The three youngest drivers on the grid completed the podium in Round 4 of the 2016 Audi R8 LMS Cup at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand. Martin Rump of Champion Racing Team put in a masterclass performance to win from pole, while the second place of Alessio Picariello of MGT Team by Absolute fired the talented Belgian into the overall championship lead. Jan Kisiel of KCMG achieved his first podium in the Audi R8 LMS Cup, coming in third.
Following two highly contested races in front of 10,000 fans under the scorching Thailand sun, Picariello leads the 2016 Audi R8 LMS Cup with 65 points. Behind him are reigning champion and Round 3 winner, Alex Yoong of Audi TEDA Racing Team (62 points), and Rump (61 points).
“The intense competition between the Cup rookies and the established drivers has been the story of the season so far. Today was the day of the youngsters. Congratulations to Martin Rump, Alessio Picariello and Jan Kisiel for their great performances,” said Bernd Goeres, Director of Audi Sport customer racing Asia.
After the standing start, Rump took off and never looked back to seal his second win of the season. The young Estonian also recorded the fastest lap time of the race, further underscoring his great form. Behind him Picariello had quickly navigated from fourth to second, passing Yoong and Kisiel, despite carrying 35 kilograms of race success ballast from his second place in Saturday’s Round 3.
Kisiel successfully held off an attacking Yoong during the early stages of the race, who was later overtaken by Marchy Lee of Audi Hong Kong. KCMG’s Ryo Ogawa then put heavy pressure on Yoong, but the Malaysian clung to his position to collect valuable points for his title defence.
Further down the field, Indian driver Aditya Patel of Team Audi R8 LMS Cup had to retire after sustaining damage when Swiss GT specialist Rahel Frey of Castrol Racing Team hit him from behind just after the start.
The 2016 Audi R8 LMS Cup is not only highly contested, the Asian sprint race series also boasts a wide range of diverse international talent with drivers from 14 different countries having competed in Buriram.
Jeffrey Lee of Team Audi Volkswagen Taiwan once again clinched the top spot in the Amateur Cup classification ahead of Phoenix Racing’s Alex Au. Local Thailand privateer, Bhurit Bhirombhakdi, of Absolute Racing also triumphed, celebrating on the third step of the podium in front of a packed grandstand of local fans.
Reigning Amateur Cup champion Daniel Bilski of B-Quik Racing scored back-to-back Masters Cup victories this weekend on his team’s home turf in Thailand.
Rounds 5 and 6 of the Audi R8 LMS Cup will take place on August 13 and 14 at the Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.