26 Apr 2013 Champion returns to face intensified competition
Reigning Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champion Alexandre Imperatori of PICC Team StarChase may have only been absent from the series for two races, but in just six short weeks the level of competition amongst the front-runners has strengthened considerably. As Imperatori returns for Rounds 4 & 5 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia this weekend at the Zhuhai International Circuit, having missed the last two rounds contesting the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship in Silverstone, he will be faced with a formidable field of rivals.
Team Eagle’s Martin Ragginger grabbed pole position for both of those races, held in support of the 2013 FORMULA 1 UBS CHINESE GRAND PRIX in Shanghai earlier this month, and followed up with two emphatic victories to stand ten points ahead of his closest rival, newcomer Earl Bamber of New Zealand. Bamber, who joined the series this year and competes with Craft Nexus Racing, proved he is quickly mastering the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, with two lightning-quick starts and impressive race performances demonstrating he is a genuine title contender.
Japan’s Keita Sawa, champion in 2011 and racing for LKM Racing Team, put in strong performances in Shanghai, with his podium finish in Round 2 putting him 18 points adrift of Ragginger and just eight behind Bamber. Team Jebsen’s Rodolfo Avila, meanwhile, was on the attack in Shanghai and is quickly gaining in both race pace and confidence. Team Yongda Dongfang’s Benjamin Rouget of France has been consistently at the front of the pack and is fifth on the leaderboard heading to Zhuhai.
Imperatori returns to the fray in ninth position in the championship standings behind Budweiser Kamlung Racing’s Tung Ho-Pin, who bounced back to grab 21 points in Shanghai, Team Basetex ace Zhang Da Sheng who, despite a number of setbacks already this season, is showing real race-winning potential.
Motorsport veteran Ringo Chong of Team Kangshun lies three points clear of a trio of China drivers all tied in 11th: Team Betterlife’s Wang Jian Wei; new Team C&D driver for 2013, Jason Zhang Zhi Qiang; and Kamlung Racing’s Li Zhi Cong.
Class B leader is Egidio Perfetti of Mentos Racing, who has a perfect score of three category wins in three races. Second in Class B after three races is Dorr McElrea Racing’s Yuey Tan of Singapore. Tan’s pair of hard-fought podium finishes in Shanghai put him 14 points adrift of Perfetti in the category, while newcomer, Malaysia’s Alif Hamdan of Nexus Racing, lies third. OpenRoad Racing’s Francis Tjia was another driver absent in Shanghai after an impressive second place at the season opener in Malaysia, but will be immediately back on the power in Zhuhai.
Joining the series for the Zhuhai weekend in the Team Carrera Cup Asia car is Daniel Bilski. The Hong Kong resident is a keen GT and Classic Car competitor, and was Sports Production Class Winner at the Malaysia Merdeka 12 Hour Endurance Race last year as well as Open Class Champion in the Asia Classic Car Challenge.
Rounds 4 and 5 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia will be run over 12 laps of the 4.3km Zhuhai International Circuit, where last year Imperatori took pole position and both victories, with Perfetti taking the Class B wins. This time around though, with the taste of victory still sweet on the lips of Ragginger, Bamber gaining speed with each outing, Avila looking increasingly strong, and a field bursting with race-winning potential, Imperatori will face fierce competition when he arrives in Zhuhai. For racing fans though, the 25-strong field of identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars piloted by the most talented and competitive sportscar drivers in the region, it will be a showdown to remember.
2013 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia
Rounds 3 & 4 – Provisional Entry List
| No | Driver/Nationality | Class | Entrant/Nationality |
| 3 | *Daniel BILSKI (HKG) | B | Team Carrera Cup Asia (CHN) |
| 5 | Yuey TAN (SIN) | B | Dorr McElrea Racing (SIN) |
| 7 | Earl BAMBER (NZL) | Craft Nexus Racing (MAS) | |
| 8 | Benjamin ROUGET (FRA) | Team Yongda Dongfang (CHN) | |
| 9 | WANG Jian Wei (CHN) | Team Betterlife (CHN) | |
| 11 | Ringo CHONG (SIN) | Team Kangshun (CHN) | |
| 16 | Wayne SHEN (HKG) | Modena Motorsports (HKG) | |
| 18 | Marcel TJIA (HKG) | B | OpenRoad Racing (HKG) |
| 20 | Rodolfo AVILA (MAC) | Team Jebsen (HKG) | |
| 21 | Francis TJIA (HKG) | B | OpenRoad Racing (HKG) |
| 22 | SIU Yuk Lung (HKG) | B | LKM Racing Team (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) | LKM Racing Team (HKG) | |
| 58 | TUNG Ho-Pin (CHN) | Budweiser Kamlung Racing (MAS) | |
| 66 | Jason ZHANG Zhi Qiang (CHN) | Team C&D (CHN) | |
| 68 | Peter LI Zhi Cong (CHN) | Kamlung Racing (HKG) | |
| 72 | Alif HAMDAN (MAS) | B | Nexus Racing (MAS) |
| 78 | ZHANG Da Sheng (CHN) | Basetex Racing (CHN) | |
| 83 | Dr. MA Chi Min (HKG) | B | Dr. Ma Chi Min (HKG) |
| 86 | Martin RAGGINGER (AUT) | Team Eagle (CHN) | |
| 88 | Egidio PERFETTI (SIN) | B | Mentos Racing (SIN) |
| 96 | LI Chao (CHN) | B | Asia Racing Team (CHN) |
| 99 | Alexandre IMPERATORI (HKG) | PICC Team StarChase (HKG) |
*Non-series registered