FILIPINO racer Daniel Miranda continues to impress at the TCR Asia Series, making another strong performance at the Shanghai International Circuit last June 1 and 2, finishing as the top Asian driver.
Miranda, however, admitted that he and Eurasia Motorsport struggled with the car setup early on and it took several sessions to acquaint himself with the 5.451-km F1 circuit before he could truly push the #20 Hyundai i30 N TCR with full confidence. But once everything was sorted out, Miranda was able to set the eighth fastest time in the qualifying race out of a combined 21-car grid of TCR Asia and TCR China.
Backed by Cebuana Lhuillier, Miranda got to a good start off the line in Race 1 and was up to P6 at the end of the first lap. He then had to defend his position against his hard-charging rivals, but at the cost of his tires. The lack of grip eventually slowed him down in the closing stages of the race and he ended up ninth overall and second in the Asian Drivers’ classification.
“I’m so elated and proud of Daniel’s strong performances. Cebuana Lhuillier will continue to support him as I strongly believe that he has what it takes to become one of the best drivers not just in Asia but in the whole world,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, president and chief executive officer of Cebuana Lhuillier and a recognized sports patron.
Miranda made up for lost ground the following day with a brilliant drive in Race 2. Starting from P3 on the grid, he shot up to P2 on the run to the first corner and battled with the top TCR drivers from Europe and South America. He showed good pace and even made several attempts for the lead, but inadvertently left the door open for his competitors to get past. Despite the slight misstep, Miranda continued the fight for position and crossed the finish line as fifth overall and landed on the podium with 1st place in the Asian Drivers’ class.
“Although we encountered some challenges over the weekend, I’m very happy to make a podium finish in Shanghai. This is only my first year in TCR Asia and it feels amazing to be able to compete on the same level as the top three or four drivers on the grid who have more racing experience around the world. I learned a lot from them and hope to continue learning for the next two races in Zhejiang and Bangsaen which I have never visited before,” Miranda said. (PR)