The Formula Renault AsiaCup (formerly known as the Asian Formula Renault Challenge and AFR Series ) is a Formula Regional championship held in Asia. The series debuted in 2002 and also held the China Formula Renault Challenge .
40-607: The series is a part of the Formula Racing Development Limited (FRD) organization managed by Kenneth Ma to promote motorsport in Asia. The FRD also runs the China Formula Campus and Clio Cup China Series . The cars use Tatuus chassis and 2.0 L Renault Clio engines like other Formula Renault 2.0 series. After several seasons racing on Kumho tires, the series started using Giti tires from 2014. With
80-501: A better understanding of training progression and driving skill. In co-operation with Changan Ford and their joint commitment with FRD to help promote motorsports in Asia, Ford engines and gearboxes were also installed into the cars for a remarked leap forward in performance and racing time. FRD has been hosting the Celebrity Charity Race since 2004. For the first 2 years, FRD joined Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation to hold
120-484: A junior Formula series called Ford Formula Campus, FRD joins forces with Changan FORD automaker, allowing young gun drivers to test their mettle against each other. After which FRD, partnering with leading French automaker Renault and their Sports Technologies Division, became the official Asian promoter of the Formula Renault 2.0 series in 2002. In the 2009 season, following the success of FRD and Renault Formula racing,
160-472: A leading competitor and a team to be respected. FRD's fleet totals around 100 race cars divided among Shanghai International Circuit and Zhuhai International Circuit . Those include Formula Renault, Formula Campus, Clio Cup, Ferrari 360, and Ford Focus Cup cars. FRD's activities are separated into four major departments: With the aim of providing a budget junior racing series around the Asian region, FRD, with
200-466: A problem with the gas pedal, behind Alex Yoong , Charles Kwan , Matthew Marsh and Nigel Albon . In 2004, Marchy teamed up with the top Asian racing outfit, Team Meritus , to race in the Formula BMW Asia series. He won 12 races out of 14, making him the first Chinese formula racing champion in an international series. Lee received an extra prize in recognition of his extraordinary achievements –
240-534: A single event! In 2006, teaming up with Changan Ford, FRD established the “ Changan Ford Racing Team". Composed of members from Changan Ford , they are the first factory team to compete in the China Touring Car Championship (CTCC) race, the top touring car race in China. Competing in specially modified Ford FOCUS cars, they establish a winning record with six manufacturer's championship titles, becoming
280-536: A three-day test with the Team Rosberg Formula 3 outfit. After winning the 2004 Formula BMW Asia title, Marchy also had the chance to test an F1 car with the Minardi team at Mugello , but his run ended up being called off due to a logistics problem. Marchy failed to get any sponsorship deals in 2005 and 2006 to support a full season's racing. But a last-minute deal allowed him to reunite with Team Meritus in
320-632: Is a motorsport promoter headquartered in Hong Kong, China which was founded in 1997. It has been the organiser and promoter of several Asian and China based championships, such as Asian Formula Renault Championship , China Formula Campus Championship, Clio Cup China Series , and Asia GT Race Series. It also conducts racing schools, driving schools, corporate programs, car events and even an annual celebrity race. FRD also has an in-house racing team which takes part in several racing series, most notably in CTCC under
360-557: The 2010 1000 km of Zhuhai race, part of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup . Starting eleventh on the grid, the Audi R8 LMS No. 98 was at the heart of the race, before inheriting the lead of GTC after the retirement of the sister car of United Autosport. Lee, Yoong and Marsh took the chequered flag in 12th position overall. Two weeks later, on 21 November 2010, Marchy drove the same Audi R8 LMS race car to second place in
400-818: The Formula Asia V6 by Renault race at Zhuhai . He finished a strong second in the final round of the season to Matt Halliday and set the fastest race lap in the process, rekindling his hopes of racing professionally again in 2007 and beyond. Marchy raced in the Asian Super Car Challenge in Zhuhai on 24–25 March, claiming one win and one second place in the Ferrari 430. He then drove in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia in Sepang where he finished second twice. Marchy
