SEPANG: Now in its 22nd season, Porsche Carrera Cup Asia continues to push boundaries as the premier one-make racing series in the region.
The Sepang stop last weekend (June 7 and 8) marked a pivotal midpoint in the championship as drivers competed in three rounds across a single weekend – including two intense sprint races and one endurance race.
With every driver fielding identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) cars, fans enjoyed gripping, high stakes racing on the 5.543km track.
Porsche Malaysia, represented by Sime Darby Auto Performance (Auto Performance), had kicked off the Malaysian leg at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit with Rounds 5, 6 and 7.
A staple on the regional motorsport calendar, the Malaysian stage is one of the most highly-anticipated stops of the season — featuring two days of adrenaline-charged sprint races and the return of the crowd-favourite endurance race.
“Motorsport in our blood and DNA, and we’re thrilled to bring the excitement back to Sepang. We’re proud to be able to support local and regional talents,” shared Auto Performance CEO Christopher Hunter.
The endurance race has a unique format that brings a different dimension of racing to the series.
Sime Motors Racing fielded two entries in this race – car #17 driven by Malaysian racer Nazim Azman and car #38 helmed by British driver and Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain 3rd place winner, Hugo Ellis.
Adding to the motorsports weekend thrills, the Porsche 963 LMDh race car replica was on display, offering motorsport fans a rare chance to get up close with the exact model Porsche will campaign at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Also competing in other world-class endurance events such as the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, the Porsche 963 LMDh race car embodies the pinnacle of endurance racing.
Drawing inspiration from the legacy of the Porsche 956 and 962, the 963 combines advanced aerodynamics with a hybrid powertrain for unparalleled performance.
At its core of the LMDh contender is a 4.6-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, derived from the Porsche 918 Spyder and honed from the RS Spyder’s race car engine.
Twin Van der Lee turbochargers force-feed it air, and a hybrid electric system with components from Bosch and Williams Advanced Engineering steps in to provide an instant power boost.
The combined power output is 670hp, occurring at an astonishing 10,000rpm and features advanced aerodynamics, hybrid energy recovery and a specially tuned pushrod suspension – all engineered within a lean 2,200-pound frame.
