BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Despite securing the GT World Challenge Asia Silver class title on Sunday, Chinese racing pioneer Cheng Congfu believes there's still room for improvement after finishing third in the season finale on the streets of Beijing.
The FAW Audi Sport Asia Team Phantom driver and teammate Yu Kuai claimed the Silver class championship after building an unassailable point lead throughout the season, though Cheng felt the team didn't fully showcase their potential in the final race.
"The entire weekend presented significant challenges for us," said Cheng. "First, affected by weather and temperature, we struggled with how to increase the front tire temperature."
"The afternoon temperatures were relatively higher, so our setup improved, but overall we were affected by collisions and didn't fully unleash our speed," added the 41-year-old.
When asked about the impact of four Safety Car appearances during the race, the veteran driver remained calm. "It was actually okay. Street circuits naturally have higher Safety Car frequencies, and the Beijing street circuit indeed presented major challenges."
Regarding the temporary nature of the Beijing street circuit, Cheng revealed: "We conducted quite detailed analysis and preparation two to three weeks before the race, though much of it was based on past data. We still encountered some unexpected situations here. But now we look forward to being more competitive if we return next year."
As one of China's earliest international racing drivers with nearly 30 years of experience across F3, Le Mans, and touring cars, Cheng emphasized how his diverse background contributes to his current GT3 success.
"All these experiences provide a solid foundation," he noted. "Each GT3 brand has slightly different driving methods. But overall, the level in GT World Challenge Asia, including the Beijing race, is very high. Every brand, every team, every driver needs to perform at their absolute best to achieve results."
As an official Audi driver and brand ambassador, Cheng sees himself playing a crucial role in nurturing the next generation of Chinese talent.
"It's more about sharing and inheritance," he explained. "I've gained more understanding about the entire motorsport industry, and now I hope to help young drivers. We have several excellent young Chinese drivers, and I hope they can achieve better performances."
"I also see many young drivers engaged in karting and formula sports. I believe the future is very promising," added the Beijing native.
With his Asian season concluded, Cheng's focus shifts to improvement during the winter break. "We need to reflect and summarize a lot from the past year. I think we made many mistakes we shouldn't have made today, which affected the final overall result."
"Racing involves many on-the-spot decisions, but we'll strive not to repeat the same mistakes and hope for better performances," he said. ■
