Lamborghini Super Trofeo 2024 – Round 5 Shanghai Race 2
On September 15, the second round of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Challenge Shanghai race concluded successfully at the Shanghai International Circuit. The arrival of rain turned the race into chaos, with the event being suspended for over 30 minutes. In the midst of the alternating wet and dry conditions, Madness Racing Team broke through the pack. Car #88, driven by Jason Chen and Andre Couto, clinched the Pro-Am class victory again, keeping the suspense for the class's overall championship alive until the final race! Car #77, driven by Harry He and Stephen Hong, delivered an outstanding performance, securing the runner-up spot in the Am class and achieving their best result of the season!
At 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, with the extinguishing of the five red lights on the gantry, the second round of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Shanghai race officially began! Jason Chen performed exceptionally well in the early stages of the race, with car #88 gaining positions lap after lap to break into the overall top eight while maintaining second place in the Pro-Am class. Car #77, driven by Harry He, had a smooth start, holding fifth place overall before successfully overtaking two competitors in the same class to move up to third in the Am class.
During the mid-race pit stop, the team quickly responded by putting Andre Couto and Stephen Hong in for the second half of the race. With about 20 minutes remaining, the weather took a sudden turn as heavy rain poured on the latter half of the track, making the surface extremely slippery. Car #77 slid on the back straight, but fortunately, there was no collision, allowing Stephen Hong to rejoin the race. Car #88, driven by Andre Couto, suffered a rear wing fracture and break-off.
Due to the heavy rain, the race officials deployed a red flag to pause the race, allowing teams to change to wet tires and repair their cars. After a suspension of over 30 minutes, the weather cleared, and the race resumed. With less than 5 minutes left, the green flag was shown, and the drivers launched into a final sprint. Andre Couto chased hard in the wet conditions, climbing to fifth overall and first in his class. Stephen Hong also went full throttle, challenging the Am class leader.
Towards the end of the race, both Madness Racing cars demonstrated a strong speed advantage, gradually closing the gap with the cars in front. However, time ran out, preventing any further advancement in positions. In the end, car #88 finished fifth overall, with Andre Couto and Jason Chen returning to the top of the Pro-Am podium! Stephen Hong and Harry He achieved a breakthrough performance, finishing seventh overall, setting their best finish of the season, and claiming the Am class runner-up spot!
The Madness Racing Team had a fruitful weekend in Shanghai, achieving double podiums in both rounds. Cars #88 and #77 scored massive points, showcasing their strong competitiveness. The 2024 season's Asian leg of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Challenge officially came to a close. On November 14-15, the team will travel to the Jerez Circuit in Spain for the season's final showdown. Let’s look forward to the exciting performances of the team’s four skilled drivers!