Porsche - Press Releases

Press Releases

Team Jebsen Celebrates Top Three Finish in Toughest Championship of the DecadeTeam Jebsen, Roundup – Rounds 11&12, 2013 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, Shanghai International Circuit, October 25-27, 2013


Team Jebsen and driver Rodolfo Avila of Macau completed their 2013 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season with a top three Championship finish after the most competitive year in the championship’s 11-year history. Avila was also the highest finisher of the drivers from Greater China.

Amongst a field of some of the world’s most experienced international GT competitors, Team Jebsen secured third in the 2013 standings, the third year in succession they have finished in the top three.  In contention for the title right up to the final meeting of the year, the team has been consistently on the pace this season, and Avila’s strong performance in the final meeting at the Shanghai International Circuit secured them the second runner-up spot.

The intense qualifying session saw Team Jebsen come within eight tenths of a second of pole, putting their distinctive ‘razzle dazzle’ camouflage-inspired Porsche 911 GT3 Cup on the third row of the grid for the first of two races on the 4.605km configuration of the famous Shanghai track.

Although the team still had a mathematical chance of securing the title, given the consistency of their rival front-runners, the strategic decision was made to secure third place in the Championship amongst the 25-strong field rather than risking a season’s worth of hard work.

Round 11 saw Avila stay out of trouble amongst the hard-charging field and focus on staying in front of his rivals for 3rd place in the Championship. This was duly accomplished and the team afforded themselves a small celebration for 3rd place in the Championship. Avila could now focus on maximum attack in the second race.

Starting from fifth on the grid, and without the need to safeguard championship points, Avila made a strong start as the lights went out for the last time in the 2013 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season.  He stayed close to the race leaders, mindful that a pitch battle was ensuing ahead and ready for the chance to make his move.

With the cars ahead two abreast across the track, Avila pounced, thundering past the car in front and diving up to fourth in the order. He remained in striking distance of the cars ahead for the whole race, but ran out of time to make a further pass before the end of the flag, finishing 4th.

With five podium finishes in 12 races, Team Jebsen had collected points after every single round of the 2013 season, an outstanding record of consistency. Securing 3rd place in the Championship was no easy task, with Avila defeating two former champions along the way. Avila was also the highest finisher amongst drivers from the Greater China region.

The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia title may be decided, but next for Team Jebsen will be the end-of-season invitational at November’s 60th Macau Grand Prix, where Avila will return to his home track, the legendary Guia street circuit.

Quotes from Team Jebsen
Rodolfo Avila

“We have finished in the top three for the last three years which is a real achievement in what is the region’s most competitive sportscar championship. The level of competition is increasing each year, and I have to push myself harder and harder.  As a team, we have to make sure we keep improving our pace with each race. I am getting better as a driver all the time and the cohesion amongst the team increases with every round.  At this level, it is simply not enough to maintain your pace. You have to get quicker each time you go out on track.

”This has been a strong season for us. Competing amongst a field of this quality, where we are wheel to wheel with some of the most experienced international GT drivers in the world, and maintaining consistency whilst raising our game all the time has taken a huge amount of work and effort.  We’ve all enjoyed it immensely and seeing our hard work pay off with our championship standing is gratifying.  I am so grateful to Team Jebsen for giving me the opportunity to work with such an experienced and successful team.  Every day I get better as a driver.”

Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2013

Provisional Race Calendar

Date Circuit, Country Event Round(s)
March 02 – 03 Sepang Intl. Circuit, Malaysia Test Days
March 22 – 24 Sepang Intl. Circuit, Malaysia Formula 1 Support Race Round 1
April 12 – 14 Shanghai Intl. Circuit, China Formula 1 Support Race Round 2
May 03 – 05 Zhuhai Intl. Circuit, China Asian Le Mans Series* Round 3 & 4
July 05 – 07 Ordos Intl. Circuit, China Asian Le Mans Series* Round 5 & 6
August 02 – 04 Autopia Intl. Circuit, Korea Asian Le Mans Series* Round 7 & 8
September 20 – 22 Marina Bay Circuit, Singapore Formula 1 Support Race Round 9
October 25 – 27 Shanghai Intl. Circuit, China Shanghai Sportscar Champions Festival Round 10 & 11

* subject to confirmation of commercial agreement.

About Rodolfo Avila
Car No: 20

Avila began his career in karts, attending the Macau Karting School at 14, and winning the Macau Karting International A (Group B) a year later. In 2002, he graduated to single seater racing, becoming the youngest driver ever to compete at the Macau Grand Prix, racing in the Formula Renault event.

He took the Asian Formula Renault Challenge championship title the following year, making his Formula 3 Grand Prix debut at Macau in 2004. His career continued its extraordinary ascent, with Rookie honours in the Asian Formula 3 Championship in 2005, finishing 5th overall. A season in the prestigious British Formula 3 Championship saw him end the year 4th in the National Class for newcomers.

Avila made the switch to sportscar racing in 2008, when he became the youngest ever Asian Supercar Challenge Champion. He made his Porsche Carrera Cup Asia debut in 2009, taking pole position and a podium finish in his very first race. In 2011, Avila was just two points away from winning the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia title, while last season he finished third in what was the strongest entry in the series’ history.

About Team Jebsen
For Team Jebsen, 2013 marks the ninth full season in the series, having taken the championship title in 2006 and 2008. Along the way, the team has earned 18 race wins together with 62 podiums.

Team Jebsen is backed by the Jebsen Group. Established in 1895 in Hong Kong, the Group has since expanded its activities into a comprehensive business network throughout China, Taiwan and South Korea. Today, the Jebsen Group is structured around four strategic business units targeting the consumer, industrial, beverage and luxury sectors.

Jebsen is a name synonymous with Porsche in the region, having first brought the marque to Hong Kong in 1955. Since then, the Jebsen Group has become the largest and longest-established Porsche dealer group in Asia. In addition to Porsche Centre Hong Kong, the group operates Porsche Centres in Macau, Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

11/4/2013