.
Today’s Race 18 concludes the 2014 Formula Masters China Series, with six race weekends of thrilling non-stop action which has left fans of the edge of their seats all season long.
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