440-588: The "Jackie Chan Cup" Charity Race, which mainly contested by Asian female celebrities. In 2006, FRD successfully organised the Hong Kong China Travel Service Cup, with stars like Alan Tam and Eric Tsang to participate in. From 2007, FRD partners Jet Li ’s One Foundation Project, and organised the One Foundation Charity Celebrity Race. Jet Li and guest celebrities come and call for the spectators to support charity. Over
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#1732884172429480-465: The 2012 Driver Champion of China Production Car Class as the new driver, together with Andy Yan , Rainey He and Tengyi Jiang becoming the new line-up. The team was invincible for the season and took the sixth Manufacturer's Title in eight years; while Andy Yan reigned as Driver's Champion again. Changan Ford Racing Team won the Manufacturer Title again and extending its winning streak to six of
520-533: The 2014 China Touring Car Championship(CTCC). Marchy Lee Marchy Lee Ying-Kin ( Traditional Chinese : 李英健) is a racing driver from Hong Kong. Born in 1976 in Hong Kong, Marchy started his racing career at just 9 years old and has become one of the top racecar drivers in Hong Kong. He is the first Formula 3 driver from Hong Kong and has competed in the Macau Grand Prix . Marchy currently resides in Hong Kong with his wife and two daughters. Marchy
560-529: The Asian region. Started in 1997, it provided a modern and professional platform for aspiring young racers in Asia to challenge and test themselves. In 2007, the Formula Campus cars were upgraded with more advanced engineering, design and training technology. Body chassis’ were improved for aerodynamics and the MoTec Data Analysis system was introduced to allow trainers and the drivers themselves, to get
600-473: The European Renault Clio Cup series was also successfully introduced with outstanding success. In addition FRD organises GT (Gran Turismo) class racing, featuring powerful touring supercars, with names such as Ferrari and Aston Martin. Jointly organised by FRD and Zhuhai International Circuit (ZIC), this Series is considered one of Asia's most prominent Supercar races. Attracting drivers from around
640-528: The European series. Starting from this season, there are two classes, Class A for drivers and teams competing with the 2013 FR2.0 car, and Class B for drivers and teams using the FR2.0 old spec cars. Only drivers and teams that complete 75% of a race receive points. Points are awarded in each race as follows: Formula Racing Development Limited Formula Racing Development Limited or FRD Motorsports (FRD)
680-417: The Hong Kong racer, who began as the only other championship contender, fought hard every inch of the way battling first Simonsen and then Christian Menzel , but he could not do enough to stay in the running and became championship runner-up for 2010. On 7 November 2011, Marchy partnered Matthew Marsh and Alex Yoong to drive an Audi R8 LMS for KK Performance (Again, team is run by Dynaten Motorsport) in
720-748: The Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix. In August 2003, driving a Dallara F301 Renault, he took pole position in the Australian Formula 3 race at Phillip Island in treacherous conditions. Later that year he won two Formula BMW Asia races in Beijing and finished 2nd to Hideaki Nakao in the Formula Renault race in Macau. He also took part in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia race and finished fifth, despite
760-467: The Macau GT Cup, beaten only by defending champion Keita Sawa 's Lamborghini LP560 GT3. On 10 March 2011, Marchy Lee announced that he would join the 2011 World Touring Car Championship with KK Motorsports. But he left the championship after just 3 rounds. On 11 November 2012, Marchy Lee became the first ever Audi R8 LMS Cup Champion after crossing the line second in the twelfth and final round at
800-599: The aim of providing a budget junior racing series around the Asian region, FRD, with the support of Renault Sport, imported a fleet of Formula Renault 2.0 race cars and first organized the Asian Formula Renault Series in 2000. The series attracted numerous young talents from the region. From 2002 to 2005, the series held an invitational race during the Macau Grand Prix weekend. Future F1 drivers such as Kamui Kobayashi , Kazuki Nakajima , Bruno Senna and Red Bull Junior Team's Scott Speed all once took part in
840-622: The banner of " Chang'an Ford Racing Team". It is one of the largest racing schools in Asia and was started in 1997 by owner Kenneth Ma with an ambition to provide opportunities and facilities for drivers in the region to gain professional recognition in motorsport. Over the years, through its in-house driving schools and race-organized, FRD has sponsored notable Chinese race drivers: Marchy Lee , Jim Ka To , Jiang Tengyi , Frankie Chang , as well as Finnish driver and German Formula Renault champion Pekka Saarinen . FRD organises and promotes professional level competitive racing in Asia. Featuring
