2016 Asian Formula Renault Series Explained

The 2016 Asian Formula Renault Series (aka AFR Series) is the 17th season of the AFR Series since its creation in 2000 by FRD. The season began on 19 March at the Zhuhai International Circuit and ended on 23 October at the Zhejiang International Circuit after six double-header events. For the first time, the series travelled to Korea and Thailand, hosting a round at Yeongam and Buriram respectively; the rest of the rounds were held in China.

Starting from previous season, drivers and teams compete in 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.^[1]

As part of an enhanced agreement with Renault Sport, the season featured a scholarship program for young Chinese drivers, called Road to Champion. The winner among these drivers over the last three rounds of the championship secured a link to race the following year in Europe with the help of Renault Sport.^[2]

Teams and drivers

Team Driver name Class Rounds S&D Motorsports 2 Najiy Razak All 14 Umar bin Abdul Rahman 3 31 Song Xujie RTC 4–6 48 Louis Prette 5–6 56 Tam Kuan Ioi RTC 4–6 59 Yu Yuk Hang RTC 4, 6 66 Maxx Ebenal 1–2 Asia Racing Team 3 Ni Weiliang All 10 William Tan All 11 Hua Miao 1–5 18 Liu Kai 1–3 36 Lin Taian RTC 5 RTC 6 66 Maxx Ebenal 4–6 67 Jasper Thong 1–5 6 71 James Runacres 1, 3 88 Evan Chen 4 BlackArts Racing Team 5 Pete Olson 5 6 6 Josh Burdon All 9 Thomas Lüdi All 17 Neric Wei 1–3 26 Li Qingyuan RTC 4–6 28 Pavan Ravishankar All 65 Brad Dias 6 91 David Pun 6 KRC Racing 7 Bao Jinlong 1 8 Wang Yang 4 24 Hong Shijie 6 43 Mars Kang 5 77 Ye Hongli 3 99 Pu Shu 4 Korea Formula 27 Suh Seung-beom 2 37 Kim Hak-kyum 2 Champ Motorsport 38 Victor Yung 5 63 Xie Ruilin 1, 5 KCMG 47 Liu Junjie RTC 4–6 85 Ngan Ming Hang RTC 4–6 privateers 1 Chen Yi-Hsien 1 16 Wayne Shen 1 21 Dominic Tjia 1 22 Francis Tjia 1 68 Sébastien Mailleux 1

Icon Class Class A Class B RTC Road to Champion Division

Race calendar and results

Round		Circuit	Date	Pole position	Fastest lap	Overall Winner	Class A Winner	Class B Winner
1	R1	Zhuhai International Circuit, Zhuhai	19 March	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Wayne Shen
	R2		20 March	Josh Burdon	Maxx Ebenal	Maxx Ebenal	Maxx Ebenal	Wayne Shen
2	R3	Korea International Circuit, Yeongam	14 May	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Kim Hak-kyum
	R4		15 May	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Kim Hak-kyum
3	R5	Chang International Circuit, Buriram	11 June	Ye Hongli	Ye Hongli	Ye Hongli	Ye Hongli	Jasper Thong
	R6		12 June	Josh Burdon	Ye Hongli	Ye Hongli	Ye Hongli	Hua Miao
4	R7	Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai	21 August	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Hua Miao
	R8			Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Jasper Thong
5	R9	Zhuhai International Circuit, Zhuhai	17 September	Maxx Ebenal	Maxx Ebenal	Maxx Ebenal	Maxx Ebenal	Jasper Thong
	R10		18 September	Maxx Ebenal	Maxx Ebenal	Maxx Ebenal	Maxx Ebenal	Xie Ruilin
6	R11	Zhuhai International Circuit, Zhuhai	29 October	Maxx Ebenal	Najiy Razak	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Song Xujie
	R12		30 October	Maxx Ebenal	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Josh Burdon	Ngan Ming Hang

Championship standings

Points system

Points are awarded to the top 14 classified finishers. Drivers in classes A and B are classified separately.

Drivers' Championship
Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	11th	12th	13th	14th
Points	30	24	20	17	15	13	11	9	7	5	4	3	2	1

Drivers' Championships

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%; text-align: center" Pos Driver ZIC1 KOR CHA SIC ZIC2 ZIC3 Pts Class A 1 Josh Burdon 1 Ret 1 1 2 DNS 1 1 2 2 1 1 282 2 Maxx Ebenal 2 1 3 3 2 5 1 1 3 2 237 3 Najiy Razak 8 2 6 2 Ret 2 4 2 Ret 14 4 3 189 4 Pavan Ravishankar Ret 9 Ret 5 4 3 5 4 3 Ret 2 5 156 5 William Tan 7 Ret 10 12 7 8 10 12 5 5 9 9 111 6 Liu Kai 10 3 2 4 3 4 109 7 Ni Weiliang Ret Ret 8 10 Ret 9 8 8 6 3 Ret Ret 84 8 Neric Wei 13 4 4 11 5 5 84 9 Thomas Lüdi 5 Ret 11 13 8 7 7 7 Ret Ret 11 Ret 79 10 Ye Hongli 1 1 60 11 Li Qingyuan 9 Ret 4 6 DNA 7 50 12 Louis Prette 8 13 6 8 46 13 Evan Chen 3 3 10 Ret 45 14 James Runacres 14 11 6 6 44 15 Bao Jinlong 3 8 35 16 Lin Taian 7 4 28 17 Pu Shu 6 6 26 18 Hong Shijie 5 Ret 17 19 Jasper Thong Ret 6 15 20 Wang Yang 13 9 11 21 Pete Olson 9 Ret 9 22 Umar bin Abdul Rahman Ret 11 5 23 Mars Kang DNS DNS 0 Class B 1 Jasper Thong 11 10 7 8 9 DSQ 12 10 7 8 212 2 Hua Miao 6 Ret Ret 7 Ret 10 11 11 9 7 180 3 Song Xujie 14 13 12 12 66 4 Xie Ruilin Ret 12 10 4 65 5 Wayne Shen 4 5 60 6 Kim Hak-kyum 5 6 60 7 Ngan Ming Hang 15 14 13 Ret 47 8 Francis Tjia 9 7 40 9 Suh Seung-beom 9 9 37 10 Dominic Tjia 16 6 35 11 Pete Olson 11 11 30 12 Lin Taian Ret 9 17 13 Victor Yung Ret 10 15 14 Sébastien Mailleux 12 Ret 15 15 Yu Yuk Hang 16 Ret 15 16 Chen Yi-Hsien 15 Ret 13 17 Tam Kuan Ioi Ret Ret 14 Ret 11 18 Liu Junjie DNS DNS 15 Ret 9 Pos Driver ZIC1 KOR CHA SIC ZIC2 ZIC3 Pts

Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap

Road to Champion Division

Pos	Driver	SIC		ZIC1		ZIC2		Pts
1	Song Xujie	14	13	12	12			98
2	Li Qingyuan	9	Ret	4	6			90
3	Ngan Ming Hang	15	14	13	Ret			64
4	Lin Taian			Ret	9			24
5	Tam Kuan Ioi	Ret	Ret	14	Ret			17
6	Yu Yuk Hang	16	Ret					17
7	Liu Junjie	DNS	DNS	15	Ret			15
Pos	Driver	SIC		ZIC1		ZIC2		Pts

Notes and References

1. News: 2015 AFR Sporting & Technical Regulations. 18 February 2015. FRD Motorsports. 9 December 2015.
2. News: "Road to Champion with Renault Sport Formula One Team" Scholarship Programme application available with all AFR Teams!. 26 May 2015. FRD Motorsports. 25 September 2015.