Valencia Super Trofeo: Ebrahim/Malagamuwa takes class title in season finale
The pair of Armaan Ebrahim and Dilantha Malagamuwa took the Asian Pro-Am Class B title in the season finale of Lamborghini Super Trofeo at Valencia, despite having a torrid weekend with three retirements.
Photo by: Lamborghini Super Trofeo
The long final weekend started with the pair finishing second in both the practice in the Asian Pro-Am class, while ended up fourth and eighth overall including the North American drivers.
Whereas in Qualifying 1, Ebrahim and Malagamuwa took class pole clocking a time of 1m33.941s and were eighth overall.
In Qualifying 2, the pair ended up fourth (13th overall) as Toshiyuki Ochiai and Afiq Yazid took top spot in the Asia Pro-Am class.
Fight in first race
The start of the race saw #224 Lamborghini gain five places by Lap 5 as Ebrahim and Malagamuwa ran third in the lead Asia Pro-Am car in the early stages.
With the top two looking secured, the battle for final podium position raged on until the Indian-Sri Lankan pair lost out and dropped down in the pecking order, after briefly leading the race.
Eventually, they finished third in class while 12th overall with Ochiai/Yazid taking a class win from a new pair of Max Wiser and Andrea Wiser - Andrea replacing the regular Zen Low Suan Chuan.
Pro-Am Class B champions
After making a good start in Race 2, Malagamuva was involved in a battle with the North American category racers, when on Lap 8 he was hit by the #109 car of Damon Ockey.
The Sri Lankan immediately dropped out of the Top 10 as Ockey was handed a time penalty with stewards blaming him for the incident.
Malagamuva continued with a damaged chassis before handing the car to Ebrahim, who set out to regain the lost positions.
Running a lap down, the Indian eventually finished 12th overall and fourth in the Asia Pro-Am class, with Ochiai/Yazid taking another win from Yudai Uchida & Kazuki Hiramine and the Wisers' car.
Even though Ebrahim and Malagamuva were out of podium spot, the pair were crowned the Asian Pro-Am class B champions for 2016 season.
Hit in Race 1 of World Finals
With the rounds in the Asian championship over, the duo competed in the Pro and Pro-Am category races in the World Finals.
After a hectic repair from the mechanics, Ebrahim and Malagamuwa qualified 15th overall and second in class, while 23rd overall and third in class in the two qualifying sessions.
In the first race on Saturday, the pair made up four places to 11th overall before dropping down the pack after a hit and then staging a fight back.
Having clawed back up slowly with rivals making their pitstops, the #224 Dilango Racing car was running as high as second when on Lap 19 they eventually retired due to damage.
The Asian class win went to Ochiai/Yazid from Uchida/Hiramine, as Vito Postiglione from European Pro class took the overall win.
Spin in Race 2
For the final race of the weekend and second in World Finals, Dennis Lind from among the European Pro category took the overall victory, while Ochiai/Yazid were the Asian winners with Uchida/Hiramine second.
Having started from 23rd, the Indo-Sri Lankan pair had the worst luck having to retire for the third time in three races, after a spin from Malagamuwa on Lap 8.
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