JAMES WINSLOW TAKES CHINESE FRD LMP3 SERIES

James Winslow takes out inaugural FRD LMP3 series – Photo: Supplied

LAST WEEKEND was a stella weekend for James Winslow. The two-time Australian Gold Star winner wrapped up the 2017 FRD LMP3 Championship, driving for Craft Bamboo Racing in the Disney Pixar Lightning McQueen-sponsored Ligier LMP3.

With regular co-driver Mathias Beche unavailable due to racing in the World Endurance Championship, Japanese bronze driver Hiroki Yoshimoto was enlisted and together they won the 31-lap Saturday race at Zhuhai outright by 6.4s – it was Winslow’s fourth win in the series.

Second went to Australian Garnet Patterson and Martin Cao racing for Eurasia ahead of Craft Bamboo team mates Aussie Greg Taylor and Alex Tagliani who were third in their Jackson Storm-inspired Ligier a further 4.9s adrift.

James Winslow’s Lightning McQueen Craft Bamboo LMP3 car – Photo: Supplied

On Sunday another Australian, Josh Burdon teamed with Neric Wei in one of the KC Motorgroup Ligiers, won the 37-lpas race, 19.1s ahead of Patterson and Cao while Winslow and Yoshimoto came home third 3s behind, and secure the outright title. Taylor and Tagliani were non-finishers.

It was the seventh podium out of eight races for Winslow which helped to earn him the outright drivers’ title and the team championship ahead of KCMG and PTRS. In doing so the team won free use of a Ligier JS P2 LMP2 car as well as free entry into the Asian Le Mans Series for the 2017-2018 season.

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