Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2023 Rounds 5 & 6 Suzuka International Circuit
Showdown in Suzuka as the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2023 season approaches its midway point
- First return to Suzuka Circuit since the series debut here in 2019
- TORO Racing’s Luo Kailuo leads the pack with 3 out of a possible 4 wins so far
- TORO Racing’s Eric Zang tops the Pro-Am category, just 4 points ahead of Zheng Tong Auto’s Bao Jinlong
- BD Group’s newcomer Yang Ruoyu tops the Am table
Suzuka. From 30 June to 2 July, the 20th anniversary season of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia will return to Japan’s Suzuka Circuit for Rounds 5 and 6. As we head into another weekend of non-stop racing action, we already have points leaders emerging and challengers waiting for their moment to pounce. Suzuka is a famously challenging track, meaning this stop will be a true test of skill for whoever comes out on top.
The series returns to the legendary Suzuka Circuit
The 5.807 km Suzuka Circuit was opened all the way back in 1962, having been designed by celebrated Dutch course designer John “Hans” Hugenholtz specifically to provide Japan with a world-class racing course. The course can be reconfigured in a large number of different ways, and has hosted everything from F1 to Superbike racing, and of course the legendary Suzuka 10 Hours endurance race. With its famous ‘S-curves’, hairpin bend, and two long straights, the course is known as one of the world’s most challenging and exciting, while its uniqueness is secured through its figure-of-eight layout, with a small tunnel and overhead bridge as the course crosses itself.
The last time the series visited this legendary figure-of-eight circuit was in 2019, which was the series’ only previous trip to Suzuka. The series was joined on the track by the Porsche Carrera Cup Japan, for a joined race which saw more than 40 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racing on the track at the same time. The trackside atmosphere was electric at the event, with the Carrera Cup Japan teams arriving in full-force surrounded by fans, cosplayers, models and enthusiasts. The series’ previous winners at Suzuka were Philip Hamprecht – who would eventually go on to win the season championship, and Chris van der Drift – who is back on the track this year hoping for a repeat performance.
TORO Racing bullish about their prospects this season while the battle for Am heats up
With their two drivers topping both the overall points table and the Pro-Am points table, TORO Racing have been dominating proceedings so far this season. Luo Kailuo, driving in the Pro class, has proven to be the big star of the season up until now, taking home a total of three out of a possible four victories, generating a 9-point lead over his nearest rival Meidong Racing’s Florian Latorre. Making his series debut this year, Eric Zang is currently on top of the Pro-Am points table. However, we also have Zheng Tong Auto’s Bao Jinlong hot on his heels with just 4 points separating them, and Porsche Beijing Central & Goldenport’s Zhou Bihuang just 5 points behind Bao. Naturally, TORO are also on top of the Dealer Trophy table, a comfortable 13 points ahead of their nearest rivals Meidong Racing. The series has yet to reach its halfway point, but TORO’s strong start to the season has already marked them down as the team to beat this year.
Outside of TORO’s dominant run, the Am category has also seen plenty of action already this year, with 2021 Am Champion and 2022 Am runner-up KiddyWorld Racing’s Eric Kwong currently languishing in third in the points table, and two newcomers ahead of him. Currently on top of the Am table, we have BD Group’s Yang Ruoyu, with two wins and one second-place finish, and in second it’s Z.Speed Motorsport’s Li Xuanyu, with one win already under his belt.
