26 set for Porsche Carrera Cup Asia opener

A record grid of 26 cars has been assembled for a new season of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia which kicks off in Shanghai this weekend.

26 of Frankfurt’s 911 GT3 Cup machines will be in action over the Chinese Grand Prix weekend where an international field of seasoned pros and exciting newcomers has gathered for 2011’s opening round.

New StarChase signing and former Japanese F3 contender Alexandre Imperatori heads the list of this year’s title challengers along with two-time series winner Darryl O’Young and his LKM Racing team mate Keita Sawa.

Double title winners Team Jebsen are banking on Macau’s Rodolfo Avila while Team Porsche Club Singapore Racing’s Mok Weng Sun graduates to the professional ranks after dominating Class B last term.

Fellow former Class B champion Alain Li shares driving duties with French debutant Henri Richard while sometime American Le Mans Series driver Brian Wong spearheads Absolute Racing’s challenge.

Others to look out for include newcomer Wang Jian, Steven Chian and the championship’s first full-time female racer Rose Tan.

Class B again promises much with last season’s runners-up Team Kangshun aiming to go one better with Singaporean Ringo Chong. He faces a very real threat however from OpenRoad Racing’s Francis Tjia who came within just six points of the 2010 crown. 

Porsche Carerra Cup Asia coverage is part of Motors TV’s AFOS winter programming.

Tom Hornsby