15 Jan 2018

Win and fastest lap in Thailand

Jazeman Jaafar, leading Malaysian racing driver, put in an outstanding performance at the is weekend’s Asian Le Mans Series race in Buriram, Thailand, with an emphatic win in the Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota Sport LMP2 ORECA 05-Nissan. It was an all-Malaysian line up in the `#7 car with Jazeman sharing the driving duties with Weiron Tan and Afiq Ikhwan Yazid. Jazeman not only claimed the win, he also posted fastest lap of the race.

Jazeman re-joined the Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota Sport team after a strong third place podium finish in the second round of the Asian Le Mans Series in Fuji, Japan. A change in driver line-up, with the support of Sepang International Circuit, saw Jazeman joined by Weiron and Afiq, both newcomers to the high-performance LMP2 car campaigned by the team in this Series. The practice sessions were a chance for Weiron and Afiq to familiarise themselves with the car, while Jazeman was able to focus on mastering the Buriram circuit and developing the car set up for the race. Jazeman was behind the wheel for qualifying and pushed himself to the limit to grab the best possible grid position. By the end of the session he had posted third fastest lap to take this position on the grid for the start of the six hour race. Jazeman was selected to take the start and was prepared for the pressures of a long-distance endurance event. The rolling start format in sportscar racing is familiar for Jazeman and he showed his maturity in the opening lap, keeping calm and grabbing second place to lie behind the #8 team car by the second corner. He then settled into a strong pace, lapping comfortably just behind the sister Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota Sport. On lap 25 Jazeman set the fastest time of the race. After 30 laps Jazeman pitted for fuel and was quickly back out on track. However Jazeman clipped a plastic cone on the pit exit lane that lodged itself in the brake ducts forcing Jazeman to pit again for its removal and a new front splitter. The incident dropped Jazeman back on the lead car, but he remained in second place. After his two-hour stint he handed the car over to Afiq for the middle sector of the race, with his fellow Malaysian maintaining position. As the race passed half distance with just over three hours elapsing, the #8 car was struggling with gearbox issues that gave the #7 car the lead. Weiron took over the car for the final two hours of running and led the field to the chequered flag, a popular and well-deserved victory for Jazeman and his team mates. Jazeman said of the weekend, “I had such a great time in Thailand. Racing with Weiron and Afiq was really special and bringing home the win for Malaysia and Sepang made it even sweeter. It was unfortunate to clip the cone and I’m just pleased it didn’t hurt us and I was able to lap quick enough to make the time back. Claiming the fastest lap of the race was also really special, especially with such strong talented drivers in the field. It’s great that we head to Sepang for the next round as winners of this race and I hope that we’ll have plenty of support for our home race and the final round of the championship. My thanks go to all the crew at Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota Sport and to David Cheng for giving me this opportunity – I’m loving racing in Asia.” Jazeman and his teammates will return to the track for the final round of the Asian Le Mans Series
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