SERIES INTRODUCTION

Introduction

With the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia firmly established as Asia’s premier one-make sports car racing series, 2023 sees a formidable international field of brilliant professionals competing wheel-to-wheel with dedicated privateers. A proven testing ground for fledgling talent and a showcase for the world’s leading GT competitors, today the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia is the number one choice for the region’s finest drivers.

Over the past 20 years, the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia has become renowned as a series that ignites passion and enthusiasm for motorsport across the region. Each of this year’s entries will pilot an identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (Type 992). This impressive machine represents the latest generation of Porsche’s iconic race car, bringing faster lap times, slicker technology and improved control.

Piloting the 911 GT3 Cup (Type 992), several fresh faces will join series returnees as 21 drivers enter into the 2023 season, with a balanced mix of Pro, Pro-Am and Am racers creating a multi-level competition among the region’s most talented contestants. Also returning in 2023 is the Porsche Dealer Trophy, which will see series’ dealer teams compete head-to-head as they are awarded points based on the top performing dealer team driver.

The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia will also continue its critical role developing Asian motorsport talent in 2023. Our focus on motoring youth continues with the Porsche Talent Pool Programme. Extended to all drivers under the age of 26, this programme gives young talent access to star coaches and training while offering the life-changing opportunity to compete in the global Porsche Junior Programme Shootout in Germany for the best performing driver.

Celebrating 20 years on the track in 2023, the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia has spent the past two decades proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is the premier one-make series on the continent. From the first ever race at Sepang International circuit in 2003, the series has been on a journey that has seen it take in 231 races and host over 198 competitors from 21 countries and regions. With a return to international racing in 2023, this 20th anniversary year is shaping up to be the most exciting Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season yet.

Services

Impeccable services of the highest standards are centrally managed and provided to all teams and drivers, including:

• Transportation of cars, parts and tools from race to race
• Centrally-managed parts, meaning teams do not need to invest in inventory
• Superb track hospitality at each race
• Accommodation and transfer packages
• Pit set-up and equipment

Arrive and Drive Option

While individual teams are welcome, competitors have the option of availing themselves of the unique ‘Arrive and Drive’ concept, which provides drivers with professional support services of the highest calibre.

The Technical Service Package includes highly-trained mechanics and supervisors at each race to service and maintain the car, a pre-season check and pre-event service, pit set-up at each event, and packing, loading and unloading of containers.

This option, provided by professional partner EKS Motorsports, represents savings in both time and expense and means drivers need simply to arrive at the track where the fully-prepared cars await them, making for an exciting and hassle-free race weekend.

Pro-Am Class

Privateer drivers who believe the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia is the exclusive domain of full-time professionals could not be more mistaken. The creation of the Pro-Am Class within the series, designed specifically for those very drivers, affords the opportunity to race against the professionals – a unique chance to learn from the best in the business.

Am Class

As the quality of the Carrera Cup Asia’s dedicated privateers has consistently risen year-on-year, it has become necessary to introduce a new class in order to keep every spot in the race competitive. The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia introduced the Am class in 2021, and it has returned every season since with its own podiums, points tables and prizes.

Porsche Dealer Trophy

In 2023, the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia will continue the Porsche Dealer Trophy, which gives dealer teams a chance to compete as they are awarded points each round based on the best performing dealer driver. With huge success in 2022, the trophy further solidifies the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia as one of the most inclusive, exciting racing series in Asia.

Drivers are welcome

With a truly international field, competitors come from as far afield as Europe and Australia, and as close to home as China, to test their racing mettle in the series. Both young and young-at-heart compete wheel-to-wheel each season, and the friendly off-track camaraderie has become a signature of the championship.

In order to take part in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, competitors need to:

• Own a Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 911 GT3 Cup (Type 992)
• Hold a valid “C” international racing license
• Purchase the Participation Package
• Purchase the Technical Service Package

The Participation Package includes all registration and entry fees, all costs for logistics, and hospitality access for three at each event. It does not include wear-and-tear, tyres, spare parts, and individual travel and on-track insurance.

Guests are welcome

The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia provides thrilling motorsport competition across the region, and at each stop offers an exclusive hospitality experience for guests, be they sponsors, business associates, friends or family.

Individual guest packages are offered by the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia organisation.

