JAPAN CONTINUES TO BE HAPPY HUNTING GROUND FOR AFIQ
Malaysian driver claims two victories in his return to Japan
PETALING JAYA: Japan continues to be a happy hunting ground for Malaysian driver Afiq Ikhwan Yazid.
The 25-year-old finished on top of the podium in his return to the Land of the Rising Sun this year, claiming two wins in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Series at the Fuji Speedway yesterday.
Afiq and Italian partner Kei Cozzolino, starting from pole, eased to victory in their Lamborghini Huracan orange-liveried car with a 20-second winning margin in Race 1.
Afiq had to work harder to complete his perfect weekend.
In Race 2, he managed to take over the lead after six laps and held on to it before passing the car to Cozzolino at the halfway stage to win in 51:30.704.
After the fourth round in Fuji, Afiq-Cozzolino lead the championship standings with 122 points, having also notched a double win in the third round at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan in July.
Their closest rivals – the Poland-Britain combination of Artur Janosz-Toby Sowery of Team Lazarus – are second with 82 points.
The Malaysian-Italian pairing have been on a roll this season, with seven wins in eight races so far.
They finished second in Race 1 but won Race
2 in the opening round at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia in April before posting their first double for the season at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, in May.
“We not only won both races but also posted the fastest laps in both races.
“Lamborghini also entered two factory cars through Emperor Racing, but we managed to beat them.
“There are four more races and we are looking good for the overall title.
“If we finish on the podium in both races in Shanghai at the end of this month, that could see us clinch the championship,” said Afiq, who is from Kuala Lumpur.
He partnered Japan’s Toshiyuki Ochiai to win the overall title for the Lamborghini Osaka team last year.
The fifth round is in Shanghai, China (Sept 22-24) and the finale in Imola, Italy ( Nov 16-19).