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The new season of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2013 will be kicking off this weekend as part of the 2013 F1 Petronas Malaysian GP in Sepang International Circuit.
The 25-strong field of Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars will take to the track for the first of the 11 races which make up the 2013 calendar, which will see the intriguing entry of successful professionals and fascinating young talent compete across the region for two championship titles, including eight drivers from eight Porsche China dealer teams: Team Jebsen, PICC Team StarChase, Team Betterlife, Team Kangshun, Team C&D, Team Eagle, Team Yongda Dongfang and Basetex racing.
Fresh from his first appearance in the 12 Hours of Sebring at the weekend, where a strong performance saw the team lead the GTC class before mechanical glitches struck, reigning Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champion Alexandre Imperatori will be back at the wheel of his PICC Team StarChase entry. He will get his title defense underway against one of the strongest fields in the series’ history, which includes last year’s runner-up and 2011 champion Keita Sawa of Japan in the LKM Racing Team car, Team Jebsen’s Rodolfo Avila of Macau, and Austrian talent Martin Ragginger of Team Eagle.
Another former Formula 1 test and reserve driver, Tung Ho-Pin of China, made a strong entrance to sportscar racing with the series last year. Tung will compete with Kamlung Racing this season, and retains his backing from Budweiser in 2013. Other hot favorites include Frenchman Benjamin Rouget with Team Yongda Dongfang, Zhang Da Sheng of Team Basetex, and Team Betterlife ace Wang Jian Wei. From Singapore comes one of Asian racing’s best known names, Ringo Chong, with Team Kangshun.
New racers for the season include New Zealand’s Earl Bamber with Nexus Racing, quick in testing at Sepang earlier this month and who, at just 22 years-of-age, comes with an impressive single seater career. Also amongst the professionals making their first appearances are Tung’s team mate, Peter Li Zhi Cong, together with Jason Zhang Zhi Qiang entered by Team C&D.
The 2013 entry is almost evenly matched between the professionals and the Class B category for non-professional drivers, with last year’s champion Wayne Shen moving up to compete for the overall title for the first time per series regulations.
A hot favorite in Class B this year is Francis Tjia of OpenRoad Racing, second in the standings last season, but he can expect a fierce challenge from Switzerland’s Egidio Perfetti in the Mentos Racing entry. Class B debutante Malaysia’s Alif Hamdan, also 22, is the second of three Nexus Racing entries, with fellow countryman and team mate Adrian Henry D’Silva and guest driver Fauzy giving the local crowds a trio of drivers to cheer.
The 10-lap Round 1 of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2013 will be held on this Sunday with qualifying session today in Sepang.
2013 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia
Provisional Entry List
Comp No. |
Driver/Nationality |
Class |
Entrant/Nationality |
3 |
*Fairuz FAUZY (MAS) |
A |
Sime Darby Auto Performance (MAS) |
5 |
Yuey TAN (SIN) |
B |
Dorr McElrea Racing (SIN) |
7 |
Earl BAMBER (NZL) |
A |
Nexus Racing (MAS) |
8 |
Benjamin ROUGET (FRA) |
A |
Team Yongda Dongfang (CHN) |
9 |
WANG Jian Wei (CHN) |
A |
Team Betterlife (CHN) |
11 |
Ringo CHONG (SIN) |
A |
Team Kangshun (CHN) |
16 |
Wayne SHEN (HKG) |
A |
Modena Motorsports (HKG) |
18 |
Marcel TJIA (HKG) |
B |
OpenRoad Racing (HKG) |
20 |
Rodolfo AVILA (MAC) |
A |
Team Jebsen (HKG) |
21 |
Francis TJIA (HKG) |
B |
OpenRoad Racing (HKG) |
22 |
SIU Yuk Lung (HKG) |
B |
LKM Racing Team (HKG) |
25 |
Christian CHIA (CAN) |
B |
OpenRoad Racing (HKG) |
27 |
Adrian Henry D’SILVA (MAS) |
B |
Nexus Racing (MAS) |
28 |
John SHEN (HKG) |
B |
Modena Motorsports (HKG) |
33 |
Samson CHAN (HKG) |
B |
Samson Chan (HKG) |
38 |
Keita SAWA (JPN) |
A |
LKM Racing Team (HKG) |
58 |
TUNG Ho-Pin (CHN) |
A |
Budweiser Kamlung Racing (CHN) |
66 |
Jason ZHANG Zhiqiang (CHN) |
A |
Team C&D (CHN) |
68 |
Peter LI Zhi Cong |
A |
Kamlung Racing (HKG) |
72 |
Alif HAMDAN (MAS) |
B |
Nexus Racing (MAS) |
78 |
ZHANG Da Sheng (CHN) |
A |
Team Basetex (CHN) |
83 |
MA Chi Min (HKG) |
B |
Dr. Ma Chi Min (HKG) |
86 |
Martin RAGGINGER (AUT) |
A |
Team Eagle (CHN) |
88 |
Egidio PERFETTI (SIN) |
B |
Mentos Racing (SIN) |
96 |
LI Chao (CHN) |
B |
Asia Racing Team (CHN) |
99 |
Alexandre IMPERATORI (HKG) |
A |
PICC Team StarChase (CHN) |
*Non-series registered
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2013
Provisional Race Calendar
Date |
Circuit, Country |
Event |
Round(s) |
March 02 – 03 |
Sepang Intl. Circuit, Malaysia |
Test Days |
– |
March 22 – 24 |
Sepang Intl. Circuit, Malaysia |
Formula 1 Support Race |
Round 1 |
April 12 – 14 |
Shanghai Intl. Circuit, China |
Formula 1 Support Race |
Round 2 |
May 03 – 05 |
Zhuhai Intl. Circuit, China |
Asian Le Mans Series* |
Round 3 & 4 |
July 05 – 07 |
Ordos Intl. Circuit, China |
Asian Le Mans Series* |
Round 5 & 6 |
August 02 – 04 |
Autopia Intl. Circuit, Korea |
Asian Le Mans Series* |
Round 7 & 8 |
September 20 – 22 |
Marina Bay Circuit, Singapore |
Formula 1 Support Race |
Round 9 |
October 25 – 27 |
Shanghai Intl. Circuit, China |
Shanghai Sportscar Champions Festival* |
Round 10 & 11 |
* subject to confirmation of commercial agreement.
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