Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA) gets ready for a second successive event hosted in Thailand, as Rounds 7-8 of the 2024 season take place by the beautiful coastal beaches of Bangsaen.

Team Jebsen driver Alessandro Ghiretti extended his championship lead with another perfect weekend last time out at Chang International Circuit, as he stretched his winning run to five in a row. The Frenchman was pushed extremely hard by Dylan Pereira (Shanghai Yonda Team BWT), who only missed out on pole position by 0.005 seconds, and the pair enjoyed an epic battle in Race 2.

The Porsche Junior, along with PCCA Talent Pool presented by Michelin member Mathys Jaubert (TORO Racing), will miss the event in Bangsaen, due to a clash with Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.

Ghiretti will be replaced by fellow Frenchman and reigning Porsche Carrera Cup Asia title holder Florian Latorre, while three-time series champion Chris van der Drift will step in for Jaubert. The two drivers raced against each other in the 2023 edition of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, with Latorre narrowly beating the New Zealander to the trophy.

Pereira will have an opportunity to make gains in the championship with his two main rivals out of action, but Martin Ragginger (Porsche Holding), who holds the series lap record at the circuit, and Rodrigo Dias Almedia (R&B Racing) will be keen to score their first podiums of the year.

Last time out in the Pro-Am category, Bao Jinlong (Phantom Global Racing) picked up another victory to lengthen his championship lead, while Li Xuanyu (Z.SPEED Motorsport) secured his first top 3 finish since the opening weekend in Shanghai.

Li Chao (Team Betterlife) kept up his record of scoring a podium at each round this season, coming second in Race 2 at Buriram, while Eric Zang (TORO Racing) continued his consistent run of results to retain P2 in the standings.

Francis Tjia (Trans-China Automotive Racing) steps back into the #21 Porsche 922 GT3 Cup (992), returning to a track where he and Bao picked up a class win each when the series was last at Bangsaen in 2019.

The Pro-Am class will also welcome a series debut, as Formula 4 United Arab Emirates driver Kaishun Lui steps into the #33 R&B racing car.

Finally, in the Am category, Munkong Sathienthirakul (EBM Giga Racing) produced a pair of dominant drives to secure both victories in Buriram, as the Thai driver looks to continue his strong form in front of another home crowd at Bangsaen. Championship leader, Eric Kwong (Bergwerk Motorsport), picked up two podiums at the Chang International Circuit to help maintain a healthy lead.

The Bangsaen Street Circuit is a technical 3.7-kilometer track by the beautiful Thai beach of Bang Saen, designed to test the drivers through several challenging sections. Porsche Carrera Cup Asia will be alongside Thailand Super Series and Porsche Sprint Trophy Thailand in an event expected to draw around 400,000 spectators over the course of the weekend.

On track action begins on Friday with Free Practice 1 at 10:05 local time, ahead of the second Free Practice session at 12:40. Saturday starts with Qualifying at 08:30, as Race 1 gets underway at 15:05, and Sunday’s race begins at 14:30.

Dylan Pereira, Shanghai Yonda Team BWT: “My pace was strong during the weekend at Buriram, and I always felt that we could fight for the victory. I’ve been on the podium in every round, apart from Race 2 in Shanghai, which shows how great the car has been, and how hard the team is working behind the scenes. Bangsaen is going to be a crucial event for me, with the opportunity to score a lot of points over my championship rivals. It will be my first time racing on the streets of Bangsaen, so I’m looking forward to it, and it will be amazing to compete in front of so many fans!”

Bao Jinlong, Phantom Global Racing: “It was brilliant to claim my fifth win of the season in Buriram, even though I suffered contact in the second race which prevented me making it six. We had some issues over the weekend, but overall it was positive to further extend my lead of the Pro-Am category. I’m excited to go back to Bangsaen as it’s been five years since we’ve last raced there, when I took victory in Race 1. Hopefully I can achieve a positive result to maintain my championship lead, as we reach the midway stage of the campaign.”

Eric Kwong, Bergwerk Motorsport: “I’m delighted to be leading the championship as we approach the halfway point of the season. The main focus of this campaign was to be consistent, which we’ve achieved so far, standing on the podium in every race. I’ve got the lead in the standings now, although winning is always the ultimate goal, it’s also important to be scoring solid points each event. Bangsaen is a very demanding circuit and it has been five years since I’ve raced there, but I’m always up for a challenge and I’m confident we can rise to the occasion.”

Alexandre Imperatori, Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Manager: “It’s brilliant to be back in Bangsaen for the first time since 2019, and we’re expecting a large crowd this weekend! It’s a very unique circuit which is extremely demanding for the drivers, and I’m sure they will all embrace the challenge. The set up is amazing with the paddock being right on the coastline, and some of the hospitality areas for the event are even on the beach! With Porsche Sprint Trophy Thailand and Thailand Super Series in attendance as well, we’re expecting a festival of motorsport, so we’re looking forward to getting out there and enjoying the experience!”