The 2018 season of the Asian Formula Renault (AFR) saw its 4th round being held a month in advance last June 15/17. Taking place at the Zhuhai International Circuit in China, the racing event further tested Filipino racer Daniel Miranda’s mettle, as well as the solid bond he has with his Cebuana Lhuillier-backed team Euroasia Motorsport.
Looking back, the Zhuhai International Circuit was where the 2018 AFR held its opening round. There, Miranda showed an impressive performance by completing the race in 9th place. This stint made a lasting impression as the 21-year-old Cebuano rookie driver showed that he can compete with the top-player who are more experienced in open-wheel racing at the 4.3 km-long Chinese racetrack.
In the practice and qualifying sessions, Miranda drove brilliantly for the most part. But due to setup issues and minor driver errors, he saw himself placing 9th in qualifying. This didn’t hinder is fighting spirit as he kept his pace up high in the main events.
Right off the bat, Miranda floored it to take 7th place in the opening lap of Race 1. The 19-lap race around the tight course tested his patience and ability to calculate overtaking risks. At some point, he even landed 6th, was keen on taking in more places. But he played it safe so as to make the car last until Race 2. In the end, he crossed the line in 7th.
Everything started off nicely for Miranda in Race 2, but things quickly turned out for the worse. On turn 3 of the opening lap, Miranda got hit by an out-of-control opponent, causing his car to spin out. As he spin out of control, 2 other cars came crashing onto his. Thankfully, Miranda was okay, but sadly, his car was heavily damaged. This forced him to retire and end the race on a DNF or Did Not Finish.
At the end of the day, Miranda and team Euroaisa Motorsport were still optimistic as they look forward to the next round to be held on August 25/26 at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.
