The 2007 season saw the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia raise the bar ever higher on the standard of sportscar racing in the region, with the increasing competition and levels of professionalism becoming more evident with each round.

With a fascinating field combining talent from Asia, the Pacific and Europe, the drivers embarked on a 13-race season which saw them compete in Malaysia, Indonesia and China. The series supported two rounds of the FIA Formula One World Championship, in Malaysia and Shanghai, China, and with the Asian Festival of Speed visited Malaysia, Indonesia, the new Chengdu track in China, Zhuhai in the country’s Southern Guangdong Province, with the season grand finale once again part of the prestigious Macau Grand Prix.

Reigning champion Darryl O’Young had graduated to the Porsche
Mobil 1 Supercup, the first Asian Carrera Cup racer to do so, but returned to the series at the end of the season. Joining the series were enormously experienced Briton Tim Sugden, and former Asian Formula 3 champion Christian Jones of Australia, son of the legendary Alan.

Tim’s experience and ability to adapt quickly to new circuits certainly paid off and he was dominant in the early part of the season. However, Porsche rookie Christian proved from the off that he was a force to be reckoned with, as Japan’s Keita Sawa kept his eye firmly on the title he so coveted.

By mid-season, the Japanese ace had taken over at the top of the leaderboard from Tim and Christian, but the championship was still wide open as it travelled to a brand new circuit in Chengdu, bringing a level playing field for the next chapter in the increasingly intense drama.

With the competition reaching fever-pitch for the two rounds held at the 2007 Formula 1 Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai in October, the addition of reigning champion Darryl and fellow Hong Kong racer Marchy Lee to the line-up did nothing but increase the pressure on the title contenders.

Tim’s eye remained firmly on the prize and his two wins ensured he stayed top of the points. However, mixed fortunes in Zhuhai for the leading trio meant the championship once again went down to the wire at the Macau Grand Prix, with Tim leading Christian with a slim margin of just two points, and Keita still very much in contention 20 points behind the leader.

In a final clash not even the best Hollywood script writers could have dreamed up, Darryl took pole for the street circuit grand finale ahead of guest driver Danny Watts of the UK and Marchy. In the race, Darryl led until a controversial overtaking manoeuvre by Danny which saw the latter cross the line first, but Race Stewards later reversed the results meaning a second Macau victory for the Hong Kong racer. However, further down the field the battle for the title looked to be over with Christian running 4th while a struggling Tim languished down in 7th. That was until the penultimate lap when the Australian dramatically crashed in to the barrier and out of the race - resulting in Tim taking the 2007 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia championship, with Keita runner-up and Christian 3rd overall.

The chase for the Class B title, the category for drivers who are not full-time racers, was as professional, exciting and hard-fought as the battle for overall honours, with the drivers once again illustrating the rich seam of talent running right through the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia field.

It was newcomer Team Porsche Club Singapore Racing’s Mok Weng Sun who clinched the Class B title ahead of Australia’s Peter Boylan and Hong Kong’s William “Chip” Connor.