Porsche China has announced the nine finalists in its groundbreaking Porsche China Junior Programme, all of whom will be in Shanghai this weekend for the final and championship-deciding rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and the FIA World Endurance Championship’s (WEC) 6 Hours of Shanghai before taking part in an exhaustive two-day shootout evaluation.
The response to the programme’s two-channel recruitment campaign has been overwhelming, with three exciting Chinese talents earning their places in the shootout via the karting track: Yin Fuyi (24) and Yang Peng (19) from Beijing, and Yan Yizhang (23) from here in Shanghai.
From the applications received from drivers across the length and breadth of China and Southeast Asia, six have been selected for the shootout: 19-year-old Chen Weian and Huan Zhu (23) of China; 18-year-old Ananth Shanmugam and Andrew Tang (20) of Singapore; Daniel Woodroof (19) from Malaysia; and Andrew Kim (24) from South Korea.
Porsche China has selected a formidable judging panel, which will take the drivers through their paces both on and off the track, made up of: Porsche AG Junior Coach Sascha Maassen; Patrick Pilet, Porsche works driver, TUSC 2015 Champion, Petit Le Mans overall winner and Daytona 24H GT Class winner; 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia champion Alexandre Imperatori and Porsche China Motorsport Manager Alexandre Gibot.
On Saturday and Sunday, the nine finalists will be given a behind-the-scenes insight into Porsche motorsport competition at the highest level with both the Porsche FIA WEC team, which is in contention to take the Manufacturers’ title this weekend, and the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia at the Shanghai International Circuit.
On Monday, full fitness evaluations will be carried out before the finalists visit Porsche China and undergo media assessments and are interviewed by the judging panel. Tuesday sees the hopefuls take to the Shanghai International Circuit for track tests in Porsche road cars, before getting behind the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 (Type 991) Cup car for timed laps.
The finalists will be judged on every element of the shootout, with the winner of the 2016 Porsche China Junior Programme selection receiving a season-long contract as the official Porsche China Junior, a funding contribution towards participation in the 2016 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, season-long professional coaching, entry into a round of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, and the potential for nomination to the end-of-season Porsche Motorsport International Junior Programme.
For one young Chinese or Southeast Asian driver, the week ahead will be a game-changer.