Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2015 – Rounds 9&10, Maiden victory for Menzel
Three-time Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champions, PICC Team StarChase, took their maiden victory with new driver, 17-year-old Nico Menzel of Germany, winning Round 9 at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit. Second across the line was pole-sitter, Team Porsche Holding’s Martin Ragginger, followed by Clearwater Racing’s Craig Baird of New Zealand.
Round 10 saw Kamlung Racing’s Chris van der Drift bring his number of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia wins to seven. Second once again was Ragginger, with Menzel taking his fourth consecutive podium finish.
In Class B, it was Spark Motorsports’ Egidio Perfetti who took the honours in both Rounds 9 and 10, leading from pole to flag. On scorching form, he finished Round 10 fifth overall having successfully challenged a number of the professional drivers. Taking the runner-up position in both races was est Cola Racing Team’s Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak, the Thai driver’s performance gaining momentum with each outing. Third in Round 9 was Modena Motorsports’ Wayne Shen after OpenRoad Racing’s Francis Tjia was taken out in the closing stages of the 10-lap race, while Class B points leader Yuey Tan of Team Jebsen took the final podium place in Round 10.
With four more races on the 2016 season to go, van der Drift tops the overall leaderboard with a 19 point advantage over fellow countryman Baird. Third is Menzel, 23 points behind Baird, with Ragginger’s two podium finishes promoting him to fourth ahead of Budweiser Team Absolute Racing’s Tung Ho-Pin rounding out the top five. In Class B, Tan has strengthened his hold at the top of the points, with Wayne Shen moving up to second, 17 points behind. Inthraphuvasak jumps to third, two points in front of Francis Tjia after an unlucky weekend for the OpenRoad Racing driver, while Team Betterlife’s Li Chao of China lies fifth.
Later this month, the 28-strong field of the finest GT drivers ever assembled in Asia will be back in action at the most glittering fixture on the calendar supporting the F1 Singapore Grand Prix. There, the battle for the overall and Class B titles will resume on the demanding Marina Bay street circuit from September 18-20. Who will be victorious under the sparkling lights of the Lion City? With a level of competition unmatched in Asia, and with two of the most coveted titles in motorsport up for grabs, it’s just too close to call.
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia – Rounds 9&10 Results
Round 9
| Pos | No | Driver/Nationality | Class | Entrant/Nationality | Time |
| 1 | 99 | Nico MENZEL (GER) | PICC Team StarChase (CHN) | 24:48.808 | |
| 2 | 86 | Martin RAGGINGER (AUT) | Team Porsche Holding (CHN) | +1.455 | |
| 3 | 12 | Craig BAIRD (NZL) | Clearwater Racing (SIN) | +2.651 | |
| 4 | 68 | Chris VAN DER DRIFT (NZL) | Kamlung Racing (CHN) | +4.620 | |
| 5 | 20 | Rodolfo AVILA (MAC) | Team Jebsen (HKG) | +7.613 | |
| 6 | 58 | TUNG Ho-Pin (CHN) | Budweiser Team Absolute Racing (HKG) | +8.123 | |
| 7 | 88 | *Egidio PERFETTI (SIN) | B | Spark Motorsports (HKG) | +8.524 |
| 8 | 55 | BAO Jin Long (CHN) | Zheng Tong Auto (CHN) | +13.271 | |
| 9 | 18 | Vutthikorn INTHRAPHUVASAK (THA) | B | est Cola Racing Team (THA) | +13.616 |
| 10 | 16 | Wayne SHEN (HKG) | B | Modena Motorsports (HKG) | +15.746 |
| 11 | 72 | Alif HAMDAN (MAS) | Alif Hamdan Motorsport (MAS) | +16.020 | |
| 12 | 5 | Yuey TAN (SIN) | B | Team Jebsen (HKG) | +16.441 |
| 13 | 9 | LI Chao (CHN) | B | Team Betterlife (CHN) | +19.401 |
| 14 | 28 | John SHEN (HKG) | B | Modena Motorsports (HKG) | +32.544 |
| 15 | 11 | Ringo CHONG (MAL) | B | Team Kangshun (CHN) | +33.212 |
| 16 | 65 | ZHU Jun Han (CHN) | B | Absolute Racing (HKG) | +34.526 |
