Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific’s customers will be looking to end the 2024 Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia season on a positive note this weekend at Shanghai International Circuit, with several crews still in the hunt for titles.

As the series returns to the Chinese circuit for the first time since 2019, three Porsche entries still have a chance of the overall crown. Lu Wei leads on 117 points, and will be joined in the #4 Origine Motorsport car by Porsche Driver Laurin Heinrich. Yuan Bo and Leo Ye have had an excellent campaign in the #87 sister car, and enter the weekend at their home track as Lu’s closest challengers, with the #1 Absolute Racing crew of Anthony Liu and Alessio Picariello just three points back from them.

Eshan Pieris and Tanart Sathienthirakul have put in an excellent performance in the Silver Cup in Absolute Racing’s other Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), sitting second in the standings ahead of the season’s final two events.

Phantom Global Racing will complete their first GT World Challenge Asia season at their home race. Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak will look to build on his double points finish at Okayama as Joel Eriksson returns, while Chris Chia and Dorian Boccolacci continue in the #13 car following their podium last time out.

Porsche Center Okazaki’s #18 duo of Hiroaki Nagai and Yuta Kamimura were on the Silver-Am podium in Round 9, and are looking for a repeat with Nagai still battling for a top-three finish in class.

Also in the Silver-Am category, the ever-improving Han Min-kwan and Kim Jae-hyun hope to end their maiden campaign with further success, having taken a first victory in the series in Japan. Meanwhile, GTO Racing Team’s Brian Lee and Hideto Yasuoka have come close to a class podium in recent events at the wheel of the #14 car.

Porsche’s final Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) is in the hands of Earl Bamber Motorsport, with Porsche Carrera Cup Asia racer Li Xuanyu alongside 2021 champion Daniel Lu Wenlong in the #321 car.

Andrew Macpherson and Ben Porter have an outside chance of Am glory aboard their #51 Porsche 911 GT3 R (991.2). The Australian duo currently sits second in the standings, having taken two victories and six further podiums so far.

Shanghai International Circuit is China’s most famous racetrack, thanks to its hosting of the Chinese Grand Prix. The 5.451-kilometre layout is notable for the extremely long back straight, along with the snail-like Turns 1-4, which wind in on themselves before releasing the cars into the rest of the lap.

Track action begins with Free Practice on Friday, before qualifying at 10:10 local time (UTC+8) on Saturday. Race 1 is at 14:20 on the same day, ahead of the season finale at 11:20 on Sunday.

Lu Wei, Origine Motorsport: "We have had a positive season so far, and now alongside Laurin, I will look to continue the good work. My focus is on driving, and hopefully everything will go smoothly."

Laurin Heinrich, Origine Motorsport: “I‘m very much looking forward to closing out a successful GT World Challenge Asia season with Origine Motorsport and I’m aiming to help Wei clinch the drivers’ championship. It will be my first time at the Shanghai Circuit, but it‘s the team‘s home race so I’m feeling confident.“

Yuan Bo, Origine Motorsport: "We won here in 2019 and five years later, we are returning to our home track in Shanghai, hoping to create more beautiful memories."

Leo Ye, Origine Motorsport: "It’s been a long time since we raced on our home circuit. We’re aiming for another strong performance and to end the season on a high."

Anthony Liu, Absolute Racing: “Let’s be ready for the last chapter of this intense season. While we know the drivers' championship decision isn't in our hands, we'll give it everything we've got from the start. The Shanghai circuit is one we know well, as do our rivals, so it will be a battle to the very end.”

Alessio Picariello, Absolute Racing: “Shanghai is the last race of the championship and a very important one. Okayama was a tough weekend for us with some mistakes and some bad luck. It’s going to be difficult to win the title but our goal is to now finish on a high and then we will see at the end where we are in the standings.”

Eshan Pieris, Absolute Racing: “It’s time for the final round of GT World Challenge Asia together with Absolute Racing and Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific. I’m looking forward to getting the best result possible and to fight for the Silver Cup championship.”

Tanart Sathienthirakul, Absolute Racing: “It's been a while since I was last in Shanghai, and I'm really excited to be back racing here again. We're a few points behind in the Silver Cup class standings, and since this is the final round of the championship, we'll give it everything we've got.”

Dorian Boccolacci, Phantom Global Racing: “I’m happy to be back with Phantom Global Racing and Chris for the final event of the season. It will be my first time in Shanghai, so like with Okayama, it’s going to be important to learn as quick as I can.”

Chris Chia, Phantom Global Racing: “It was great to be on the overall podium at Okayama, marking a good return to racing for me. I’m excited to be back on track for the finale in my home event alongside Dorian, driving the incredible Porsche 911 GT3 R (992).”

Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak, Phantom Global Racing: Following on from Okayama, where the team had a positive finish and Shanghai being the home race for the team, we are hoping to finish the season with our strongest result to date. After several years off the calendar, it will be great to return to this fantastic track.”

Hiroaki Nagai, Porsche Center Okazaki: “It’s amazing to be returning to China after five years away and I can’t wait to race in front of this amazing crowd.”

Yuta Kamimura, Porsche Center Okazaki: “I got pole position back in 2019 when we last raced in Shanghai, so I’m very confident at this track and hope to have a successful final round of the season.”

Jae-hyun Kim, Vollgas Motorsport: “It’s the team’s first year competing in the series, so it’s been a learning year but winning at Okayama shows it’s a good first season to build on. The aim for the weekend is to be on the podium again so we’ll do our best to achieve this.”

Min-kwan Han, Vollgas Motorsport: “It was amazing to achieve our first win as a team in the round at Okayama, so that gives us a lot of confidence going into the last weekend of the season in Shanghai, as we look to end the campaign on a positive note.”

Hideto Yasuoka, GTO Racing: “The season has flown by, and it’s been a more trying year than last. However, we’ve been improving round by round and hope that we can stand on the podium in the final event of the campaign.”

Brian Lee, GTO Racing: “I’m confident that we can have a strong finish to the year, and we’ve got a good chance to do it in Shanghai where we’ve raced together before. We’ll do our best and it will be great to also see the local support as we return to China.”

Li Xuanyu, EBM: “I can’t wait to test myself in the series as I know how strong the competition is, and I’ll make sure I adjust my mindset ready for this weekend. I’m racing alongside my long-time partner, we trust one another to do our best and hopefully we’ll see a positive result on track.”

Andrew Macpherson, AMAC Motorsport: “We’ll do our best to chase down the Am leaders in the final round of 2024. We’re excited for the challenge, after a long time away from Shanghai. We believe our car is suited to the track, and with some effort and luck, we believe we can succeed!”

Alexandre Gibot, Managing Director Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Ltd.: “It’s been an incredible season so far and I’m looking forward to capping it off in style this weekend in Shanghai. We’ve got several teams and drivers chasing top positions across different classes, so we’re wishing them all the best as they wrap up their campaigns. The field has proven its competitiveness throughout this year, so it will not be easy, but we enter the event with high hopes.”