Porsche Carrera Cup Asia has unveiled its eight-driver Talent Pool for the 2026 campaign, reinforcing the championship’s position as a structured pathway for emerging GT talent in the region and beyond.
Presented by Michelin, the Talent Pool programme is designed to accelerate the development of young drivers through a combination of financial backing, technical coaching and structured training camps, alongside their race commitments in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia. The 2026 intake will also be the first group to race the new-generation Porsche 911 Cup (992.2), with the Asian championship set to debut the updated one-make machinery.
Returning for a third season is Rodrigo Dias Almeida, who switches to WeTrade x Phantom Global Racing. The Mozambican has steadily progressed over the past two years, scoring regular points and three podium finishes. Marco Giltrap also re-joins the programme after a partial campaign in 2024 that included a podium at Sepang. The New Zealander returns to Porsche Team New Zealand.
Amna Al Qubaisi becomes the first female driver selected for the Talent Pool. A two-time F1 Academy race winner, she transitions fully into GT competition with Team Jebsen, continuing her family’s long-standing association with Porsche machinery.
Chinese driver Ruiqi Liu steps up to Porsche Carrera Cup Asia with Phantom Global Racing after gaining experience in both the Formula Regional Middle East and European championships in 2025. Malaysian prospect Naquib Azlan, who began in sim racing before moving into real-world competition, impressed at last year’s Talent Pool Assessment Test and will represent Sime Motors.
Three drivers graduating from Formula 4 complete the line-up. Alex Sawer arrives as the reigning Formula 4 South East Asia champion after a dominant nine-win season and will compete with Bergwerk Motorsport. Australian Seth Gilmore, runner-up in the same championship, joins Porsche Center Adelaide, setting up a direct continuation of their rivalry. Josh Berry, the youngest member of the group, moves up after consistent points finishes in F4 South East Asia and will race for Earl Bamber Motorsport.
Throughout the season, drivers will receive coaching from Porsche Junior Coach Sascha Maassen and Maxime Jousse. Two dedicated training camps are scheduled, one in Shanghai and a mid-season programme in Phuket in partnership with UFC and Thanyapura Sports Resorts. The initiative also includes entry fee rebates, tyre support and prize incentives. Standout performers may be nominated for the Porsche Junior Shootout and considered for the Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver programme, a route previously taken by Enzo Trulli.
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Manager Alexandre Imperatori emphasised that a key objective for 2026 was to identify younger drivers from across the Asia-Pacific region. Six of the eight were selected following the Assessment Test at Sepang last year, underlining the championship’s commitment to creating a clear and merit-based pathway into professional GT racing.
The 2026 season will mark a significant transition year for the series, combining new machinery with one of its strongest youth intakes to date.
