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Ma blazes new trail with Shanghai practice round
Source: Agencies |
April 13, 2013, Saturday
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CHINA'S first and only Formula One driver set another landmark yesterday just by taking part in his home grand prix weekend in Shanghai, saying he hopes to inspire a new generation of fans and racers.
Ma Qinghua may have clocked the slowest time of the session, but when he took to the circuit during morning practice he became the only Chinese driver to have featured in a Chinese Grand Prix weekend, adding to a growing list of "firsts."
The 25-year-old, a reserve driver for Caterham, brought up the rear just behind teammate Giedo van der Garde.
Not that his lap time appeared to matter to home fans and media, who crowded round the Shanghai native, scrambling for his signature and posing for photos with their Formula One trailblazer.
"I hope I can be a big help for Chinese motorsports," said Ma, speaking in English.
"It is a new sport in China and it's becoming very popular very fast. During these recent years we've seen more and more people watching the race and coming to the circuit. They've got their own idol driver now and I believe this weekend there will be lots of fans."
Heavily backed financially by authorities in Shanghai, Ma featured in several testing sessions last year for the now defunct team HRT. Now with Caterham, he also races in the GP2 Series, a training ground for aspiring Formula One drivers.
Ferrari's Felipe Massa set an 'incredible' pace to top the timesheets at the end of practice after Nico Rosberg had led a Mercedes one-two in the morning session.
"In terms of everybody else on the tire, the pace is not good, it's incredible," declared the Brazilian's race engineer Rob Smedley after Massa set a quickest time of one minute 35.340 on the soft Pirelli tire being used for the first time this season.
Kimi Raikkonen, winner of the Melbourne season-opener in March, was second fastest for Lotus in 1:35.492. Last year's winner Rosberg had lapped in 1:36.717 before lunch, with 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton 0.454 slower.
Ma Qinghua may have clocked the slowest time of the session, but when he took to the circuit during morning practice he became the only Chinese driver to have featured in a Chinese Grand Prix weekend, adding to a growing list of "firsts."
The 25-year-old, a reserve driver for Caterham, brought up the rear just behind teammate Giedo van der Garde.
Not that his lap time appeared to matter to home fans and media, who crowded round the Shanghai native, scrambling for his signature and posing for photos with their Formula One trailblazer.
"I hope I can be a big help for Chinese motorsports," said Ma, speaking in English.
"It is a new sport in China and it's becoming very popular very fast. During these recent years we've seen more and more people watching the race and coming to the circuit. They've got their own idol driver now and I believe this weekend there will be lots of fans."
Heavily backed financially by authorities in Shanghai, Ma featured in several testing sessions last year for the now defunct team HRT. Now with Caterham, he also races in the GP2 Series, a training ground for aspiring Formula One drivers.
Ferrari's Felipe Massa set an 'incredible' pace to top the timesheets at the end of practice after Nico Rosberg had led a Mercedes one-two in the morning session.
"In terms of everybody else on the tire, the pace is not good, it's incredible," declared the Brazilian's race engineer Rob Smedley after Massa set a quickest time of one minute 35.340 on the soft Pirelli tire being used for the first time this season.
Kimi Raikkonen, winner of the Melbourne season-opener in March, was second fastest for Lotus in 1:35.492. Last year's winner Rosberg had lapped in 1:36.717 before lunch, with 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton 0.454 slower.
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