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Asian Formula Renault Series 2017 Round 09 - Shanghai

Source：Asian Formula Renault Post：2017-08-27

The championship leader Charles Leong of BlackArts Racing started from Pole. He would be able to clinch the title if he could win the race. His teammate Pavan Ravishankar started alongside him on the front-row. Local favourite Cao Zhuo from Asia Racing Team started from third.

Charles Leong made a great start and kept the lead going into the T1. But chaos all round as Allen Wang who started from 15th stalled on the grid. Hugo Hung and David Pun all took to the grass to avoid car No.86.

Charles Leong had a comfortable early part of the race as he built himself a 4s lead on lap 4. Daniel Lu who started from 5th was charging through the grid and overtook Victor Liang to take 2nd place. Cao Zhuo recovered from his terrible start to re-take 3rd. The top four drivers broke away from the pack to form the leading group.

Pavan Ravishankar spun on lap 6 and was trapped in the gravel. He retired from the race and triggered the safety car. As the field bunched up, Charles Leong found himself being challenged by the determined Daniel Lu. When the racing resumed on the final lap, Daniel Lu punched straight away to take the lead. Charles Leong later admitted that he was thinking about the championship so didn’t defend as hard as he could have been.

But this move kept the title chase alive. Race winner Daniel Lu said:” The safety car was the key factor of the race. Although Charles had a big lead in the championship, but mathematically I can still win. So never say never. I will keep applying the pressure.”

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