Photo: WTCC Media

Darryl O’Young quick in Macau testing

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Hong Kong driver Darryl O’Young was the fastest independent driver in the rain-hit test session at Macau on Thursday, just behind the two works Chevrolets of RML’s Rob Huff and Yvan Muller.

The Bamboo Engineering driver, now mathematically out of contention for the Yokohama Independents’ Trophy, survived the slippery conditions to finish the session less than a second behind Rob Huff’s last minute flying lap.

“It’s dry enough on some parts to push then all of a sudden you come across corners that are completely wet,” said O’Young to TouringCarTimes.

“Especially in Maternity, the exit was completely wet, it really was hard to find the limit but once you just went off you’d be in the wall, so I completely understand cars that hit the wall.”

O’Young’s aim for the weekend is to score as good a result in the standings as possible now that the independents’ title is out of reach and end the 2011 season on a high after a run of bad luck since Valencia.

“We need the wins to at least get into the top three of the (independents’) Championship hopefully, we’re here to just drive a good race…it’s just the first practice now and hopefully I can keep up this performance as we go along.”

“The weather’s a bit worrying but the key was not really to push today until I’m familiar with the track again.”

O’Young is also the only representative of Bamboo Engineering this weekend after the team was unable to repair the damage to Japanese team-mate Yukinori Taniguchi’s car, which he picked up in race one at the Tianma circuit two weeks ago.

“It’s really unfortunate for Yuke, the team tried everything they could to get somewhere with the car but there was just too much damage which was a shame. To do the whole season and not be able to do the last race together, that’s tough but on the other side my car has some more mechanics this weekend so we’re able to turn the car around a bit quicker and get extra laps in…I don’t think I would have got my last lap in if we hadn’t been able to change the tyres so quick, all these small things make a difference.”