3 Hours of Inje overall winner, KC Motorgroup Ltd. (KCMG) claimed its second consecutive Asian Le Mans victory at the foothills of Mount Fuji this weekend. The international motorsport group once again took the chequered flag after Richard Bradley, Hiroshi Koizumi, and James Winslow each delivered impressive stints in the second event of the Asian sports car endurance series.
The team got off to a strong start as Richard Bradley topped the timesheets during Asian Le Mans first official practice on Friday at Fuji Speedway. The KCMG Super Formula driver was fastest with 1.33.9s, setting the series’ fastest lap of the weekend. Teammate and compatriot James Winslow followed suit, setting the best lap time in Free Practice 2 the following morning.
Saturday afternoon highlighted a tight qualifying battle between Bradley and Oak Racing’s Cheng Cong Fu. The British driver secured a front row slot after Oak Racing’s frontrunner took pole position by just a mere 0.05s lead.
Starting second on the grid, Hiroshi Koizumi took the lead from Jeffrey Lee of Oak Racing during the first hour of the race. The Japanese ace headed the class at the end of his stint despite a quick spin which dropped him briefly from the lead. James Winslow took over the #18 blue and white Morgan-Nissan LMP2 and steadily increased his lead over Oak Racing’s David Cheng. Taking over the final stint with a significant advantage in the field, Richard Bradley coasted to victory-sealing KCMG’s second triumph in the celebrated Asian series.
Richard Bradley, KCMG Super Formula/Asian Le Mans Driver: “It was an amazing feeling to win this race. Since I was young, it’s been my dream to win the Le Mans 24 Hours and to win my first Le Mans race and first prototype race is an amazing feeling! It was a great effort by everyone in the team- we had flawless pit stops and I had great team mates to make this result possible!”
James Winslow, KCMG Asian Le Mans Driver: “Another great result from a great team! First time at Fuji Speedway and it’s a tough track to learn quickly especially against all the local experts, KCMG is a world class outfit and I’m proud to be a part of the team, this victory puts us firmly in the championship lead which is a good feeling”
Hiroshi Koizumi, KCMG Asian Le Mans Driver: “We had an amazing weekend and I’m very happy to be part of KCMG’s success in Japan. Winning in Asian Le Mans on my home track with a great team makes this a more meaningful accomplishment for me. Everyone did an excellent job and this has been an amazing experience. Thank you to everyone who gave their support to me and to the team in Fuji!”
Paul Ip, KCMG Managing Director: “Two consecutive victories is a great feat and I’m so proud of what the team has achieved in Japan this weekend. Richard, Koizumi-san, James and the entire crew did an exceptional job! We’ve secured the championship lead and we’re very pleased with two successive wins but the team is keen on winning the championship title so the work does not stop here. We’d like to thank everyone who has given their support in our Asian Le Mans campaign especially Oak Racing who have been extremely supportive. We’re looking forward to seeing you all in Zhuhai next month.”
The third event of the Asian Le Mans Series will be held at Zhuhai International Circuit, China on October 13. To find out more about the 2013 Asian Le Mans Series, visit www.asianlemansseries.com.
For more information about KCMG, visit www.kcmg.com.hk. To keep track of latest updates, please like KCMG’s Facebook page or follow @KCMotorgroup on Twitter.
Photo Credit: Rewind Magazine
