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 2014

The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia embarked upon its 12th season in 2014, and once again raised the bar on professional standards in Asian motorsport, as well as navigating unchartered territory. The 28-strong international field brought exciting talent from across China, Asia Pacific and further afield, competing at Asia’s premier tracks. Making its Asian debut in 2014 was the all-new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (Type 991), with its astonishing technological innovations representing a major evolution of this iconic racing car.

Reigning champions LKM Racing returned with New Zealand’s Earl Bamber, whose meteoric rise saw the 24-year old not only defend his title in a second season of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, but contest his first full season of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup by virtue of winning the Porsche Motorsport International Cup Scholarship shootout at the end of 2013.

Bamber’s return helped set the stage for one of the most competitive seasons in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia history. Joining him at the top of the time sheets were 2013  runner-up Martin Ragginger of Team Porsche Holding, Rodolfo Avila of Team Jebsen, 3rd in 2013, as well as former champion Alexandre Imperatori with PICC Team StarChase.

The introduction of the new China Junior Development Programme, the first specifically geared to sportscar competition, further strengthened the ties between China’s expanding sportscar culture and Porsche Motorsport’s more than 60 years of international success. Four young Chinese drivers comprised the programme’s inaugural class – Zhang Da Sheng with Zheng Tong Auto, Jason Zhang Zhi Qiang with Team C&D, Zhang Zhen Dong with Team Basetex, and Bao Jin Long with Team Synsanly – and with dedicated professional coaching and training, success soon followed, with three of the four finishing their seasons in the top 10 overall.

While talent, speed and determination each had a role to play in the season’s drama, so too did Lady Luck. Bamber was always scheduled to miss the two Zhuhai rounds due to Supercup commitments, but the impact of his absence on the leaderboard standings were halved when torrential rains forced the cancellation of Round 5. But the flip side of luck also came into play – penalties to Ragginger in both Rounds 6 and 7 brought an additional hurdle to his championship campaign.

Team Kangshun once again fielded veteran Ringo Chong and Chinese driver Li Chao reunited with Team Betterlife, while newcomer Ro.C. Skyangel made his series debut with Team Yongda Dongfang. China’s Tung Ho-Pin returned for a third season, backed again by series partner Budweiser, while 2013 Class B champion Egidio Perfetti stepped up to compete in the overall class with Mentos Racing.

In Class B, young Nexus Racing driver Alif Hamdan dominated the category with eight wins in 11 races, and became only the second category driver to reach the overall podium when he finished second to his mentor Bamber in Japan. However Hamdan, who also made his Supercup debut in 2014, scoring a point in Budapest, had a tough fight on his hands as he was challenged for each and every point by Dorr Havelock Racing’s Yuey Tan of Singapore and OpenRoad Racing’s France Tjia, who finished second and third, respectively, in a battle that went right down to the wire.

Bamber sealed his second consecutive Porsche Carrera Cup Asia title in the penultimate race of the season, before taking his eighth victory of the year in the Round 12 finale. Ragginger was runner-up for a second consecutive year, while Imperatori finished third, ahead of Avila and Tung.

For Bamber, his second title was just the start of his rapid ascent; in November he captured the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup championship and a month later was named as a full Porsche factory driver, becoming the most successful driver in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia history.

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.