The battle for the region’s most prestigious GT championship title heads to Malaysia next week when the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia takes to the 5.6km Sepang International Circuit for Rounds 7 and 8 of the 2011 season. The stage is set for a spectacular return to the Malaysian track, the series having last raced there in 2009. Team Jebsen’s Rodolfo Avila of Macau leads the charge as the record field of 26 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars embarks on the second half of the season. Avila shot to the top of the leaderboard with a victory in the last round at Ordos, Inner Mongolia, and at Sepang can expect to face stiff opposition from the likes of Team StarChase driver Alexandre Imperatori, who won the first four races of the season and now trails Avila by just a single point. Racing commitments elsewhere mean the Swiss ace will hand the wheel over to reigning Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Christian Menzel of Germany for the Singapore round next month, so Imperatori must score maximum points in Malaysia to remain in the championship race.
The LKM Racing Team duo of Keita Sawa, third in the standings, and FIA WTCC regular Darryl O’Young will also be on the hunt for points, as will series newcomer Brian Wong of the USA who is making a remarkable debut in Asia.
In Class B, the competition will be just as fierce. Team BetterLife’s Wang Jian Wei of China will be seeking to continue his phenomenal series debut, but on-form rivals Francis Tjia of OpenRoad Racing and Team Kangshun’s Ringo Chong are snapping at his heals in the points. Woyo Racing’s Davide Rizzo of Italy, who made both his series and motorsport competition debut at the start of the season, will be one to watch having won twice in the category in Ordos, taking pole position for good measure.
As the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia prepares to race outside China for the first time this season, both the overall and Class B championship titles remain wide open. The fast, sweeping Sepang International Circuit, host of the Malaysian round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and venue for the series’ pre-season test, will be in stark contrast to Inner Mongolia’s tight and twisting Ordos track, demanding a radically different set up and driving style.
Supporting the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia are two of the most recognised names in international motorsport, Mobil1 and Michelin. Mobil and Porsche have been partners since 1996. Close co-operation in research and development has led to every new Porsche engine being filled with Mobil1 high-performance lubricant. Porsche Carrera Cup Asia drivers also have the advantage of racing on cutting-edge tyres supplied by series partner Michelin. The consistent performance and leading technology of Michelin tyres constantly improve the performance of many teams in international motorsport. The partnership between Michelin and the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia has emerged from a worldwide agreement signed between Porsche AG and the Michelin group. The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia is organised and promoted by Malaysian based Motorsport Asia Ltd.
Provisional Entry List – Rounds 7 & 8
Comp
No
Driver
Class
Entrant
5
Yuey TAN (SIN)
B
Wimobilize McElrea Racing (SIN)
7
Jeffrey LEE (TPE)
B
Team Pauian Archiland Absolute Racing (TPE)
9
WANG Jian Wei (CHN)
B
Team BetterLife (CHN)
11
Ringo CHONG (SIN)
B
Team Kangshun (CHN)
15
Keith VONG (MAC)
B
Asia Racing Team (MAC)
16
Wayne SHEN (CAN)
B
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
18
Marcel TJIA (HKG)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
20
Rodolfo AVILA (MAC)
A
Team Jebsen (HKG)
21
Francis TJIA (NED)
B
OpenRoad Racing (HKG)
22
Morris KU (HKG)
B
Team DAYCRAFT (HKG)
23
Paul TRESIDDER (AUS)
B
Paul Tresidder (AUS)
27
Adrian Henry D’SILVA (MAS)
B
Nexus Racing (MAS)
28
John SHEN (CAN)
B
Modena Motorsports (HKG)
33
MOK Weng Sun (SIN)
A
Team PCS Racing (SIN)
37
Davide RIZZO (ITA)
B
WoYo Racing (CHN)
55
Darryl O’YOUNG (HKG)
A
LKM Racing Team (HKG)
59
Philip BRIANDET (SIN)
B
Philip Briandet (SIN)
63
Henri RICHARD (USA)
A
Henri Richard (USA)
66
Rose TAN (CHN)
B
Team C&D (CHN)
68
MAK Hing Tak (HKG)
B
OMAK (HKG)
77
Jacky YEUNG (HKG)
B
Jacky Yeung (HKG)
83
Dr. MA Chi Min (HKG)
B
Asia Racing Team (MAC)
88
Keita SAWA (JPN)
A
LKM Racing Team (HKG)
89
Brian WONG (USA)
A
Absolute Racing (HKG)
98
Philip MA (HKG)
A
Team Hong Kong Racing (HKG)
99
Alexandre IMPERATORI (SUI)
A
Team StarChase (CHN)
Points After Round 6
Overall
Pos
Comp
No
Driver
Entrant
Points
1
20
Rodolfo AVILA
Team Jebsen
104
2
99
Alexandre IMPERATORI
Team StarChase
103
3
88
Keita SAWA
LKM Racing Team
89
4
89
Brian WONG
Absolute Racing
71
5
9
WANG Jian Wei
Team BetterLife
66
Class B
Pos
Comp
No
Driver
Entrant
Points
1
9
WANG Jian Wei
Team BetterLife
112
2
21
Francis TJIA
OpenRoad Racing
88
3
11
Ringo CHONG
Team Kangshun
83
4
16
Wayne SHEN
Modena Motorsports
78
5
28
John SHEN
Modena Motorsports
48
