GT World Challenge Asia returns this weekend for Round 2 of the 2022 season at Suzuka Circuit, as the series enters its Japanese leg of the championship.

Following the first round of the series in May, EBM Giga Racing currently lead the Teams’ championship thanks to their two double-podium finishes at Sepang. Reid Harker and Setiawan Santoso return in the #8 Porsche 911 GT3 R, with Tanart Sathienthirakul and Kantadhee Kusiri, who both made podium appearances for Porsche in the recent opening round of the 2022 Thailand Super Series, teaming up in the #18 machine.

The AMAC Motorsport pair of Andrew MacPherson and Ben Porter will continue to defend their Am class title from 2019 in the #51 Porsche 911 GT3 R (991). Yuta Kamimura and Hiroaki Nagai, who finished on the podium the last time the series visited Suzuka, will return for Porsche Center Okazaki.

Meanwhile, GT Super Sprint Challenge (GTSSC) is set for the opening round of its second season this weekend at the Ningbo International Circuit. The series, which made its debut in 2021, is aimed at bronze drivers, with two 27-minute races per weekend at three of China’s best-known motorsport venues, Ningbo, Zhuhai and Shanghai.

Bian Ye and Xiao Min, who both raced for Porsche in GTSSC last season, return for the opening round this year, competing for Absolute Racing and YC Racing respectively. They will be joined in the GT3 class by Climax Racing’s Li Lichao. YC Racing will compete in the Porsche 911 GT3 R (991.1), while Absolute Racing and Climax Racing are fielding the Porsche 911 GT3 R (991.2).

Porsche will also have four entries in the GT4 class. Wang Yi for SilverRocket Racing and Zeng Jianfeng of RSR GT Racing will take to the track in a pair of Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. Meanwhile, Jianfeng’s teammate Du Yu will race in the #969 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, with BlackJack Racing’s Jack Pang in the #911 machine.

Setiawan Santoso, EBM Giga Racing #8 Porsche 911 GT3 R: “I’m looking forward to competing again this weekend in GT World Challenge Asia at Suzuka. I had my first taste of GT3 racing last time out at Sepang and managed to get on the podium, so I’m excited to see what Reid and I can do this weekend. This year I have been learning a lot and improving as a driver so I hope to keep this forward momentum going.”

Alexandre Gibot, Managing Director Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Ltd.: “I’m delighted to see that Asian motorsport is back in full swing and it’s going to be an exciting weekend of action in both championships. Porsche had a strong start in the GT World Challenge Asia season opener at Sepang, and I’m looking forward to following the next round at Suzuka. I want to give a big welcome back to the Porsche Center Okazaki team and wish Yuta Kamimura and Hiroaki Nagai the best ahead of their return to the championship. They finished on the podium the last time the series was here in 2019, and I’m sure they’ll be aiming to repeat that performance.

“It was a very successful debut season for GTSSC last year, and I’m confident that the series can take the next step and continue to build on that this year. It’s a very important moment for Porsche as the first round at Ningbo marks the competitive debut of the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport in China. On top of that, Porsche is currently the most represented manufacturer on the GTSSC grid this weekend. With so many strong team and driver line-ups to follow in both championships, I’m looking forward to keeping up with the progress of the teams and drivers and I wish everyone competing the best of luck for this weekend!”

Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Ltd. provides access to Porsche’s extensive line-up of GT models to the growing market in the region. In addition to being the organising body of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and Porsche Sports Cup China, Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific supplies support engineering, technical & after-sales and marketing support to teams and drivers competing in numerous regional championships.