Ho-Pin Tung

Ho-Pin Tung is a Chinese racing driver, born in Netherlands, who achieved the most in the sports car racing. In recent years, he competes with DC Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, finishing second in the LMP2 class in 2017 and then again in 2018-2019 FIA WEC season. He participated six times at 24 hours of Le Mans, scoring the best result in 2017 when he was second overall and the winner in the LMP2 class.

Earlier in a career, Ho-Pin Tung was an Asian Le Mans Series champion two times, in LMP2 class in 2014 and in LMP3 class in 2016. At the beginning of his career, Ho-Pin Tung was Formula BMW Asia champion in 2003 and German Formula 3 champion in 2006.

Ho-Pin Tung

Formula BMW Asian champion early in a career

Born in December 1982 in Velp, Netherlands, Ho-Pin Tung started his racing career in 1997, entering karting competitions in Netherlands. He graduated to car racing in 2001, entering the Formula Ford Benelux.

His first big success came in 2003 when he was a champion in the Asian Formula BMW, driving for Team Meritus and winning ten of fourteen races. As an award, he tested F1 car of BMW Williams Team.

German Formula 3 champion in 2006

In 2004, Ho-Pin Tung joined Van Amersfoort Racing to compete in the German Formula 3 Championship (Recaro Formel 3 Cup). Scoring four podiums, he finished seventh in the points.

In 2005, he joined JB Motorsport and progressed to third place in the final standings, after scoring two wins and seven podiums. In 2006, Tung stayed in a Dallara-Opel of JB Motorsport to score nine wins, dominantly taking the championship title.

Driving for Team China in the A1 Grand Prix Series

Between seasons 2006 and 2007, Ho-Pin Tung participated in five rounds of the A1 Grand Prix Series, driving for Team China. The team finished in 15th place.

He made a debut in December 2006 at Sentul International Circuit in Indonesia and after that participated in four more rounds in 2007 -  New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Mexico. His best result was the third place in the second race at Australian Eastern Creek Raceway.

Ho-Pin Tung mde GP2 Series debut in 2007 with BCN Competicion

Two seasons in the GP2 Series

In 2007, Ho-Pin Tung joined Spanish team BCN Competicion to drive in the GP2 Series. His best result was fourth place at Spa-Francorchamps and he finished 23rd in the points. During the year, he also joined BMW Sauber F1 Team as a test driver.

In 2008, Tung moved to Trident Racing, participating both in the GP2 Series and GP2 Asia Series. He scored his maiden GP2 podium in the Sprint race at Monaco. At the end of the season, he was 18th in the points. In the Asian series, he scored one single point to finish 21st in the final standings.

GT racing debut in 2008

In 2008, Ho-Pin Tung made a GT racing debut with a one-off appearance in the International GT Open, driving a Dodge Viper for Scuderia Lattore in Valencia. His teammate was Mike Conway. They won the first race and finished fourth in the second race.

A year later, in June 2009, Tung participated in Spa 24 Hours, driving a Mosler MT900 R GT3 for Gravity Racing International. His partners were Vincent Radermecker, Loris de Sordi and Jacques Villeneuve. They didn't finish the race.

Ho-Pin Tung in 2009

A1 GP and Superleague Formula in 2009

Tung returned to A1 Grand Prix Series in season 2008/2009, participating in five rounds between September 2008 and April 2009. His best result was 8th place at Algarve and Team China finished 18th in the final standings.

In 2009, Tung raced in the Superleague Formula with two different teams. The highlight of the season was a victory at Jarama with Galatasaray team and he finished 11th in the points.

Ho-Pin Tung in 2010

Renault F1 Team's third driver in 2010

In December 2009, Tung had a test with Renault F1 Team, joining the team as the third driver in 2010 F1 season. As part of the deal, he returned to the GP2 Series, driving for the French team DAMS.

Tung competed with DAMS in seven rounds, suffering an injury at Hungaroring which interrupted his season. He returned to season's finale with Racing Engineering team. At the end of the season, Tung had no point on his account, being classified 28th in the final standings.

Diverse racing programme in 2011

In 2011, Tung started a season participating in one round of the Superleague Formula with Team China.  Later in the season, he was driving a Chevrolet Corvette C6.R for Exim Bank Team China in two rounds of the FIA GT1 World Championship, sharing a car with Jeroen de Boer.

In November 2010, Tung made sporting history becoming the first Chinese driver to get a license for IndyCar Series. In May 2011, he tried to qualify for Indianapolis 500 with Dragon Racing but failed. He made an IndyCar debut in August 2011, driving for Dragon Racing at Sonoma.

