Cheng Congfu

Cheng Congfu
Cheng in 2007.
Nationality	Chinese
Born	(1984-08-15) August 15, 1984 Beijing (China)
Previous series
2008 2007 2006–07–2008–09 2006 2005 2003–06 2003 2002 2001	Formula Three Euroseries British Formula Three A1 Grand Prix Formula Renault 2.0 France FR2.0 UK Winter Series Formula Renault 2.0 UK Chinese Formula Renault Asian Formula Renault British Formula Ford
Championship titles
2002	Asian Formula Renault

Cheng Congfu (Frankie) (程丛夫; pinyin: Chéng Cóng Fū; born August 15, 1984) is a Chinese racing driver.

Career

Karting

In 1996, Cheng raced in karting in China, winning the national championship in 1998 (junior division), 2000 and 2001.^[1] He also took part in the European Karting Open (15th in 1999) and the Asian Karting Championship (runner-up in 2001).

• 1996 : 1st in Beijing Shunxiang Cup Karting Competition
• 1997 : 1st in Beijing Shunxiang Cup Karting Competition ; 2nd in Beijing Zhuangzhou Karting
• 1998 : 1st in Beijing Karting Championship ; 1st in China Karting Championship Junior division ; Macau Kart Racing Club ; 1st in Xiangmihu Kart Racing Club
• 1999 : 15th in European Karting Open ; 2nd in China Karting Championship ; 1st in Macao Karting Championship ; 1st in Ericsson Masters Cup Challenge in Hong Kong
• 2000 : 1st in China Karting Championship ; 1st in Ericsson Masters Cup Challenge in Hong Kong
• 2001 : 1st in All-China Karting Championship ; 2nd in Asia Karting Championship

Racing career

Cheng Congfu started his formula racing career with the British Formula Ford Winter Series in 2001. In 2003 he will be supported by the McLaren Formula One team, as part of its driver development programme.^[1]

Cheng driving for A1 Team China at Zhuhai in 2007.

He joined A1 Team China and drove in the A1 Grand Prix series from the 2006-07 season^[2] to the from the 2008-09 season.

He raced in the Formula Three Euroseries for 2008.

He became the first Chinese driver to participate,^[3] finish and score a class podium in the 24 Hours of Le Mans when his Saulnier Team LMP2 Pescarolo finished 3rd in the LMP2 class of the 2008 event, behind the teams of van Merksteijn and Team Essex, both running Porsche Spyder LMP2s.

Cheng made his DTM début at Hockenheim in 2010.

On 23–24 May 2009, Cheng Congfu participated in the ADAC Nurburgring 24 Hours, with teammates Altfrid Heger, Carlo van Dam, and Franck Mailleux in VW Motorsport III's #116 VW Scirocco GT 24 (4 cyl, 1.984 ccm, 1100 kg), the team finished 20th overall and 3rd in SP3T class after Volkswagen Motorsport II's #118 VW Scirocco GT 24 and #107 Audi A3. Cheng Congfu then became the first Chinese driver to participate, finish and score a class podium in the Nurburgring 24 Hours.

He drove in the 2010 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season for Mercedes.

In November 2011, Cheng Congfu partnered with 1998 and 1999 F1 World Champion Mika Häkkinen and Lance David Arnold to drive a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG at the 2011 6 Hours of Zhuhai race, a round of the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.^[4]

Racing record

Complete A1 Grand Prix results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete DTM results

(key)

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
2008	Saulnier Racing	Pierre Ragues Matthieu Lahaye	Pescarolo 01-Judd	LMP2	333	18th	3rd
2013	Rebellion Racing	Mathias Beche Andrea Belicchi	Lola B12/60-Toyota	LMP1	275	40th	8th

References

External links

• Cheng page at a1teamchina.com.cn
• Driver Statistics at results.a1gp.com
• Career statistic driverdb.com
• Cheng Congfu interview, 17 September 2006