Drivers in the region’s premier sportscar championship, the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, will face a whole new set of exciting challenges as they head to the new Ordos International Circuit in China’s Inner Mongolia for the first time. Rounds 5 and 6 of the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season will be held from July 8-10, and the Ordos track will present a level playing field for the 26-strong field. Even for China’s Wang Jian Wei of Team BetterLife, who currently leads the Class B category and has previous experience of the 3.751km circuit, it will be the first time he has raced his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car there.
After four races, held as part of the 2011 FORMULA ONE UBS CHINESE GRAND PRIX in April and at the Zhuhai International Circuit last month, Shanghai-based Swiss driver Alexandre Imperatori of defending champions Team StarChase tops the leaderboard. However, keeping him firmly in their sights are Team Jebsen’s Rodolfo Avila of Macau, just 14 points behind, and Japanese ace Keita Sawa of LKM Racing. Wang, who is making his Porsche Carrera Cup Asia debut this year, has made a spectacular start to his debut season, not only leading Class B but currently lying an impressive 4th overall. The 26-year-old will leverage his track knowledge of Ordos to maximum advantage, and could well be a contender for an overall podium finish on current form.
Brian Wong of Absolute Racing, who after Round 2 made history by becoming the first USA driver to stand on the overall Porsche Carrera Cup Asia podium, is also impressing on this debut season where every single circuit is new to him. Wang Jian Wei’s closest Class B challenger, and currently sixth overall, is Dutchman Francis Tjia of OpenRoad Racing. Francis, who competes alongside brother Marcel and finished 3rd in Class B in 2010, is on fighting form this season, having already notched up an impressive trio of podium finishes out of four races. Two-time Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champion and current FIA World Touring Car Championship driver Darryl O’Young knows he has it all to do after a difficult start to his season. O’Young currently lies seventh on the leaderboard, having brilliantly clawed back points by charging through the field on two occasions.
Said Porsche China Motorsport Manager, Oliver Schwab: “We are excited to present our field of drivers with a new circuit this season. As all the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racing cars are technically identical, the race begins for the teams and drivers right from the first practice to find the optimum set-up and then to get the maximum from the track and the driver. The ability to adapt quickly will add yet another dimension to the challenges, and the atmosphere will be electrifying.”
The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia has also unveiled the date and location for its season finale. The ninth season will end where it began, at the Shanghai International Circuit, on October 21-23 as part of the SIC Championship.
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.
Rounds 5 & 6 – Provisional Entry List
Pos
Comp
No
Driver
Class
Entrant
3
Alain LI (HKG)
B
Alain Li (HKG)
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
TBA
TBA
TBA
36
Steven CHIAN (TPE)
B
Team Hong Kong Racing (HKG)
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)
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)
99
Alexandre IMPERATORI (SUI)
A
Team StarChase (CHN)
Points After Round 4
Overall
Pos
Comp
No
Driver
Entrant
Points
1
99
Alexandre IMPERATORI
Team StarChase
80
2
20
Rodolfo AVILA
Team Jebsen
66
3
88
Keita SAWA
LKM Racing Team
55
4
9
WANG Jian Wei
Team BetterLife
47
5
89
Brian WONG
Absolute Racing
43
Class B
Pos
Comp
No
Driver
Entrant
Points
1
9
WANG Jian Wei
Team BetterLife
76
2
21
Francis TJIA
OpenRoad Racing
64
3
11
Ringo CHONG
Team Kangshun
53
4
16
Wayne SHEN
Modena Motorsports
48
5
28
John SHEN
Modena Motorsports
31
