Yukinori Taniguchi on course for inaugural Asia Trophy
Japanese driver Yukinori Taniguchi leaves Shanghai with a comfortable lead in the Eurosport Asia Trophy after two class victories in China, with just Macanese driver Filipe de Souza able to stop him in Macau. The only trouble is, Taniguchi isn’t currently scheduled to be there.
The 45-year-old Japanese driver was a last minute replacement for Fredy Barth at Wiechers-Sport for his home race in Suzuka, where the three-race Asia Trophy commenced, and with two second place finishes in the class, he found himself in the lead of the standings after the race meeting.
Taniguchi signed a deal to race the vacant third Campos Racing SEAT León for this weekend in Shanghai, which has seen the Japanese driver dominate the class, thanks in part to the 1.6 turbo engine of the SEAT, as opposed to the normally aspirated BMWs and Chevrolets which are being used by the other competitors in the category.
Taniguchi now has a 17 point lead over his nearest competitor, China Dragon Racing’s Filipe de Souza, which means de Souza will need at least a second place and a class victory in Macau in order to overhaul the gap to the Japanese driver.
At present, Taniguchi is not entered for the season finale in Macau, but an option to compete with the SEAT León he raced this weekend in Shanghai has opened up with André Couto’s switch to the Audi R8 LMS Cup for the 60th Macau Grand Prix meeting. Taniguchi just needs a fifth place finish in class from one of the two races in order to win the new-for-2013 trophy, regardless of de Souza’s results.
