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

Cheng Congfu
Cheng in 2007.
Born (1984-08-15) August 15, 1984 (age 39)
NationalityChina Chinese
EducationHigh School Affiliated to Renmin University of China
Racing licence FIA Silver
Previous series
2008
2007
2006–072008–09
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
2002Asian Formula Renault

Career

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Karting

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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

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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] in 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 for Mercedes, becoming the second Asian driver – after Japan's Katsutomo Kaneishi in 2003 – to drive in the series.

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

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Racing career summary

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SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2003Formula Renault 2.0 UK ChampionshipHill Speed Racing900001930th
2004Formula Renault 2.0 UK ChampionshipManor Motorsport1600006622nd
2005Formula Renault 2.0 UK ChampionshipManor Motorsport18000121711th
Formula Renault 2.0 UK Winter Series412131012nd
2006Formula Renault 2.0 UK ChampionshipManor Motorsport2001083743rd
French Formula Renault 2.020000034th
2006-07A1 Grand PrixA1 Team China12000022‡15th‡
2007British Formula 3 International Series - NationalPerformance Racing Europe AB20548152672nd
Masters of Formula 3Manor Motorsport10000N/A19th
2007-08A1 Grand PrixA1 Team China20004155‡13th‡
2008Formula 3 Euro SeriesRC Motorsport powered by Volkswagen160000029th
Macau Grand PrixSignature-Plus20000N/A13th
24 Hours of Le Mans - LMP2Saulnier Racing10001N/A3rd
2008-09A1 Grand PrixA1 Team China400007‡18th‡
200924 Hours of Nürburgring - SP3TVolkswagen Motorsport10001N/A3rd
2010Deutsche Tourenwagen MastersPersson Motorsport110000017th
2012FIA World Endurance ChampionshipRebellion Racing100001224th
Blancpain Endurance Series - ProBlack Faklcon200011818th
2013FIA World Endurance ChampionshipRebellion Racing300001718th
24 Hours of Le Mans - LMP110000N/A8th
American Le Mans Series - P1100000NC
Asian Le Mans SeriesOAK Racing10111199th
GT Asia Series - GT3Team R8 LMS Ultra400004312th
Audi R8 LMS Cup ChinaAudi Ultra Team90015985th
2014Blancpain Endurance Series - ProBrothers Racing Team300001621st
Audi R8 LMS Cup ChinaAudi R8 LMS Cup Team1221041304th
2015Audi R8 LMS Cup ChinaFAW-VW Audi Racing Team1100071602nd
24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9Audi Race Experience10000N/A12th
2016GT Asia Series - GT3Absolute Racing400001319th
FIA GT World Cup20000N/A10th
Audi R8 LMS Cup ChinaFAW-VW Audi Racing Team120000707th
24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9Audi Race Experience10000N/ADNF
2016-17Asian Le Mans Series - GTAbsolute Racing100001014th
2017Blancpain GT Series Asia - GT3Milestone Racing1100001525th
Audi R8 LMS CupFAW-VW Audi Racing Team1011031273rd
2018Blancpain GT Series Asia - GT3Absolute Racing1211031164th
GT Asia Series - GT3401020NC†
Audi R8 LMS CupHard Memory Hero Super Car Team200000NC†
2019Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia - GT3Audi Sport Asia Team Absolute Racing120000436th
2023GT World Challenge Asia - GT3Audi Sport Asia Team Absolute1200001825th
FIA GT World CupFAW Audi Racing Team10000N/A13th
2024GT World Challenge AsiaFAW Audi Sport Asia Racing Team

† Guest driver ineligible to score points

‡ Teams' Standings

Complete A1 Grand Prix results

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

YearEntrant12345678910111213141516171819202122DCPoints
2006–07A1 Team ChinaNED
SPR

11
NED
FEA

9
CZE
SPR

4
CZE
FEA

8
BEI
SPR

13
BEI
FEA

Ret
MYS
SPR

10
MYS
FEA

16
IDN
SPR

IDN
FEA

NZL
SPR

NZL
FEA

AUS
SPR

AUS
FEA

RSA
SPR

RSA
FEA

MEX
SPR

MEX
FEA

SHA
SPR

11
SHA
FEA

15
GBR
SPR

Ret
GBR
FEA

10
15th22
2007–08NED
SPR

17
NED
FEA

15
CZE
SPR

10
CZE
FEA

4
MYS
SPR

Ret
MYS
FEA

5
ZHU
SPR

3
ZHU
FEA

9
NZL
SPR

14
NZL
FEA

Ret
AUS
SPR

14
AUS
FEA

10
RSA
SPR

4
RSA
FEA

6
MEX
SPR

17
MEX
FEA

10
SHA
SPR

10
SHA
FEA

15
GBR
SPR

21
GBR
FEA

4
13th55
2008–09NED
SPR

NED
FEA

CHI
SPR

CHI
FEA

MYS
SPR

MYS
FEA

NZL
SPR

Ret
NZL
FEA

14
RSA
SPR

RSA
FEA

POR
SPR

POR
FEA

GBR
SPR

14
GBR
FEA

Ret
18th7

Complete DTM results

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(key)

YearTeamCar1234567891011PosPoints
2010Persson MotorsportAMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2008HOC
13
VAL
12
LAU
12
NOR
14
NÜR
12
ZAN
16
BRH
13
OSC
Ret
HOC
Ret
ADR
13
SHA
15
17th0

24 Hours of Le Mans results

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YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLapsPos.Class
Pos.
2008 Saulnier Racing Pierre Ragues
Matthieu Lahaye
Pescarolo 01-JuddLMP233318th3rd
2013 Rebellion Racing Mathias Beche
Andrea Belicchi
Lola B12/60-ToyotaLMP127540th8th

References

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  1. ^ a b Cheng presentation Archived December 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine a1teamchina.com.cn
  2. ^ Cheng Cong Fu Archived December 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine results.a1gp.com
  3. ^ "Cheng to be first Chinese at Le Mans". autosport.com. 2008-06-05. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
  4. ^ 2011 ILMC Zhuhai Entry List Archived 2011-10-27 at the Wayback Machine www.lemans.org/en Retrieved 26 October 2011.
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