KC Motorgroup Ltd, known as KCMG, is an auto racing team based in Hong Kong. Founded by former racing driver Paul Ip in 2007, KCMG has participated in a variety of championships across the world in touring car, sports car, and open-wheel racing.[1]
History
editKCMG entered the Formula Nippon series in 2010 as a Toyota customer team, with Katsuyuki Hiranaka finishing 12th. In 2011, Alexandre Imperatori finished 12th. In 2012, Ryo Orime finished 19th. In the 2013 Super Formula, Richard Bradley finished 21st. Yuichi Nakayama finished 20th in 2014, 16th in 2015, and 18th in 2016.
In 2013, KCMG expanded outside Asia with an entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans[2] before entering the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2014, during which the team won three races.[3] The team went on to win the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMP2 category on its way to a second-place finish in the 2015 WEC season. However, in the following year, KCMG pared down its LMP2 participation to a one-off entry at Le Mans. KCMG did contest the full 2016 WEC season, albeit in the GTE Am category,[4] finishing fourth in what would be its final season in the championship.
Beginning in 2017, KCMG has partnered with Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, sponsoring drivers Brandon Jones, Matt Tifft, Tyler Reddick and Earl Bamber.[5] Reddick won the 2019 LTi Printing 250 with KCMG as the sponsor.
KCMG Driver Development Project
editIn April 2021, KCMG announced the launch of a new young driver programme named the KCMG Driver Development Project with Irish racer Alex Dunne being named as its first signing the following day.[6][7] The program provides its members with dedicated coaching staff on race weekends, and physiotherapists, managers and tutors to improve their fitness, media skills and education.
Current members
edit| Driver | Years | Series |
|---|---|---|
| 2022– | Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup |
Former members
edit| Driver | Years | Series |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | F4 Spanish Championship |
Drivers
editAlexandre Imperatori (2011, 2013–2014, 2018–present)
Matthew Howson (2013–2016)
Ho-Pin Tung (2013)
Tsugio Matsuda (2014–2016, 2018–present)
Nicolas Lapierre (2015)
Christian Ried (2016)
Brandon Jones (2017)
Josh Burdon (2018–present)
Attila Tassi (2018–present)
Tiago Monteiro (2019–present)
Earl Bamber (2020)
Racing record
edit24 Hours of Le Mans results
edit| Year | Entrant | No | Car | Drivers | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 47 | Morgan LMP2-Nissan | LMP2 | 241 | DNF | DNF | ||
| 2014 | 47 | Oreca 03R-Nissan | LMP2 | 87 | DNF | DNF | ||
| 2015 | 47 | Oreca 05-Nissan | LMP2 | 358 | 9th | 1st | ||
| 2016 | 47 | Oreca 05-Nissan | LMP2 | 116 | DNF | DNF | ||
| 78 | Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Am | 300 | 41st | 10th |
FIA World Endurance Championship results
edit| Year | Class | Drivers | No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Points | WEP pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | LMP2 | 47 | SIL 2 |
SPA 2 |
LMS Ret |
COA 1 |
FUJ 2 |
SHA Ret |
BHR 1 |
SÃO 1 |
130 | 3rd | ||
| 2015 | LMP2 | 47 | SIL 4 |
SPA 3 |
LMN 1 |
NÜR 1 |
COA 2 |
FUJ Ret |
SHA 3 |
BHR 2 |
155 | 2nd | ||
| 2016 | LMGTE Am | 78 | SIL 4 |
SPA 4 |
LMN 5 |
NÜR EX |
MEX 3 |
COA 2 |
FUJ 3 |
SHA 3 |
BHR 2 |
125 | 4th |
Formula Nippon/Super Formula results
edit- Notes
- * – Season still in progress.
References
edit- ^ "Interview of Paul Ip about Asian Le Mans Series". Endurance-Info. 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- ^ "KCMG takes delivery of Morgan LMP2 car for Le Mans". Endurance-Info. 13 February 2013. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- ^ Dagys, John (29 January 2015). "KCMG Confirms Purchase of First Oreca 05". Sportscar365. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- ^ "WEC: KCMG drops LMP2 program". Racer.com. 12 January 2016. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- ^ "Richard Childress Racing, KCMG expand partnership in 2018". NASCAR.com. April 2, 2018.
- ^ Wood, Ida (April 29, 2021). "Super Formula team KCMG launches driver development project". Formula Scout. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
- ^ Wood, Ida (April 30, 2021). "F4 racer Alex Dunne revealed as KCMG's first junior driver". Formula Scout. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
- ^ "Pablo Sarrazin added to KCMG's driver development programme". Formula Scout. 2022-03-31. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
- ^ "F4 racer Alex Dunne revealed as KCMG's first junior driver". Formula Scout. 2021-04-30. Retrieved 2021-04-30.