Porschenews 01/2009 Go your own way. The new Cayman.

Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2009
Brilliant Line Up and Impressive Calendar
Herald New Season.
Reigning, former and potential champions join new
faces for this season’s dazzling crop of Porsche
Carrera Cup Asia talent, and with one of the most
exciting race calendars in the series’ history, the
2009 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA) is all set
for a seventh sensational season.
Reigning Class A Champion Darryl O’Young of
Hong Kong is back, with a mission to clinch an
unprecedented third Porsche Carrera Cup Asia title
with Team Jebsen.
However, an intense battle is on the cards between
2008 champion O’Young, 2007 champion Tim
Sugden of GruppeM Racing, and 2008 title runner-up
Christian Menzel of Team StarChase. With Germany’s
Menzel missing out on the championship by a mere
two points last season after a nail-biting title-decider
in Bahrain, with Briton Sugden finishing third, the trio
are guaranteed to have spectators on the edge of
their seats all year.
But also some exciting new faces are sure to
provide plenty of surprises this year. Rodolfo Avila
of Macau makes his debut with the series driving
for Asia Racing Team. The 22-year-old competed
already in first Asian and then British Formula 3,
and International Formula Masters, before making
a successful switch to sportscars last year.
Jeffrey Lee of Chinese Taipei will contest his first
full PCCA this season with PTRS Motorsport, having
joined the series after the opening rounds last year.
Indonesian talent Danny Chu will be one to watch
this year as he capitalises on the experience gained
during his debut season in 2008. Mok Weng Sun
of Team PCS Racing returns for his second year in
Class A having won Class B in 2007. Also returning
to Class A is Dilantha Malagamuwa, who finished
seventh in 2008 and will be looking to improve on
his overall standing in the 2009 season.
After losing out on the Class B title in the final race
of the 2008 season, Corum ThunderAsia Racing’s
Melvin Choo is looking to avenge his loss with a
strong challenge in 2009. Facing Choo will be
Hong Kong’s Philip Ma with Jacob & Co Racing and
Singapore’s Yuey Tan, competing in his first full
season of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia after getting
a taste for the series with three races in 2008.
Another new entrant into Class B field is Mak Ting
Hak, a Hong Kong sports and touring car racer.
The 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia begins in April,
with the opening races held as part of the 2009
Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai
International Circuit before the series makes a
welcome return to Beijing’s Goldenport Circuit for
an entire weekend in May dedicated to Porsche.
Having raced on China’s Eastern Seaboard and in
the nation’s capital, the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia
next moves to Southern China’s Zhuhai International
Circuit in June as part of the Pan Delta Super
Racing Festival.
In July, the series will be part of the Asian Festival of
Speed weekend at Indonesia’s Sentul International
Circuit, a fixture on the calendar ever since its debut
there in 2006.
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2009 Calendar
Last year, the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia helped
make motorsport history as Singapore hosted its
first modern Formula One Grand Prix. This year,
Porsche Asia Pacific is delighted to partner SC
Global Developments for the 2nd time for this unique
event at the 2009 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix
on September 27.
Returning to China for the penultimate meeting in
2009, the PCCA will once again take to the Shanghai
International Circuit in October as part of a China
Formula Open/Asian Festival of Speed weekend,
before the final rounds in November, the venue for
which will be announced at a later date.
Commented Porsche Asia Pacific’s Manager
Motorsport, Christoph Choi: “We are delighted to
unveil this exciting line-up for the 2009 season. It
represents a mixture of prestigious race weekends,
where we support two rounds of the FIA Formula
One World Championship in Shanghai and Singapore,
as well as meetings which will give our drivers plenty
of track time on some of Asia’s finest circuits. We
believe this represents the best of both worlds for
our drivers and our partners, as well as superb
opportunities for all the fans to come and see some
incredible racing.” n
Date Circuit, Country Event Round(s)
February 27 – March 1 Sepang Int. Circuit, Malaysia PCCA Test Days -
April 17 – 19 Shanghai Int. Circuit, China Formula 1 Support Race 1 & 2
May 8 – 10 Beijing Goldenport Circuit, China Porsche Weekend 3 & 4
June 19 – 21 Zhuhai Int. Circuit, China Pan Delta Super Racing Festival 5 & 6
July 17 – 19 Sentul Int. Circuit, Indonesia Asian Festival of Speed 7 & 8
September 25 – 27 Marina Bay Circuit, Singapore Formula 1 Support Race 9
October 23 – 25 Shanghai Int. Circuit, China
China Formula Open/
Asian Festival of Speed
10 & 11
November TBA TBA TBA
Please note that the above calendar is subject to change.