ASIAN WRAP: Lester stars in Japan

Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Series

Accomplished New Zealand driver Jono Lester has scored a decisive maiden victory in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Series at Suzuka.

Lester, along with Japanese driver Yasuyuki Uchida, claimed victory by 16s in their Air-J Huracan in the opening race after winning pole position.

The second 50-minute affair saw Uchida bring the Huracan home in second place after dealing with slick tyres on a damp track.

The efforts have seen the pair move into second position in the standings after the second of six rounds.

“This win is a fantastic breakthrough and for it to come so early in the season is really encouraging for our title chances,” Lester, who previously won at Suzuka in the Super Taikyu Series in 2012, said.

“We need to keep this momentum up, but it’s consistency that will win us the Championship and as such the second race in wet conditions was a zero risk scenario where we had to be smart, not a hero.

“Uchida’s driving was brilliant at Suzuka and we are working really well together on and off the track.

“Buriram will be a new challenge and I hope to acclimatise quickly much like in Shanghai.”

The next round of the series is at the new Buriram circuit in Thailand on July 22-24.

GT Asia Series

Marchy Lee scored the Phoenix Racing Asia team’s maiden victory in the series at the Buriram circuit in Thailand.

The Hong-Kong-based Lee along with Shaun Thong held on in the one-hour affair in their Audi R8 LMS to beat Duncan Tappy and Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak (Absolute Racing Bentley Continental GT3).

Adderly Fong and Andrew Kim were third in another Bentley.

In Race 2, Anthony Liu and Davide Rizzo saw out the 34 laps to win in their BBT Ferrari 488 GT3.

Repeating their effort in the opening heat, Tappy and Inthraphuvasak were second while Edoardo Liberati and Andrea Amici were third in an FFF Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3.

Jonothan Venter and Hamprecht (Absolute Racing Bentley Continental GT3) were classified in 11th, the third of the cars to finish a lap down after running up front for most of the race.