DRIVER UPDATE : Formula BMW : Ho-Pin Tung

Dutch born Chinese racing driver Ho-Pin Tung continues his successful career in Asia. This week he will be debuting in the Budweiser StarChase Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racing car and he will compete in the 2012 edition of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia championship,  which will celebrate its 10th season as the region’s premier one-make championship. This new co-operation was announced by Budweiser APAC President Miguel Patricio during a spectacular launch event at Xin Tian Di in Shanghai, also attended by Porsche China CEO Helmut Broeker.

Ho-Pin Tung moves to the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia after having been Formula 1-reserve driver for two years. “This year it seemed to be impossible to move one step up in Formula 1, even experienced Formula 1-drivers could not or just hardly conquer a racing seat. Of course my F1 ambition will always be there but getting the chance to team up with Budweiser and Porsche in this exciting project is an amazing opportunity” explained the Chinese driver.

Choosing the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia makes sense from several perspectives, Ho-Pin states, “I want to race, I want to compete and I want to make my bonds with China even stronger, so this racing class is the right choice at this moment in my career. Furthermore it’s great to be racing with such an iconic car as the Porsche 911”.

The 2012 field brings together many strong and in this class experienced drivers. Ho-Pin has raced in several classes, but these were in single seater racing cars, Formula 3, GP2, Superleague Formula, A1GP and Formula 1 (as a test and reserve driver of the Renault and Lotus Renault Formula 1 teams). 

“Driving these fast Porsches is very different than the single seaters, I have to get used to it very quickly. I am delighted with the support Budweiser gives to me in addition to the continuous support of my loyal partners TAG Heuer, Mouser Electronics and Bowers&Wilkins. I will give all I have to move the team, the partners and myself into the spotlights of success”.

The season proper is underway as part of the 2012 Formula 1 UBS Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, the battle for the Porsche Carrera Asia Cup this weekend. The series will be part of two China Touring Car Championship meetings, the first in Zhuhai this June, whilst the second will be at the Ordos International Circuit in Inner Mongolia in July. The Series then descends upon Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit, where it will join the Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race weekend for the first time in its ten-season history before returning to Singapore in September the 2012 Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix weekend. The 2012 season will end with a grand finale in November with another first, as part of the newly-founded Shanghai Sportscar Festival.

New partner Budweiser joins the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia foray this season, along with existing series partners Mobil 1, Michelin, ZF Friedrichshafen AG and Adidas. The first collaboration with the series, the partnership also marks Budweiser’s first step into motorsport in Asia.

Prepared for www.hopintung.com

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