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 2018

The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2018 proved to be another historic season full of thrilling races and exciting photo finishes. Boasting 28 drivers from 12 different countries and regions, the 2018 season was a landmark event in a number of ways. Not only did 2018 see the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia celebrate its 15th anniversary, but it also marked the season debut of the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (Type 991 II) and the 70th Anniversary of Porsche's founding.

The battle for the top of the leaderboard started early, with Team StarChase's Philip Hamprecht taking the first victory of the season, only to be swiftly overtaken by Kamlung Racing's Chris van der Drift, who snatched the points lead from Hamprecht in Round 2 with a flawless lights to flag victory. Team Porsche Holding's Martin Ragginger made a stunning Round 2 run from P5 to overtake Hamprecht on the final lap, cementing a threeway rivalry between Ragginger, Hamprecht and van der Drift that would dominate the league tables throughout the season. Round 2 at Fuji International Speedway came close to a demolition derby, as inclement weather saw a full 25% of the starting lineup retiring early. The weekend in Fuji was rounded off with an exciting invitational between Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and Japan, with a jaw-dropping 48 cars on the starting grid – the largest number seen in either Cup's history. The jostling for the top of the league table continued as the mid-season point loomed. AAS Motorsport by Absolute Racing's Maxime Jousse entered the fray in earnest to trouble the top of the leaderboard with a series of solid performances, while a single point separated Hamprecht in first Overall from van der Drift in second Overall. The second half of the season saw the tour head down under, for the Carrera Cup Asia's first night race of 2018, an invitational alongside our sister series Porsche Carrera Cup Australia. Following another thrilling Formula 1 support race alongside the Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay Street Circuit, Earl Bamber Motorsport's Will Bamber clinched his first victory of the season on his home turf, Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. By the time the final race weekend brought the season back home to Shanghai, van der Drift was sitting comfortably in first place with a 19-point lead. A last minute podium finish for Team Jebsen's Cui Yue saw the Chinese national secure a spot in the Overall Top 5, just behind Bamber, Ragginger and Hamprecht respectively, while van der Drift claimed overall victory and became the first three-time winner in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia's history.

The Pro Am class had a similarly nail-biting season, with a strong start from Modena Motorsport's Wayne Shen, who managed a podium finish for five out of the first six races. Zheng Tong Auto's Bao Jinlong had a shaky start, but by mid-season he had more than found his groove. OpenRoad Racing's Francis Tjia maintained a steady presence throughout the season, and was seemingly always the rival battling for the lead position among the other drivers in this class. Porsche Beijing Central and Goldenport's Li Chao put in a solid performance and muscled his way into the top three in the final rounds of the season, edging out Wayne Shen in fourth and True Vision Motorsport's Suttilick Buncharoen who finished fifth. Francis Tjia's tenacity saw him claim second place in the Pro Am class, while Bao Jinlong claimed the hard won first place position just four points clear of his rival Tjia.

The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Dealer Trophy was held for the second year running and was once again a notable success. Seven of China's top dealerships faced off on the track for the chance to win the coveted Porsche China Dealer Trophy. Cui Yue, driving for Team Jebsen, put in a solid performance throughout and managed to briefly take the lead at the mid-season point. Team Porsche Holding's Martin Ragginger earned his dealership a number of podiums including an incredible four race winning streak from Rounds 7 to 10. However, it was Philip Hamprecht, driving for Team StarChase, who dominated the Dealer Trophy races this season. With his only major slip up being a retirement in Round 4, Hamprecht found himself sitting pretty at the top of the table for the vast majority of the season, eventually bringing home a victory for Team StarChase.

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.