Teamwork Motorsport is set to embark on its second consecutive full-time campaign in the Sinpoec Lubricants Chinese Touring Car Championship (CTCC), with a pair of Citroën Elysées that will be piloted by Sunny Wong and Samuel Hsieh.
Following a trying season in 2014, Teamwork Motorsport will enter the 2015 in the hunt for podium finishes, despite larger grids and a total of five manufacturers entering the increasingly competitive championship.
Honda, Ford, Volkswagen, KIA and Chinese manufacturer, HAIMA, have all entered the championship for 2015, and Teamwork Motorsport is just one of the Independent teams seeking to take the fight to the larger works outfits.
CTCC regulations do not allow teams to test a week before the event, so Teamwork Motorsport undertook extensive testing last weekend at the Zhuhai International Circuit (ZIC) in order to fully understand the new aero parts fitted to its pair of Citroën Elysées, while learning the behaviour of its new-specification engines.
Having conclude last season with a podium finish on the brand new Yancheng Street Circuit, Wong is hoping for strong results this weekend, but is keeping a level head against such a competitive field.
“It has been a long off-season,” said Wong. “I am very much looking forward to the opening round with our upgraded engine and aero parts. Also, I have a new teammate in Samuel (Hsieh), who I raced alongside before, so I understand his speed and I know I can work with him as well as I worked with Alex (Hui) last year.
“As an independent it’s difficult to compete with the works teams, but towards the end of the 2014 season, when our machines gradually became more reliable, we showed our speed so, this year, I believe we will start off higher than where we finished last year. However, I know other teams will also improve, so it’s too early to predict anything or set specific targets. We will do our best, and let the results take care of themselves.”
Teammate Hsieh added: “I am very happy to be on the grid in the CTCC this season. I’ve been looking forward to it since the beginning of the year, and I’ve been working hard trying to prepare myself the best that I can. It’s a pity that we couldn’t get as much driving over the winter and we have to carry out the test away from our home circuit due to the regulations.
“Racing alongside Sunny Wong for the first time since 2011 is great. Together we can help each other and push Teamwork Motorsport further. There are many experienced and tough drivers on the grid this year and I am expecting to have some hard, but enjoyable battles out there. It’s going to be an interesting and difficult season, but that is why I am here.”
The full CTCC calendar is below;
May 17th – Guangdong International Circuit, China
Jun 7th – Shanghai International Circuit, China
Jun 21st – Shanghai Tianma Circuit, China
Jul 19th – Korea International Circuit, South Korea
Aug 16th –Zhuhai International Circuit, China
Sept 27th – Shanghai International Circuit, China
Oct 18th – Yancheng Street Circuit, China
Nov 8th – Chengdu Goldenport Circuit or Beijing FASC Circuit, China
