OAK Racing welcomes David Cheng for 6 Hours of Shanghai
The penultimate round of the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship, the 6 Hours of Shanghai, will take place in China on 9th November. LMP2 Championship leaders, OAK Racing, will be entering three Morgan-Nissan LMP2s built by its constructors’ department, Onroak Automotive, shod with Dunlop tyres, and the team’s driver line up will feature the only Chinese driver on the entry list, David Cheng.
Teamed with Jacques Nicolet and Keiko Ihara in the No.45, the young Chinese hot shot will be on familiar territory. While the 6 Hours of Shanghai is his first race in the WEC, he’s already familiar with the 5.450km circuit and the Morgan LMP2, which he has been driving in the Asian Le Mans Series for the OAK Racing Team Total since the start of the championship.
He recently won the 3 Hours of Shanghai with his fellow-countrymen Ho Pin Tung and Shaun Thong, a brilliant confirmation of his progress since the start of the season. He began racing in endurance in 2011 in Formula Le Mans in the American Le Mans Series. This year he is also competing in the US Series and he won his category in the Sebring 12 Hours in March. The young Chinese driver can count on the support of Keiko Ihara and Jacques Nicolet to fly his country’s colours in Shanghai.
For this event the no. 45 Morgan-Nissan LM P2 will have a special livery, which combines the design of the Art Car of the 90th anniversary of the Le Mans 24 Hours and the colours of Total Lubricants China, the team’s partner in the Asian Le Mans Series.
After the aborted race in Japan the whole OAK Racing Team is looking forward to taking on its rivals in more normal climatic conditions. Bertrand Baguette, Martin Plowman and Ricardo Gonzalez in the no. 35 Morgan-Nissan, currently lying first in the championship ratings, are determined to increase their lead.
Olivier Pla, Alex Brundle and David Heinemeier Hansson in no. 24, who are in third place behind Pecom Racing, are going to go flat out to close the gap and add a top-3 finish to their results.
David Cheng, no. 45 Morgan-Nissan LM P2: “It is very exciting for me to have the opportunity to compete in the Shanghai round of the WEC with our OAK Racing. To have another chance to race in front of my home crowd and our partners Total Lubricants China and Orsun is very special. As the only Chinese driver in the field, I'm looking to bring home the best results we can and carry on the momentum from our recent victory in ASLMS Zhuhai.”
Martin Plowman, no. 35 Morgan-Nissan LM P2: "I'm really looking forward to getting to race at China. Shanghai is another new track for me, but the team has helped me to overcome the challenge of going to many new tracks this year. It was a shame that we didn’t get to race in Japan, although I can't complain about the result and points we left with. The 35 car is 100% focused on winning the championship and I will do everything in my power to help get the job done!"
Alex Brundle, no. 24 Morgan-Nissan LM P2: 'It doesn't seem long since we were disembarking our flight home from the latest round of the series but I am more than ready to go again. Shanghai will be another venue for me to learn and another chance to score maximum points for the team and bring home some silverware. Both are possible and we will be working hard for those objectives this weekend.”
Taken from OAK Racing press release