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#1732884172429880-411: The establishment of Changan Ford Racing Team. This splendid co-operation was the first time a true works racing team took part in CTCC —— the top touring car racing series in China. To support CAF's commitment of developing young talented drivers in China, the team signed Rainey He in 2007 and further magnified his talent by providing him with the solid support of a true works team. In the 2009 season,
920-718: The event. The Asian Formula Renault Series changed its name to the Formula Renault AsiaCup , commencing in 2020. Formula Renault AsiaCup aligned with the Formula Renault Eurocup running the Tatuus F3R-Spec car with a Renault engine (Formula Renault FR-19) and the FIA F3/2018 homologated chassis. The main classification was the International Challenge , the winner of which was the overall champion of
960-630: The event. In the coming 2014 season, the Series will be using the latest version of Formula Renault cars. Clio Cup China Series is a one-make series held in China that featured Renault Clio since 2009. Originally begun by Renault Sport in Europe, managed and organised by Formula Racing Development (FRD) in China, the Clio Cup China Series is a one-make racing series featuring the Clio supermini car. Over
1000-536: The profile and visibility of the Child's Dream Foundation. On 1 August 2007, it was announced by A1 Team China that he would join the rookie test at the end of August at Silverstone , alongside three other drivers. The best performer from this test would join Cheng Congfu as China's two A1GP representatives. On 20 September 2007, he was officially announced as the second driver for A1 Team China . He made his debut for
1040-479: The race weekend on the Zhuhai International Circuit or Shanghai International Circuit . The race weekend starts on Thursday and Friday with a 2-hour free practice session but with additional cost for drivers. On Saturday there are two 30 minute practice sessions and 20 minutes of qualifications. A warm-up (15 minutes) occurs on Sunday morning and two 10 lap races are held in the afternoon. In 2013,
1080-507: The road (later promoted to third place after on the road winner Danny Watts was given a 30-second penalty for passing under a yellow flag.) Marchy Lee became the first Chinese driver to race in the inaugural Speedcar Series . He drove car no. 50. He failed to finish his first two races in Malaysia, as well as his first race in Bahrain, but took 4th place in race 2. He then finished 5th and 3rd in
1120-446: The series changed its championship format to 3 classes, "International Class" as the main championship, "Asian Class" for rookie drivers of the region and "Masters Class" for gentlemen drivers who are at the age of 35 or older. The 3 classes have their own drivers' and teams' classifications and championship. In 2015, the series changed its championship format again due to the introduction of the current FR2.0 car, which debuted in 2013 in
1160-541: The series. From 2007 until 2013, Asian drivers also had a parallel category with the Asian Challenge . Another class, for Chinese events only, was the China Formula Renault Challenge , which was an entry-level series intended to reduce the championship cost. All series drivers and teams raced at the same time during the races in China but points were calculated separately. The cars can be tested outside
1200-640: The support from Renault Sport , imported a fleet of Formula Renault 2.0 race cars and first organised the Asian Formula Renault Series (aka AFR Series ) in 2000. This is a pioneering junior racing series in Asia and it attracted numerous young talents from the region to join the grid over the years. From 2002 to 2005, the series even held an invitation race during the Macau Grand Prix weekend and big names such as Japanese F1 stars Kamui Kobayashi , Kazuki Nakajima , Red Bull Junior Team 's Scott Speed , Brazilian Bruno Senna all once took part in
1240-454: The team as the most competitive one, took home the manufacturer championship again in 2011; Andy Yan was crowned the overall driver champion and Tengyi Jiang the second runner-up for the 2011 season. 2012 is a turning point for Changan Ford Racing – after using the Focus model for over five years, the new Focus became the team's new racing car. All the hard works paid off, Changan Ford Racing Team
