Shortly after a successful podium finish at Fuji Speedway, Angie King once again bagged top honors for the fifth round of the Ferrari Challenge APAC in Sepang, Malaysia.
“We have complete confidence in Angie’s talent as a competitive racer, but this first place podium finish is still a milestone worth celebrating,” said Wellington Soong, President and Chairman of Autostrada Motore, the official dealer of Ferrari in the Philippines. “Nobody expected a newcomer to bag a win, but Angie, in the first two rounds of racing she has ever done in her life, made it happen. We are proud of Angie and she has our utmost support.”
The second race of Round 5 of the Ferrari Challenge APAC saw lots of excitement for in the Pirelli AM class. With track temperatures at a blistering 50 degree Celsius, it was very challenging for the drivers and tires were managed to minimize deterioration.
King battled it out with Yanbing Xing from China. Xing started from pole and was attacked by King from the get-go. However, Xing suffered a hit on lap 8, lost his position but still ended up third on the podium. It was a maiden win for King who led from start to finish.
At the end of 14 laps, King clocked in at 31:13.629, followed by Ken Seto of Japan, lagging behind by 6.194 seconds.
Immediately after receiving the trophy, King was met by her avid supporters including wife Joey Mead-King together with the Soongs, Willie and Marc, Autostrada Motore’s Executive Director.
“I’m so happy to be in first place,” said a still stunned King. “Thank you Ferrari Philippines for all the love and support.”
At the end of 5 rounds of the Ferrari Challenge APAC, King is placed 4th overall in the Trofeo Pirelli AM Class, despite entering the Challenge only by the 4th round in Fuji. King has to beat Yanbing Xing of China in third, Ken Seto of Japan in second, and Tiger Wu of Taiwan in first place to bag the overall championship of the Ferrari Challenge APAC.
As the Challenge heads to Singapore for the penultimate round, King will continue to bear the Philippine flag. Her participation and eventual success in the Challenge is an important milestone for recognizing Filipino talent in the world of racing.
The Ferrari Challenge was established as a one-make series in 1993, bringing together complete track novices and drivers with prior competition experience. The series spans three regions: North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. This year, the Ferrari Challenge uses a multi-class format; drivers are grouped under Trofeo Pirelli, Trofeo Pirelli AM, Trofeo Pirelli 458, Coppa Shell, Ladies’ Cup and Gentlemen’s Cup.