Peña was classified 10th placer and Sy 11th after the organizers decided to disregard the results of 10 laps of racing and instead invoked the red flag rule which was hoisted in the seventh lap, turning the drivers classification after six laps as the official results of the race.
The decision sowed confusion among the drivers and spectators who cheered loudly when their hero, Henry Lee Jr. of Hong Kong, checked in third after 10 laps. This triggered protests and counter-protests from among the 12 teams involved in the race as team officials questioned organizers regarding the restart of the race in the eighth lap.
The race stewards, however, stood by their decision and declared Sy’s Asian Racing teammates, Hyrotuki Matsumura and Kazuya Oshima of Japan, as the first and second placers, respectively, with another Japanese, Koudai Tsukakoshi of Shangsai Racing Team, as the third placer based on their standings after six laps.
Initial results after the 10 laps had Matsumura, Tsukakoshi, Lee, Yoshishima Namekata of Japan, Sy and Peña as the top six finishers. Oshima was at 20th place after being penalized for overtaking during two yellow flags.
Handlers of Sy were positive that a formal protest could give back to the Filipinos their deserved finish but Ato Sy, Tyson’s father, opted not to push through with it after learning that the protest, if given a positive decision, would bring down the overall standing of the whole Asian Racing Team as Oshima will not be in the podium.
It was a sorry finish for both Sy and Peña as both drivers exhibited the mark of true and gentleman racers by putting premium on safety while displaying commitment with their effort of coming back to place in the Top 10.
Sy started third but found himself fourth after the first lap when he avoided the lunge of teammate Matsumura before the safety car went out after a four-car collision at the Melco Hairpin of the Guia Circuit blocked the track.
This started trouble for Sy, who, at fourth spot behind the safety car, spun out after his front left tire hit a bump while he was weaving, trying to keep his tire hot. The freak accident relegated Sy to 21st position as the train of cars behind him passed while he is trying to rejoin the line.
The safety car went in on the fifth lap and from 21st, Sy steadily gobbled up the cars in front of him and found himself back in 11th on the sixth lap.
While Sy was mowing down his rivals, Peña was also making his move and found himself in 10th and was already ninth when the safety car came out for the second time and at the same time the red flag was hoisted making all the drivers queue up behind the safety car and stop to wait for the re-start.
This started the confusion as the organizers decided to finish the race and later on invoked the red flag rule when teams started lodging protests on the outcome of the race.
It was also a sorry race for Peña of the Champ Motorsport squad, who ran trouble-free charging from 14th at the start to sixth at the checkered flag.