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1280-480: The team in round 2 in the Czech Republic on 12 October 2007. He gathered data for the team in the rookie sessions. Cheng Congfu went on to score 10th and 4th-place finishes. On 4 November 2007, Marchy took part in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia at Zhuhai International Circuit and won both rounds 11 and 12. On 18 November 2007, he also took part in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia race in Macau, and finished fourth on
1320-566: The team welcomed three competitive young drivers: Tengyi Jiang , Martin Cao and Andy Yan , with Rainey He as the lead driver. In the 2011 season, after Martin Cao departed from the team because of his university studies in the UK, the team welcomed the signing of Gaoxiang Fan, another young driver from the Changan Ford Young Driver Program. Thanks to the remarkable results of the four drivers,
1360-495: The two races in Dubai. He is also competing in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia. Racing for Team BetterLife, he finished 2nd and 4th in the opening rounds at Sepang. Then he took 2nd and 5th in round 2 at Shanghai. In 2010, Marchy raced in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia for Red Bull Racing (team is run by Dynaten Motorsports). He scored two wins at Zhuhai in June. At the last round in Zhuhai,
1400-532: The world, including HK, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, USA, Canada, Japan, the UK and Italy, they compete on highly demanding tracks in China and greater Asia. To share in their success and give back to the people and fans, FRD focuses with a philanthropic spirit by organising events such as their Celebrity Charity Race. Working with personalities like Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Aaron Kwok they bring much needed support and attention to disaster areas and humanitarian causes. Having previously raised approximately 400,000,000 RMB on
1440-487: The years, many experienced drivers from the region joined the race and even Hong Kong superstar Aaron Kwok once joined the series and won the championship in 2009. 2013, there will be ten rounds of Clio Cup China Series around China: there will be four races as one of the supporting race of 2013 CTCC . With the concept of having a professional, competitive entry level racing for young drivers, Formula Racing Development (FRD) introduces FORD's Formula Campus Championship to
1480-763: The years, more than 80 celebrities joined the Celebrity Race, and the race helped raised fund to charities in the past 11 years. FRD Racing Team is based in Zhuhai and runs a total of 12 Formula Renault 2.0-cars. It's split-up in a race-team, that travels around with Asian Formula Renault Series , and a test-team that stays in Zhuhai to provide all-year-round testing possibilities with their Formula Renault 2.0-cars. The team now also help in servicing race cars in Clio Cup China Series as well. On 15 February 2006, Changan Ford Automobile Corporation Limited and Formula Racing Development Limited (FRD) formally announced
1520-835: Was born on 2 September 1976 in Hong Kong. Marchy's father was also a racing driver and he has been karting at a young age. When the Zhuhai International Circuit was built in 1996, he enrolled in the inaugural China Formula Campus Championship. Upon winning the championship, he received a scholarship to join the La Filière racing school in Le Mans , France to continue his development. He spent 3 years in France, progressing from Formula Campus to French Formula 3 , achieving respectable results. But his funding ran out and he returned to Asia afterwards , competing in some Asian and Australian F3 races. He won 2 Asian Formula 3 races at Sepang and finished 7th in
1560-485: Was confirmed as Meritus Racing's driver for the 2007 Formula Asia V6 by Renault series. He hoped that by achieving success in the series, he would be able to progress to the Champ Car World Series in 2008. On 13 July 2007, Marchy was announced as the driver for a new team set up by Adrian Fu to compete in the remainder of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia series under the banner "Racing for Charity", to help increase
1600-470: Was crowned another manufacturer champion title again in 2012. This was the fourth title gained by the team in a row and the fifth in the last seven years. Andy Yan , Rainey He and Tengyi Jiang respectively won the first runner-up, second runner-up and third runner-up overall. The team continual to compete with Ecoboost 1.6T engine at the wheel of New Focus sedan in 2013 season. Meanwhile, the team signed Martin Xie,
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