| 17 | 78 | Suttiluck BUNCHAROEN (THA) | B | True Visions Motorsports Thailand (THA) | +34.971 |
| 18 | 23 | Paul TRESIDDER (AUS) | B | Paul Tresidder (AUS) | +40.468 |
| 19 | 2 | *Kelvin KWAN (HKG) | B | Kelvin Kwan (HKG) | +41.997 |
| 20 | 60 | Marcel TJIA (SIN) | B | OpenRoad Racing (HKG) | +46.870 |
| 21 | 3 | Michael S. (INA) | B | OpenRoad Racing (HKG) | +47.307 |
| 22 | 22 | SIU Yuk Lung (HKG) | B | LKM Racing (HKG) | +1:15.227 |
| 23 | 80 | Sontaya KUNPLOME (THA) | B | Racing Spirit Thailand (THA) | 1 Lap |
| DNF | 8 | Ro Charlz SKYANGEL (SIN) | Team Yonda (CHN) | – | |
| DNF | 21 | Francis TJIA (HKG) | B | OpenRoad Racing (HKG) | – |
| DNF | 17 | FUNG Yui Sum (HKG) | B | Arrows Racing (MAS) | – |
| DNF | 98 | Henri RICHARD (USA) | B | Silicon Tech Racing LLC (USA) | – |
| DNF | 51 | Johnson HUANG (TPE) | B | Team BC Racing (TPE) | – |
*Non series registered
Fastest Lap: Martin Ragginger/Team Porsche Holding/2:12.315/134.032kph
Round 10 Results
| Pos | No | Driver/Nationality | Class | Entrant/Nationality | Time |
| 1 | 68 | Chris VAN DER DRIFT (NZL) | Kamlung Racing (CHN) | 23:52.617 | |
| 2 | 86 | Martin RAGGINGER (AUT) | Team Porsche Holding (CHN) | +3.065 | |
| 3 | 99 | Nico MENZEL (GER) | PICC Team StarChase (CHN) | +4.799 | |
| 4 | 12 | Craig BAIRD (NZL) | Clearwater Racing (SIN) | +5.784 | |
| 5 | 88 | *Egidio PERFETTI (SIN) | B | Spark Motorsports (HKG) | +8.090 |
| 6 | 72 | Alif HAMDAN (MAS) | Alif Hamdan Motorsport (MAS) | +8.519 | |
| 7 | 20 | Rodolfo AVILA (MAC) | Team Jebsen (HKG) | +11.727 | |
| 8 | 18 | Vutthikorn INTHRAPHUVASAK (THA) | B | Est Cola Racing Team (THA) | +12.326 |
| 9 | 8 | Ro Charlz SKYANGEL (SIN) | Team Yonda (CHN) | +14.292 | |
| 10 | 55 | BAO Jin Long (CHN) | Zheng Tong Auto (CHN) | +15.279 | |
| 11 | 5 | Yuey TAN (SIN) | B | Team Jebsen (HKG) | +20.438 |
| 12 | 16 | Wayne SHEN (HKG) | B | Modena Motorsports (HKG) | +21.838 |
| 13 | 11 | Ringo CHONG (MAL) | B | Team Kangshun (CHN) | +22.099 |
| 14 | 9 | LI Chao (CHN) | B | Team Betterlife (CHN) | +22.477 |
| 15 | 21 | Francis TJIA (HKG) | B | OpenRoad Racing (HKG) | +26.854 |
| 16 | 78 | Suttiluck BUNCHAROEN (THA) | B | True Visions Motorsports Thailand (THA) | +27.738 |
| 17 | 65 | ZHU Jun Han (CHN) | B | Absolute Racing (HKG) | +36.226 |
| 18 | 23 | Paul TRESIDDER (AUS) | B | Paul Tresidder (AUS) | +37.645 |
| 19 | 28 | John SHEN (HKG) | B | Modena Motorsports (HKG) | +41.018 |
| 20 | 22 | SIU Yuk Lung (HKG) | B | LKM Racing (HKG) | +46.290 |
| 21 | 60 | Marcel TJIA (SIN) | B | OpenRoad Racing (HKG) | +49.280 |
| 22 | 80 | Sontaya KUNPLOME (THA) | B | Racing Spirit Thailand (THA) | +57.559 |
| 23 | 2 | *Kelvin KWAN (HKG) | B | Kelvin Kwan (HKG) | +1:05.996 |
| DNF | 58 | TUNG Ho-Pin (CHN) | Budweiser Team Absolute Racing (HKG) | – | |
| DNF | 17 | FUNG Yui Sum (HKG) | B | Arrows Racing (MAS) | – |
| DNF | 3 | Michael S. (INA) | B | OpenRoad Racing (HKG) | – |
| DNS | 98 | Henri RICHARD (USA) | B | Silicon Tech Racing LLC (USA) | – |
| DNS | 51 | Johnson HUANG (TPE) | B | Team BC Racing (TPE) | – |
*Non series registered
Fastest Lap: Chris van der Drift/Kamlung Racing/2:10.955/139.289kph
Overall Points after Round 10 (top 5)
| Pos | Comp No | Driver | Entrant | Points |
| 1 | 68 | Chris van der Drift | Kamlung Racing | 174 |
| 2 | 12 | Craig Baird | Clearwater Racing | 155 |
| 3 | 99 | Nico Menzel | PICC Team StarChase | 132 |
| 4 | 86 | Martin Ragginger | Team Porsche Holding | 120 |
| 5 | 58 | Tung Ho-Pin | Budweiser Team Absolute Racing | 95 |
Class B Points after Round 10 (top 5)
| Pos | Comp No | Driver | Entrant | Points |
| 1 | 5 | Yuey Tan | Team Jebsen | 151 |
| 2 | 16 | Wayne Shen | Modena Motorsports | 134 |
| 3 | 18 | Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak | Est Racing Team | 126 |
| 4 | 21 | Francis Tjia | OpenRoad Racing | 124 |
| 5 | 9 | Li Chao | Team Betterlife | 90 |
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