Porsche motor racing in Australia is set for an exciting 2013 season with the announcement of next year’s impressive race calendar for its two one-make categories – Porsche Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia presented by Pirelli.
Australia’s signature one-make sports car championship, Carrera Cup Australia, will again visit Australia’s greatest motor racing events – Clipsal 500 Adelaide (TBC), Formula 1™ Australian Grand Prix, Sucrogen Townsville 400, Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 and Armor All Gold Coast 600 – for the 2013 season.
Carrera Cup Australia will also make a welcome return to Winton Motor Raceway having previously raced at the regional Victorian circuit in 2003, 2004 and 2007.
New to Carrera Cup in 2013, Australia’s fastest one-make sports car championship will also be the headline attraction at the inaugural Porsche Rennsport Australia event at Sydney Motorsport Park, where it will be joined on the schedule by GT3 Cup Challenge Australia; the first time the two Porsche categories will compete at the same event.
GT3 Cup Challenge Australia will contest its five remaining rounds at Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships events, to be held at Mallala Motor Sport Park, Winton Motor Raceway, Sydney Motorsport Park, Queensland Raceway and Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.
The series will again feature the popular Jim Richards Endurance Trophy format, with an endurance race to be held at Mallala, Winton and Ipswich.
The two Porsche schedules will be popular editions to the 2013 calendar, according to Porsche Cars Australia Motorsport Manager, Jamey Blaikie.
“The outlook for the 2013 season is sensational – both Carrera Cup and GT3 Cup Challenge have great, practical schedules for next year’s season,” said Blaikie.
“The reduced seven-round calendar is ideal for our Porsche customers. And while the season has been reduced by one event, we have retained five truly iconic Australian motorsport events while also returning to two of the country’s greatest permanent race tracks – Winton and Sydney Motorsport Park.
“For GT3 Cup Challenge, our drivers will still get to experience racing on Australia’s greatest permanent race tracks – an enticing factor for the series – while retaining the popular Jim Richards Endurance Trophy format for the award’s third season.
“I’d like to thank Shane Howard and V8 Supercars, along with Rob Kirkpatrick and the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships, for their help sculpting these impressive 2013 schedules.”
Porsche Rennsport Australia Motor Racing Festival 2013
Porsche Rennsport Australia is a new addition to the 2013 schedule. The Sydney Motorsport Park event (May 25-26, 2013) is an all-Porsche motor racing festival that will host a round of Carrera Cup Australia and GT3 Cup Challenge Australia in addition to Porsche Club activities, Porsche historic racing, Porsche regulatory and sprints, along with other on- and off-track activities.
For Porsche competitors, particularly in Carrera Cup Australia and GT3 Cup Challenge Australia, the greatest benefit of the Porsche Cars Australia-designed day is increased track time for racing and hot laps for sponsors, family and friends, creating a unique event that will bring all Porsche enthusiasts together to the one venue.
“This one-off Rennsport weekend is a welcome inclusion to the calendar, however V8 Supercars and Formula 1™ events will continue to be the backbone of the Carrera Cup Australia calendar. Similarly, GT3 Cup Challenge will continue its strong partnership with the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships,” said Blaikie.