PICC Team StarChase driver Alexandre Imperatori completed a maximum points haul this weekend by taking victory in Round 8 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia after Team Eagle – Jiejun & Junbaojie driver Martin Ragginger was handed a 30-second time penalty for overtaking under a yellow flag. Ragginger crossed the line first after an 11-lap thriller at the 5.54km Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. The Austrian had fought off an unrelenting attack from points leader Imperatori to lead Round 8 from 7th on the grid. Third over the line, but second in the results, was Team Jebsen’s Rodolfo Avila of Macau, with just over half a second separating the top three at the finish.
Asia Racing Team’s Huang Chu Han of China took the Class B win, with Modena Motorsports’ Wayne Shen, who had started from pole having finished Round 7 in 8th, joining him on the podium along with OpenRoad Racing’s Francis Tjia.
Imperatori further strengthens his hold in the championship leaderboard, although the title is still wide open. The Shanghai-based Swiss talent leads from reigning champion Keita Sawa of the LKM Racing Team by 34 points, with Avila and Budweiser Team StarChase driver Tung Ho-Pin tied in third. In Class B, Shen has increased his lead over second-placed Egidio Perfetti to 32 points.
For Imperatori, who started from 8th on the grid having won Round 7, the epic battle was further evidence that the new reverse grid regulation is proving a masterstroke: “It’s offering a great show for spectators. Martin and I both had a great start, and it was quite amazing to be up in the top five after the first couple of corners. At one stage I had to go on the grass to avoid contact with Martin, but I kept the championship points in mind so was pushing hard but trying to avoid contact. Martin made no mistakes and stayed on the line as he should, and I couldn’t find a way past.”
Avila was thrilled to be back on the podium, having maximized his new tyres: “I started well, but released the clutch too quickly so lost some places with wheelspin. Then the tyres came in, and I made some places but was held up for a while. Once I made it past (Keita) Sawa, I decided to join
the party. I knew if Martin or Alex made a mistake, I was right there.”
