Porsche Carrera Cup Asia shines in Sepang with thrilling Endurance Race debut

KUALA LUMPUR:  The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia delivered an electrifying weekend at the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, marking a historic moment with its first-ever endurance race. Alessandro Ghiretti emerged victorious in this inaugural endurance challenge, further solidifying his dominance in the 2024 season. Representing Porsche Malaysia, the Sime Darby Racing Team showcased their prowess on home turf for the second consecutive year, competing fiercely in the PRO category.

 Rou

Round 9: A Dramatic Start to the Weekend

The weekend's action kicked off with Round 9, where Mathys Jaubert secured pole position for TORO Racing. However, it was Porsche Junior driver Alessandro Ghiretti in the #55 Team Jebsen car who quickly took the lead. Despite Ghiretti's strong performance, a 10-second penalty saw him miss out on the win, handing Jaubert his first Porsche Carrera Cup Asia victory. The podium was completed by Marco Giltrap of Team Porsche New Zealand and Rodrigo Dias Almeida of R&B Racing, both celebrating their maiden podium finishes.

In the Pro-Am class, Bao Jinlong continued his impressive run, taking the class victory and finishing fourth overall. His Phantom Global Racing teammate Zhang Yaqi and Z.SPEED Motorsport's Li Xuanyu joined him on the podium. Meanwhile, in the Am category, a fierce battle saw Eric Kwong narrowly edge out Munkong Sathienthirakul for the win, with Henry Kwong rounding out the top three.

Round 10: A Spectacular Night Race

Round 10, held under the lights of Sepang, provided fans with a visual spectacle as a record 29-car field roared around the track. Ghiretti started from pole, but it was Dylan Pereira of Team Shanghai Yonda BWT who made a sensational start, surging from the third row to take the lead. Jaubert followed closely behind, with Pereira eventually claiming his first victory since the season opener.

A spin for Bao Jinlong prevented him from securing another Pro-Am win, allowing Liu Kai Shun of R&B Racing to take his maiden victory in the championship. Eric Zang of TORO Racing finished second, with Yaqi close behind in third. In the Am category, Sathienthirakul reversed his fortunes from Round 9, narrowly defeating Eric Kwong, while Henry Kwong once again claimed third place.

Endurance Race: A Wet and Wild Debut

The much-anticipated endurance race on Sunday saw wet conditions add an extra layer of challenge. Ghiretti capitalized on an early mistake by Jaubert to take the lead, despite two Safety Car interventions due to incidents involving Almeida, Giltrap, and Yaqi. Local hero Nazim Azman of Sime Darby Racing Team fought valiantly, securing third place before a post-race penalty for contact relegated him, promoting Porsche Holding’s Martin Ragginger to the podium.

In the Pro-Am class, Kai Shun continued his strong form, securing his second win of the weekend. Eric Zang finished second, with Bao recovering to take third. The Am category saw another thrilling battle, with Eric Kwong overtaking Sathienthirakul on the final lap to take the win, with Henry Kwong completing the podium trio.

Championship Standings and Looking Ahead

With just five races remaining in the season, Ghiretti holds a 20-point lead over Jaubert in the overall standings. Bao Jinlong remains comfortably ahead in the Pro-Am class, while a tight battle for second place looms behind him. In the Am category, Eric Kwong leads Sathienthirakul by 21 points as the season heads into its final stages.

The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia will next visit the Marina Bay Circuit for Rounds 12-13, where it will support the Singapore Grand Prix, promising yet another weekend of high-octane racing.

Also Read:  Porsche Carrera Cup Asia makes history with record-breaking entries for the first Endurance Challenge at Sepang