The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, which is one of the support races at the Marina Bay Street Circuit ever since the first Formula One Singapore Grand Prix in 2008, has earned an impressive fan and media following since the series' launch in 2003 in Malaysia.

All drivers are in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, with some aerodynamic modifications for racing purposes. The Porsche 911 GT3 Cups are powered by 3.8-litre, six-cylinder boxer engines and thanks to the weight-optimised modular race exhaust system, the vehicles generate about 454bhp.

This year, we managed to take a 'behind-the-scenes' look at how teams gear up for the action and what we saw was nothing short of exciting. Here are our four favourite experiences that every Porsche fan would love.


1. 911 dogfights

Watching a race on television and watching it live is a whole different experience and we had a great view of the 5.065km track from Turn One this year. It was here that Scuderia Ferrari drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen crashed into Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen on last Sunday's race.

Listening to the 911 GT3 Cup cars upshift as they pull away from the grid and downshifting again as they enter the first left turn is simply music to the ears, while seeing their brakes burning red lets you know how much stress is put on both man and machine in each race.

But more importantly, witnessing how the drivers patiently, skilfully and very narrowly execute an overtake is something that will always leave you in awe.


2. A tour of the star-studded garage

If there's anything better than seeing the cars on track being put through their paces, it's checking them out up close and personal at the garage. It was there that we got to see local rising star Andrew Tang's track weapon, which to any car enthusiast is considered a work of automotive art with its large slotted steel brake discs, safety cage and race seat.

While the cars you see at motor shows and expos are gleaming as if they've gone through days of grooming, these race cars are used and abused, marked with battle scars that make them all the more sexier.

After all, a show car may not necessarily be a race car, but a race car definitely qualifies as a show car.


3. Watching the race from a $4,226 suite

Why catch the race from regular grandstand seats when you can do so from the swanky Green Room, which costs $4,226 a pop?

Equipped with an air-conditioned dining area, which serves an all-day international menu and an open bar that offers complimentary alcohols, the Green Room also has an outdoor viewing balcony that lends a great view of the race. Depending on the weather, you can choose to take in the sights and sounds from the balcony, or relax and watch the race in air-conditioned comfort.

Feel free to pick your poison from a selection of beer, wine and liquor, but just remember not to get drunk in public.


4. Cheering on local heroes

It's sad that motorsports isn't supported by the Singapore Government, but that's not stopping local racing stars Yuey Tan and Andrew Tang, who race in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia under Team Jebsen and Porsche China Junior Team, respectively.

Yuey has been racing in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia since 2008 and is a recognisable name in the motorsports scene by now while Andrew, who made the history books as the inaugural Porsche China Junior, joined the series only in 2016.

Andrew began karting at the early age of seven and has won nearly every competition in Asia. He also joined McLaren's young driver development programme when he was 15 in the U.K., and later became the first Singaporean to win the 10-year old Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand at 19. Today, Andrew is the first Singaporean ever to compete in Class A of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia

And despite their success, Yuey and Andrew remain to be extremely approachable, sincere and down-to-earth individuals, who strive to improve the motorsports scene in Singapore, and we wish them all the best for their upcoming race in Sepang, Malaysia.