Ho-Pin Tung and David Cheng are partners since 2013

Focusing on GT racing career since 2012

Tung left open-wheel racing in 2012, participating full season in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia. After scoring three podiums, he finished fifth in the points. In the 2012 Carrera Cup season, he scored one victory and finished fifth in the points again.

In June 2013, Tung made Le Mans 24 Hours debut with KCMG team, driving a Morgan-Nissan LMP2 prototype together with Alexandre Imperatori and Matthew Howson. They retired after 241 laps. Later in the season, Tung joined OAK Racing in three races of the Asian Le Mans Series. He was a winner in two of those three races, finishing third in the points. His teammate David Cheng became champion.

Asian Le Mans Series champion in 2014

In 2014, Ho-Pin Tung and David Cheng stayed partners in the Asian Le Mans Series, driving Morgan-Judd LMP2 prototype for OAK Racing. They were winners in all four races to take the LMP2 championship title.

Of other commitments in 2014, Tung returned to Le Mans with OAK Racing, finishing 7th in the LMP2 class, and participated in three races of the IMSA United Sports Car Championship with the same team, scoring one podium (second at Watkins Glen 6 Hours). He also returned to Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, finishing fifth in the points.

Ho-Pin Tung in the inaugural Formula E season in 2014

Three starts in the inaugural Formula E Championship

At the end of 2014, Tung joined China Racing team to participated in the inaugural season of the FIA Formula E Championship. He was driving the #88 car in three races between September 2014 and January 2015, not scoring points.

In 2015, Tung finished fourth in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, participated in four races of the GT Asian Championship with Absolute Racing's Audi R8 LMS and joined Pegasus Racing in two FIA WEC rounds, including Le Mans 24 Hours. His partners at Le Mans were David Cheng and Leo Roussel. Driving the #29 Morgan-Nissan prototype, they finished 9th in the LMP2 class.

Asian Le Mans Series LMP3 champion in 2016

In October 2015, Tung made a debut in the LMP3 class of the Asian Le Mans Series, driving a Ligier JS P3-Nissan for DC Racing at Fuji 2 Hours.

He and David Cheng won the race. They added three more wins in three races (Sepang two times and Buriram) to take ALMS LMP3 title with maximum points.

Ho-Pin Tung (in the middle) and his teammates in 2016

2016 – first full season in the World Endurance Championship

In 2016, Tung stayed with DC Racing and participated full season in the FIA World Endurance Championship, driving the #35 Alpine A460-Nissan in the LMP2 class. His teammates were David Cheng, Nelson Panciatici (six races) and Paul-Loup Chatin (three races). Their best result in nine races was fifth place in Mexico. At Le Mans 24 Hours, the #35 car stopped after 234 laps. At the end of the season, Tung was 13th in the LMP2 standings.

From October 2016 to January 2017, Tung participated in the Asian Le Mans Series with DC Racing's Oreca 03R-Nissan, scoring two wins and finishing third in the LMP2 standings.

Ho-Pin Tung, Thomas Laurent and Oliver Jarvis at 2017 Le Mans podium

Class victory and second place overall at 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours

For the 2017 FIA WEC season, Jackie Chan DC Racing switched to Oreca 07-Gibson. Tung's teammates in the #38 car were Oliver Jarvis and Thomas Laurent. They started a season with an LMP2 class victory at Silverstone 6 Hours but the greatest result came in June at Le Mans.

In the race which was marked by retirements of LMP1 prototypes, Tung and his teammates managed to finish second overall in the final classification and the winners of LMP2 class. Later in the season, the #38 crew scored one more win (Nurburgring) and finished second in the final FIA WEC standings of the LMP2 class.

In 2017, Ho-Pin Tung was also signed as Jaguar Racing's test and reserve driver for the fourth season of the Formula E Championship.

Ho-Pin Tung is Jaguar's reserve driver in the Formula E

Three wins in the FIA WEC super season

In 2018, Ho-Pin Tung stayed with DC Racing in the FIA WEC super season, scoring three wins in five rounds in the #38 Oreca LMP2 prototype. He won at Spa, Silverstone and Shanghai, sharing a car with Gabriel Aubry and Stephane Richelmi. At Le Mans 24 Hours, they were sixth in LMP2 class in June 2018 and then second in the LMP2 class in June 2019. They finished second in the final classification of the LMP2 class.

Tung stayed with DC Racing in the 2019-2020 FIA WEC season.

Photos: hopintung.com, Getty Images, motorsport-magazin.com,