Audi R8 LMS Cup 2013 – Rounds 5 & 6 completed in Inje, South Korea
The Audi R8 LMS Cup series which premiered in China last year as the world’s first Audi one-make series made another milestone this weekend having just completed its first ever race outside China ahead of upcoming rounds in Sepang, Shanghai, and Macau. The newly-built Inje Speedium in South Korea played host to the action-packed fifth and sixth rounds of the series’ only second season in existence.
LMS in the race series’ name stands for Le Mans Series, and these two rounds of the R8 LMS Cup were support races to the first of four rounds of the Asian Le Mans Series. Other support races that were also held over the weekend were two rounds each of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and Ferrari Challenge cup.
A total of 18 drivers participated in this weekend’s races separated into professional and amateur categories. Household names on the grid included Malaysia’s former F1 driver Alex Yoong, who led the championship standings going into the weekend, and Hong Kong Canto-pop star Aaron Kwok competing as a gentleman (amateur) driver under the Audi Hong Kong team banner. Other big guns included 2012 champion Marchy Lee, Adderly Fong, Earl Bamber, and local talent Kyong-Ouk You.
This being a one-make series, all competitors use units of the Audi R8 with specifications that are very close to the road car, albeit stripped of all luxuries. The direct injected 5.2 FSI V10 is in a virtually identical state of tune to the road car, producing 560hp and over 500Nm of torque. All cars are serviced and maintained by technicians employed by Audi, who are also present at race weekends to set the vehicles up.
Mated to the engine is a 6-speed paddle shift-operated sequential gearbox based on the R-tronic automated single clutch manual transmission. Unlike the road-going model, however, the LMS car has a clutch pedal that allows the driver to manually disengage the clutch during start off. To help extend the clutch’s life span, the cars are flagged off from the race in a rolling start, thus removing the need for brutal clutch-dumping standing starts. It is worth noting also that the from 2012 onwards, the roadgoing R8 had switched to a 7-speed S-tronic dual clutch transmission.
The Inje Speedium is unfamiliar ground and is described by msot drivers as a challenging circuit. Reminiscent of European track, it has considerable elevation changes. The track claimed its first victim during qualifying in the form of championship leader Alex Yoong who had to sit out the rest of the day as his car underwent repairs. Yoong started Round 6 on Sunday from the back of the grid.
Round 5 got off to a storming start, with an accident forcing four drivers out of the equation early on. Kyong-Ouk You and Cheng Congfu both spun and took Naomi Zhang Ran and Massimo Vignali along with them, ending the race for all four of them. Aaron Kwok’s car took some damage as well, but a quick pit stop allowed his mechanics to quickly patch his car together and get back to rejoin the back of the pack which was being paced by the safety car.
After the safety car’s return to the pits, pole starter Earl Bamber of New Zealand pulled clear and was unstoppable as he took the chequered flag with eight seconds to spare. Coming behind him were Adderly Fong and Marchy Lee in second and third places respectively. The amateur category was won by Alex Au who finished ahead of second-placed Erik K and third-placed Jacky Yeung.
Having won Round 5 comfortably, Bamber headed into Round 6 in a comfortable mood and looked set for a repeat performance as he pulled convincingly clear of the chasing pack. From the back, Alex Yoong made an excellent start as well, clawing up 10 positions to occupy seventh place after only one lap. Yoong continued to push hard and eventually settled for a very credible fourth place finish to bag precious points in the championship standings.
Another driver who recovered from a losing position was rising Chinese star Cheng Congfu, who spun off the track on lap three and dropped to seventh position. Cheng was nevertheless able to recover, and in a thrilling three-way battle between himself, K.O. You, and Alex Yoong for fourth place, Cheng emerged triumphant.
The picture was less rosy for New Zealander Earl Bamber, however, as his car suffered fuel pressure problems on lap 13 and forced him to retire. Marchy Lee took the lead from that point on, and there was time for one more dramatic incident as an overly-aggressive Adderly Fong spun off the track whilst pressing for victory. Having built a comfortable gap over third-placed Cheng, Fong was able to recover quickly enough to hold on to second place, but the road was clear for Marchy to take the chequered flag, but not before nearly ploughing into a back marker. In the amateur category, Alex Au completed a sweet personal double by finishing top amongst his peers once again ahead of Eric K and Aaron Kwok.
After two races over the weekend, Adderly Fong now leads the championship with 105 points ahead of Marchy Lee on 91. Alex Yoong sits two points behind on 89, and he’ll seek to address that deficit on home soil when the series comes to Malaysia on the weekend of 28-31 August to coincide with the Merdeka Millenium Endurance race at the Sepang International Circuit.
Pictures:
– On Track: Official Audi release.
– Pit and Grid: Kon.
