The 2026 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia field hit the track for the first time this season on Saturday at Zhuhai, but the headline story was less about outright speed and more about preparation.
With the introduction of the new 992.2-spec Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car for 2026, teams arrived with structured test programmes focused on reliability confirmation and mechanical run-in. Add persistent wet conditions to the equation, and the opening day became a disciplined exercise in systems validation rather than a true pace comparison.
Both sessions were run on a damp surface, with grip levels fluctuating throughout the day. Engineers prioritised brake bedding procedures, clutch calibration, gearbox shift quality checks and engine run cycles. Traction control mapping and differential behaviour were also key focus areas as teams worked through baseline correlation on the new platform.
Across the two sessions, Rodrigo Dias Almeida recorded the quickest overall lap of the day, his 1:43.541 from the morning session standing as the fastest time on Saturday. Naquib Azlan and Marco Giltrap were both within close range across the day’s running, while Marvin Klein and Marcus Amand also featured prominently near the top of the order.
Given the nature of the conditions and the emphasis on structured run plans, the gaps across the field are not considered representative of the likely competitive picture once the championship moves into stable dry running.
Pre-season title prospects Alex Sawer and Seth Gilmore were positioned lower in the classification than anticipated. However, with new cars requiring careful bedding-in and with track evolution heavily influencing lap time opportunity, their margins to the front do not reflect expected race pace. Both are widely expected to be firmly in contention once performance-focused running begins.
Testing continues on Sunday with two further sessions scheduled, allowing teams to complete their mechanical programmes and potentially transition toward more representative long-run and qualifying simulations if conditions improve.
Overall best lap times (combined from Sessions 1–2)
- Rodrigo Dias Almeida – 1:43.541 (PRO)
- Marco Giltrap – 1:44.159 (PRO)
- Marvin Klein – 1:44.338 (PRO)
- Naquib Azlan – 1:44.747 (PRO)
- Marcus Amand – 1:44.886 (PRO)
- Lu Wei – 1:45.274 (PRO-AM)
- Liu Ruiqi – 1:45.321 (PRO)
- Cao Qikuan – 1:45.336 (AM)
- Wang Zhongwei – 1:45.606 (PRO-AM)
- Bao Jinlong – 1:45.736 (PRO-AM)
- Montego Maassen – 1:46.082 (PRO)
- Amna Al Qubaisi – 1:46.646 (PRO)
- Joshua Berry – 1:47.043 (PRO)
- Francis Tjia – 1:47.199 (PRO-AM)
- Tien Foo Roy Tang – 1:47.307 (AM)
- Alex Sawer – 1:48.101 (PRO)
- Wu Jiaxin – 1:48.289 (AM)
- Li Ning – 1:48.484 (AM)
- Chan Sze Wai – 1:49.137 (AM)
- Adrian D Silva – 1:49.359 (MASTERS)
- Seth Gilmore – 1:49.700 (PRO)
- Dominic Tjia – 1:50.011 (AM)
- John Shen – 1:50.191 (MASTERS)
- Jacky Wu / Han Songting – 1:50.528 (MASTERS/AM)
- Eric Kwong – 1:50.596 (AM)
- Yan Chuang – 1:50.929 (AM)
- Douglas Khoo – 1:54.192 (MASTERS)
- Henry Kwong – 1:55.467 (AM)
