Photo: CTCC Media

Jason Zhang takes controversial win in the wet for Kia at Guangdong

Jason Zhang took victory in the first round of the 2015 China Touring Car Championship in the Kia K3S at the Guangdong International Circuit, finishing ahead of former champion Andy Yan’s Changan Ford Focus, but the result is yet to be declared official following contact with two laps to go between Zhang and Zou Sirui’s Honda Civic.

With the rain making an appearance on race day, the first two laps of the race took place behind the safety car. When the green flag was waved on lap three, Zhang held on to the lead from pole, while team-mate Larry Lin dropped behind Yan’s Ford Focus.

On the fifth lap, Zou Sirui in the Honda passed Jim Ka To’s Kia for fourth and was challenging Jim’s team-mate Lin for the last podium spot, gaining the spot on lap eight.

Henry Ro in the other Honda was now making a charge forward, passing Lin’s car for what was now fourth position at Turn 8 on lap 13, with Lin later retiring from the race. A lap later, Zou Sirui overtook Andy Yan’s Ford for second position, while Jim Ka To was now defending in his Kia against the Teamwork Citroën of Samuel Hsieh, but Hsieh would retire on lap 18, with both Teamwork Citroëns failing to make the finish.

Up front and Zou’s charge continued, as the Honda driver took the lead from Zhang’s Kia on the penultimate lap, but contact ensued with Zou and Zhang coming together, with Zou’s Honda off the track and rejoining in fourth, with Zhang going on to take the win.

The stewards are investigating the contact between Zou and Zhang, with Zhang classified as the race winner ahead of Yan’s Ford and Henry Ho’s Honda.