Third time lucky for Baird in China

Third time lucky for Baird in China

For the third time in as many months Kiwi Craig Baird heads to China for another learning weekend as the under-dog in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia race series against a German defending champion.

Currently second after two race events totalling four rounds, the 39-year-old Baird and his VnC Cocktails Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car again head to a venue new to the New Zealand based team. Rounds five and six (of 11) are being contested at the 4.3 kilometre Zhuhai International Circuit in China’s Pearl River Delta region this weekend (18 – 20 June).

“It’ll be about hitting the setup from the get go,” says Baird of the plan to win races and close in on the 16-point championship lead. “We need to be ahead of the pace and Christian Menzel (the series leader). Getting pole position is goal number one. Once we’ve done that the racing becomes a lot simpler and it’s really the start and tyre strategy that become variables.”

“We’ve got a good handle on the setup and are now just fine-tuning our plan on how the Michelin tyre works in these hotter climates.”

“At Beijing we had the car working better early in the race, but didn’t have enough toward the end when Menzel was making mistakes from the pressure I was applying once I’d made up the start-grid gap difference.”

With the additional reward of a championship point for setting fastest time in qualifying, Baird says the start grid illustrates the difference between first and the rest.

“The starting position between the cars is a diagonal and car length behind, so starting anywhere but on pole is a huge backward step. Even with a mega start you’re not going to make up that gap by the first turn – you need to start from the front if you’re going to do anything but win.”

“Qualifying at Beijing showed how we could influence the opposition. With three sets of new tyres available for the weekend we had Menzel’s team sitting in the pits having used two sets already in setting fastest time. They were ready to run their last set just to keep us from starting ahead of them. So we know we’re all but caught up to a defending champion who’s prepared to try anything.

The weekend’s Pan Delta Super Racing Festival will feature a 12-lap Porsche Carrera Cup Asia race on Saturday and Sunday, following an intense 30-minute qualifying shootout on the Friday. Part of the record 23-strong field, Baird says the identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars have made his job a lot more rewarding.

“We’re right out of our comfort zone. With different cultures, new venues and the extremes of temperature and humidity it’s a whole lot tougher than anything else you could do.”

The Queensland based Kiwi is joined by Triple X Motorsport’s Todd Bickerton and Ian McNabb who prepare and run the New Zealand funded VnC Cocktails Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.

2010 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Championship – overall points (after four of 11 rounds) – top-five.

N.B. each race is classified a race round

1. C Menzel (GER), 82

2. C Baird (NZL) 66

3. M Sun (SIN) 48

4. R Avila (MAC) 40

5. D O’Young (HKG) 36

Porsche Carrera Cup Asia calendar 2010
13 – 14 March Sepang Int. Circuit, Malaysia - PCCA Test Days
R1 and R2 16 - 18 April Shanghai Int. Circuit, China - Formula One Support Race
R3 and R4 21 – 23 May Beijing Goldenport Circuit, China - Porsche Weekend
R5 and R6 18 - 20 June Zhuhai Int. Circuit, China - Pan Delta Super Racing Festival
R7 and R8 27 – 29 August Jeonnam Int. Circuit, Korea - Asian Festival of Speed
R9 24 – 26 Sept Marina Bay Circuit, Singapore - Formula One Support Race
R10 and R11 22 – 24 Oct Guangdong Int. Circuit, China - Asian Festival of Speed

More about Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2010:

The season debut in support of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix is the first of two race weekends in support the FIA Formula One World Championship.

Following the opening two rounds in Shanghai, the series will travel to the Chinese capital for two races at the Goldenport International Circuit as part of the exclusive Fascination Porsche weekend, before moving to Zhuhai in China’s southern Pearl River Delta Region for a further two races.

In August, the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia is scheduled to make its debut on the brand new Korean International Circuit which will host the country’s maiden Formula 1 Grand Prix later in the year. Next, the series travels to Singapore’s Marina Bay street circuit for the 2010 Porsche SC Global Carrera Cup Asia – Singapore at the 2010 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix.

For the 2010 season finale, the series will return to Shanghai as part of the China Touring Car Championship fixture.

Supporting the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia are two of the most recognised names in international motorsport, Mobil1 and Michelin. Mobil and Porsche have been partners since 1996. Close co-operation in research and development has led to every new Porsche engine being filled with Mobil1 high-performance lubricant. Porsche Carrera Cup Asia drivers also have the advantage of racing on cutting-edge tyres supplied by series partner Michelin. The consistent performance and leading technology of Michelin tyres constantly improve the performance of many teams in international motorsport. The partnership between Michelin and the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia has emerged from a worldwide agreement signed between Porsche AG and the Michelin group.

www.xxxmotorsport.co.nz

ends

© Scoop Media