2018 season continues with Rounds 3&4 at Thailand’s Buriram International Circuit May 11 – 13- Suttiluck Buncharoen joins Saravut Sereethoranakul in flying the flag on home turf
- Series welcomes Takamichi Matsuda in Lamborghini Cup
After an electrifying season-opener in Malaysia last month, the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia 2018 heads to Thailand this week for what is set to be a blistering double-header at the 4.554km Buriram International Circuit from May 11 to 13. Amongst the international field are two local heroes: Saravut Sereethoranakul of PSC, who dominated the Am class in Malaysia with brother Sarun by taking a pole position and two race wins; and Suttiluck Buncharoen, fourth in the Am class in 2017, and returning to the series from his home race onwards.
A new face on the grid for Thailand is series newcomer Takamichi Matsuda, the Japanese privateer and motorsport newcomer joining the ranks of the Lamborghini Cup.
Leading the charge into the Land of Smiles at the top of the Pro category after two races are the FFF Racing Team crew of Italian Andrea Amici and Arthur Janosz of Poland. A near-perfect season start by the 24-year-old pair saw them take two victories in the opening weekend to top the leaderboard. Indian Pro pairing Armaan Ebrahim and Anindith Reddy made a strong debut together in their Top Speed Racing Team Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO. They lie second in the Pro championship race, tied with the second FFF Racing Team crew of British teenagers Jack Bartholomew and James Pull.
Arriving in Thailand with a score to settle and determined to finally deliver on their scorching pace are the Australian Leipert crew of Ben Gersekowski and Richard Muscat. Twice thwarted in Malaysia by technical issues, the second time forced to retire from their Round 2 pole position before the race had even begun, expect a tour de force from the talented 25-year-olds in Thailand.
Japan’s Takeshi Matsumoto and Toshiyuki Ochiai top the Pro-Am class for HoJust Racing after deftly earning a pole position, win and podium finish in Malaysia. However, just three points behind is the potent Gama Racing pairing of Chinese Taipei’s Evan Chen and experienced Japanese driver Akihiro Asai. In what is already shaping up to be the closest fought of the classes, Leipert’s Finnish crew of Mikko Eskelinen and 19-year-old Juuso Puhakka trail the leaders by just five points, while there is much more to come from the thoroughly international Aylezo Motorsport crew of Malaysian privateer Kumar Prabakaran and Cédric Sbirrazzuoli of Monaco.
It is an all-Thai affair at the top of the Am standings, with the Sereethoranakul brothers’ stellar performance last month propelling them to the top of the standings. In Buriram, however, their championship hopes will be solely in the hands of Saravut, as Sarun takes time out for family commitments. The arrival of fellow countryman Buncharoen – plus the presence of Chinese Top Speed Racing Team duo of Bian and Han Huilin – will mean added pressure for Saravut at his home track.
Lamborghini Cup leaders Paul Wong and Clement Li of the 852 Challengers and last year’s vice champion, Italian Gabriele Murroni of the GDL Racing Team, are joined by newcomer Matsuda who enters the battle for silverware.
The new Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO made its series debut in Malaysia and immediately won universal praise from the championship drivers for both its superb handling performance and enhanced performance. The Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia field will take to the track for the second time this weekend, and the Hermann Tilke-designed, FIA Grade 1 circuit, located 390km North East of the Thai capital Bangkok, will bring a new set of challenges. Not least amongst these will be the searing heat of the Thai sun, with every chance of tropical downpours adding to the drama.
Two hour-long free practice slots on Friday, May 11, will be followed by qualifying sessions for each race on Saturday, with Round 3 beginning at 13:00 local time (GMT+7). Round 4 begins at 10:50 local time on Sunday, May 13. Highlights videos will be available on Lamborghini Squadra Corse social media channels.
Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia 2018
Provisional Entry List – Rounds 3&4
1. #2/Pro/Ben GERSEKOWSKI (AUS)/Richard MUSCAT (AUS)
2. #19/Pro/Jack BARTHOLOMEW (GBR)/James PULL (GBR)
3. #27/Pro/Armaan EBRAHIM (IND)/Anindith REDDY (IND)
4. #33/Pro-Am/Mikko ESKELINEN (FIN)/Juuso PUHAKKA (FIN)
5. #38/Pro-Am/Takeshi MATSUMOTO (JPN)/Toshiyuki OCHIAI (JPN)
6. #44/LC/Paul WONG (HKG)/Clement LI (HKG)
7. #55/Am/Ken URATA (JPN)/Daisuke MATSUNAGA (JPN)
8. #57/Am/Saravut SEREETHORANAKUL (THA)
9. #63/Pro/Andrea AMICI (ITA)/Artur JANOSZ (POL)
10. #68/Pro-Am/Evan CHAN (TPE)/Akihiro ASAI (JPN)
11. #69/Am/BIAN (CHN)/HAN Huilin (CHN)
12. #88/LC/Gabriele MURRONI (ITA)
13. #98/Pro-Am/Kumar PRABAKARAN (MAS)/Cédric SBIRRAZZUOLI (MCO)
14. Am/Suttiluck BUNCHAROEN (THA)/True Visions Motorsport
15. LC/Takamichi MATSUDA (JPN)/YH Racing Team
Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia 2018
Points Standings after Round 2
Pro Class
1. Andrea Amici 31
1. Artur Janosz 31
2. Armaan Ebrahim 22
2. Anindith Reddy 22
3. Jack Bartholomew 22
3. James Pull 22
4. Ben Gersekowski 1
4. Richard Muscat 1
Pro-Am Class
1. Takeshi Matsumoto 28
1. Toshiyuki Ochiai 28
2. Evan Chen 25
2. Akihiro Asai 25
3. Mikko Eskelinen 23
3. Juuso Puhakka 23
4. Prabakaran Kumar 16
4. Cedric Sbirrazzuoli 16
Am Class
1. Sarun Sereethoranakul 31
1. Saravut Sereethoranakul 31
2.Andrew Haryanto 24
3. Ken Urata 21
3. Daisuke Matsunaga 21
4. Bian 16
4. Han Huilin 16
Lamborghini Cup
1. Paul Wong 31
1. Clement Li 31
2. Gabriele Murroni 25