SEASON 2016

While 2017 is shaping up to be a memorable year – 2016 provided some of the toughest competition the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia has seen to date.

It was a long journey to the final stop, starting with the test days in Shanghai in March when the 24-strong driver line-up gathered at the home of Porsche China for the 2016 season.

During Round 1 and 2 in Shanghai in April it was clear the season would be contentious, with Kamlung Racing’s Maxime Jousse making a solid debut after achieving two lights-to-flag victories starting from the pole to complete a perfect weekend. He was pursued doggedly by Team Starchase’s Nico Menzel, who achieved second in both rounds, while third place was split, with Fun88 Team Sunfonda’s Zhang Da Shang achieving his first podium of the season in Round 2.

Shortly after at the Fuji International Speedway, Porsche China Junior Team’s Andrew Tang wowed spectators as the young driver took his first win of the season in Round 3 and second place in Round 4, with Jousse winning Round 4. Meanwhile, Menzel continued to show a consistent performance – achieving a second and third place victory respectively in each race.

Round 5 in Buriram, Thailand saw Tang once again achieve victory, solidifying his spot in the top, while guest driver Scott Hargrove, driving for OpenRoad Racing, took Round 6. During both races, Menzel finished mid-pack, in 5th for Round 5 and 4th for Round 6.

Mitchell Gilbert set the stage for his ultimate podium spot in Australia, commanding a first place victory in both Round 7 and 8 as drama on the track saw Nico Menzel unable to finish Round 7 and Jousse unable to finish Round 8.

Porsche Carrera Cup Asia | Season 2016

As the series approached the final races, it was clear that 2016’s line-up of formidable drivers were going to make this a close tournament. Singapore saw Porsche Carrera Cup Asia veteran Martin Ragginger of Team Porsche Holding take first, with Menzel in second and Jousse in Third.

Strong podium wins, dogged by misfortune, had allowed Maxime Jousse to maintain the lead in the tables up into Malaysia – but in a last minute development seen at the penultimate race weekend, Team Starchase’s Nico Menzel overtook Kamlung Racing’s Maxime Jousse in Round 10.

With such a formidable line-up of racers, there were 5 drivers eligible going into the final. Menzel transformed his lead into a championship win after two smart races during the finale in Shanghai, leaving Maxime Jousse in second place and Absolute Racing’s Mitchell Gilbert narrowly beating Porsche China Junior Team’s Andrew Tang to win third – with Gilbert at 173 points and Tang at 172.

In Class-B, the season-long rivalry between Absolute Racing’s Yuan Bo and est Cola Thailand’s Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak came to a climatic end after Bo suffered a huge penalty in Round 11 that all but guaranteed Inthraphuvasak’s victory. But in Round 12, a rock in the radiator took Inthraphuvasak out of the race and sealed Bo as the 2016 Class-B Champion. Last year’s Reigning champion Yuey Tan of Team Jebsen was ousted by Wayne Shen of Modena Motorsport after a collision left Tan unable to finish Round 11.

With 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Earl Bamber returning to the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia finale in Shanghai, a brilliant victory for Porsche in the FIA WEC Championship Shanghai 6 Hours and two exciting new competition winners crowned during the Night of Champions – the end of 2016 went out with a bang. Adding to the excitement was the anticipation of an equally exciting 2017 season.

PORSCHE MOTORSPORT

With 75 years of racing history and more than 30,000 victories to date, Porsche is the biggest manufacturer in the world to specialise in high performance cars and is the most successful marque in motorsport. We are passionate about this and uphold these ideals as the entire philosophy underpinning Porsche Motorsports: Spirit. Principle. Vision.

The global Porsche Motorsport programme includes both works and customer racing. At the pinnacle of the Porsche Motorsport pyramid is the LMP Sport programme, which returns to Hypercar racing this year with the Porsche 963, which will be competing in the 100th anniversary 24 Hours of Le Mans race. In the GT category, Porsche also competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship as well as the IMSA Championship (which includes the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring), and the legendary Nürburgring 24 Hours. The Porsche onemake Cups include the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, the international Carrera Cups and the Cup Challenges, while the global programme also features the Cayman GT4 Challenge alongside a myriad of track experience opportunities such as the Porsche Sport Driving School, the Porsche Sports Cup Series and Porsche Club Sports Events.