Porsche Malaysia attracts interest of young enthusiasts in simulation racing
Porsche Malaysia, through Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP), recently organized the Porsche Esports Sprint Challenge Malaysia 2024 competition in conjunction with the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA) event to be held at the Sepang International Circuit next month.
The competition is open to all Malaysian citizens and aims to identify the top 10 simulation racers through the fastest lap time format.
There are three age categories being contested: 10-14 years, 15-17 years, and 18 years and above, where each participant is given the opportunity to pilot the 911 GT3 Cup race car generation 992 using the Assetto Corsa platform.
The first qualifying round took place earlier, where only the top 30 fastest racers were selected based on a five-lap time-trial format at the Buriram Circuit.
The second qualifying round recently took place at the Porsche Centre Ara Damansara on 27-28 July, where each participant received special racing guidance followed by a 20-minute practice session at the Suzuka Circuit.
The 10 finalists with the fastest lap times will advance to the final stage at the Sepang International Circuit on 9-11 August, concurrently with the PCCA 2024 race on the same dates.
There, all participants will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the Sepang Circuit during a 30-minute free practice session, before attempting to secure pole position in a 15-minute qualifying session and the chance to earn an additional 10 race points for the overall standings.
We at Engear.tv also had the opportunity to participate in the second qualifying session recently held at the Porsche Centre Ara Damansara.
Before being allowed to ‘drive’, we were taken through a simulation racing guidance class by young racer Mika Hakimi, covering driving techniques to be applied on the Suzuka Circuit.
Additionally, participants were taught how to approach each corner within the circuit, starting from T1 all the way to the last corner, T18.
We were also given the chance to experience racing on simulation racing rig provided at the Porsche Centre Ara Damansara.
Although not achieving a faster lap time, the valuable experience gained throughout the day spent there will be unforgettable.
It was also satisfying to be able to try out the simulation racing rig setup, which is much more expensive than what the writer has at home. It is hoped that more events like this can be organized in the future to further enhance the esports scene in Malaysia.
