The 2026 season of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia has officially commenced with a record 30-car grid assembling at Zhuhai International Circuit for the Official Test Days.
Entering its 23rd season, the championship features drivers from 12 countries and regions and will become the first one-make series globally to race the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992.2). While the grid size signals strong commercial health, the competitive structure is clearly defined: a small group of headline contenders at the front, supported by a majority gentleman-racer field across the remaining categories.
The Early Favourites
Based on race record and recent championship form, three drivers emerge as the leading contenders for overall honours: Marvin Klein, Alex Sawer and Seth Gilmore.
Klein brings the strongest Porsche Cup pedigree to the grid. A former Porsche Carrera Cup France champion with multiple seasons of Porsche Supercup experience, he enters as the benchmark in rear-engine one-make machinery.
Sawer arrives as the reigning South East Asia Formula 4 Championship champion. His 2025 title campaign was built on consistency, strong qualifying performances and race management across varying circuit types. Although transitioning from single-seaters to GT machinery presents technical differences, his championship-winning momentum places him firmly among the favourites.
Gilmore, who finished runner-up to Sawer in SEA F4, renews that rivalry in Porsche Cup machinery. His pace throughout last season kept the title fight alive to the closing rounds, and his adaptability will be key in extracting performance from the 992.2 platform.
Together, Klein’s Porsche experience and the recent open-wheel form of Sawer and Gilmore define the early championship narrative.
Depth Across the Grid
Beyond the leading trio, the championship features a mix of experienced Carrera Cup Asia competitors and ambitious private entrants.
Porsche Junior Marcus Amand returns after an impressive guest appearance in 2025, while Rodrigo Dias Almeida and Marco Giltrap continue their progression within the championship structure.
In Pro-Am, reigning champion Bao Jinlong defends his crown against former champion Lu Wei and returning contender Francis Tjia.
The Am class sees 2025 champion Henry Kwong return, while Masters champion Adrian D’Silva aims to defend his title following a competitive inaugural campaign for the category.
2026 Calendar Overview
Following testing at Zhuhai, the championship once again supports the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai International Circuit before returning to Zhuhai for its first points rounds there since 2021. Fuji Speedway returns to the calendar for the first time in seven years, while Bangsaen and Sepang provide contrasting circuit challenges. The season concludes at Marina Bay Street Circuit.
Competitive Structure
Despite the record 30-car grid, the field remains majority gentleman-racer driven across Pro-Am, Am and Masters categories. However, the presence of established Porsche specialists and recent Formula 4 title contenders ensures a defined battle at the front.
Adaptation to the new 992.2 Cup car and execution in tightly contested early rounds will likely determine whether Klein’s experience or the momentum of Sawer and Gilmore proves decisive.
2026 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia – Full Entry List
03 – Marcus Amand (BWT Shanghai Yonda)
04 – Lu Wei (Origine Motorsport)
07 – Bao Jinlong (Origine Motorsport)
08 – Rodrigo Dias Almeida (WeTrade x Phantom Global Racing)
10 – Chan Sye Wai (Fire Monkey Motorsport)
11 – Joshua Berry (EBM)
12 – Sawer Hoang Dat (Bergwerk)
16 – John Shen (Modena Motorsports)
17 – Naquib Azlan (Team Porsche Malaysia)
21 – Francis Tjia (OpenRoad Racing)
22 – Wang Zhongwei (Origine Motorsport)
23 – Eric K (Bergwerk)
24 – Seth Gilmore (Porsche Centre Adelaide)
25 – Roy Tang (610 Racing)
27 – Yan Chuang (BWT x Phantom Global Racing)
33 – Wu Jiaxin (Origine Motorsport)
55 – Amna Al Qubaisi (Team Jebsen)
61 – Adrian D’Silva (EBM)
65 – Douglas Khoo (Viper Niza Racing)
66 – Marco Giltrap (Team Porsche New Zealand)
69 – Dominic Tjia (OpenRoad Racing)
77 – Liu Ruiqi (Phantom Global Racing)
79 – Li Ning (Phantom Global Racing)
87 – Ling Kang (Origine Motorsport)
88 – Marvin Klein (Absolute Racing)
89 – Anderson Tanoto (Absolute Racing)
91 – Henry K (Bergwerk)
99 – Liu Chao (610 Racing)
610 – Cao Qikuan (610 Racing)
969 – Jacky Wu (Porsche Own Retail 69 Team)
The 2026 championship begins with scale, diversity and a clearly defined front-running trio. Whether experience or momentum proves decisive will unfold as the season progresses.
