Solid finish for Bartholomew in Soaking Shanghai

Round 5 in the 2017 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia series saw a change in car and drive partner for Jack Bartholomew. He now shares the car with experience Australian driver, Spike Goddard.

Wet conditions greeted the pair on arrival at the Shanghai circuit and conditions would not change over the entire weekend.

Qualifying for race one was the task for new partner Spike but a red flag with 6 minutes remaining meant that P6 was the best he could do. With Jack now in the car for the second qualifying session conditions had not improved and although it was Jack’s first visit to Shanghai, he managed to go almost a second faster than his team mate. However, this only put him P8 for race 2.

Weather conditions had not improved for Race 1 and with Spike starting the race, he made up one place immediately. The rest of his stint was spent battling with the #33 car until the pit window opened on lap 12. A text book pit stop meant that Jack took over and was able to chase down the #33 car which he quickly overtook. He then set about closing down the car in 4th position but unfortunately ran out of time, bringing the car home in a creditable 5th position.

Race 2 started in even more treacherous conditions and the organisers decided that the race would start behind the safety car. After two laps the safety car came in and the race began. Jack managed to hold position and was in touch with the leading pack throughout the first stint, handing over to Spike when the pit window opened. Once again, a slick pit stop gave them a chance to challenge and Spike managed to pass two cars, putting their #5 Lamborghini into P6. With 22 minutes remaining a huge crash for the #63 car at the end of the main straight brought out the safety car again. Spike’s lap times were quicker than the two cars immediately ahead of him and he would have expected to pass them and finish the race in at least P4. Unfortunately, the track marshals were unable to repair the crash barriers in time to resume racing so the race finished under the safety car. This meant the duo had to settle for a disappointing P6.With two strong finishes, Jack now moves up to 3rd in the championship with one round remaining. This will be held at Imola In Italy on the 16/ 17 November. The Super Trofeo series is run in America, Europe and Asia and drivers from all three series compete against each other in the World Finals which will also be held at Imola on the weekend of 18/19 November.