Porsche Supercup

Porsche Supercup

Category	One-make racing by Porsche
Country	International
Inaugural season	1993
Drivers	16
Teams	6
Constructors	Porsche
Tyre suppliers	Michelin
Drivers' champion	Philipp Eng
Teams' champion	Lechner Racing Middle East
Official website	porsche.com/international
Current season

The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup (known as Porsche Michelin Supercup prior to 2007)^[1] is the international motor racing series supporting the FIA Formula One World Championship organized by Porsche AG.

Porsche Supercup drivers compete in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars based on the Porsche 911 Carrera. On average, 24 race cars take part in each race. Most circuits visited by the series are European, although circuits in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and the United States have been included in the calendar as well.

Racing car

American Mark Gillies driving at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 2005 Porsche Michelin Supercup series

In the Porsche Supercup the 911 GT3 Cup type 991 is used - a car based on the Porsche 911 (991) GT3. All vehicles are technically identical: 460 hp, sequential six-speed paddle-shift gearbox, aero pack, Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB), 1,200 kg. The PCCB is used exclusively in Porsche Supercup and is not used in other GT3 Cup series.

Tires

Two sets of slick tires may be used per car and weekend. The number of wet tires is unlimited. The tires are identical for all competitors and are not permitted to be pre-warmed or chemically treated.

Championships

Driver championship

Points are assigned to the first 15 finishers of each race and all races count. To receive points a driver must compete in multiple races per season. Since 2008, there have been two bonus points awarded for the driver who secures pole position in qualifying.

Team championship

The points of the two best drivers of each team are added up. At the end of the season Porsche rewards the three best placed teams with prize money.

Prize money

In 2006 and 2007, Porsche AG pays around 820,000 euros to drivers and teams. Per race the winner receives 9,000 euros, the runner-up 7,500 euros and the third placed driver 6,500 euros. For a 15th place 1,400 euros are paid. Additionally, the 2006 or 2007 champion receives a Porsche road car. The driver with the fastest laps will be given a premium watch from Porsche Design.

In 2015, Porsche says it pays "more than 730,000 Euros in prize money to drivers and teams. In addition, the overall winner receives a special prize. The winner of the rookie classification receives an additional prize of 30,000 Euros providing he/she reregisters for the following year’s Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup."^[2]

Winners

Dutch driver Patrick Huisman is the most successful driver in the series, having won four straight titles between 1997 and 2000. Fellow Dutch racer Jeroen Bleekemolen and British Richard Westbrook have won two titles each. The reigning champion is the New Zealand driver Earl Bamber, who won the championship in 2014.

History

Since 1993 the Porsche Michelin Supercup has run as support to the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, however the number of races has grown from the original nine to total 13 in 2006, although decreasing to 11 in 2007.

Popularity

At the Grand Prix circuits during 2006 an average of 125,000 spectators witnessed the action from the grandstands at each round. According to Porsche AG races attracted 22 million TV viewers worldwide, most of them in Europe where Eurosport provides regular coverage.^[3]

Porsche Carrera Cup

Porsche also runs regional and national one-make series called the Porsche Carrera Cup.

• Porsche Carrera Cup Asia
• Australian Carrera Cup Championship
• Porsche Carrera Cup France
• Porsche Carrera Cup Germany
• Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain
• Porsche Carrera Cup Italy
• Porsche Carrera Cup Japan
• Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia

Champions

Season	Champion	Team Champion	Car Model
1993	Altfrid Heger	Porsche Zentrum Koblenz
1994	Uwe Alzen	Porsche Zentrum Koblenz
1995	Jean-Pierre Malcher	JMB Competition
1996	Emmanuel Collard	JMB Competition
1997	Patrick Huisman	Olaf Manthey Racing
1998	Patrick Huisman	Olaf Manthey Racing
1999	Patrick Huisman	Olaf Manthey Racing
2000	Patrick Huisman	Olaf Manthey Racing
2001	Jörg Bergmeister	Farnbacher Racing
2002	Stéphane Ortelli	Kadach Tuning
2003	Frank Stippler	Farnbacher Racing
2004	Wolf Henzler	Farnbacher Racing
2005	Alessandro Zampedri	Walter Lechner Racing
2006	Richard Westbrook	Tolimit Motorsport	Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997
2007	Richard Westbrook	HISAQ Competition	Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997
2008	Jeroen Bleekemolen	Jetstream Motorsport	Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997
2009	Jeroen Bleekemolen	Konrad Motorsport	Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997
2010	René Rast	Al Faisal Lechner Racing	Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997
2011	René Rast	Veltins Lechner Racing	Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997
2012	René Rast	Hermes Attempto Racing	Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997
2013	Nicki Thiim	Attempto Racing	Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 991
2014	Earl Bamber	VERVA Lechner Racing Team	Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 991
2015	Philipp Eng	Lechner Racing Middle East	Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 991

References

Auto Motor und Sport

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Porsche Supercup.

• The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup website
• Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Online Magazine

Carrera Cup

• The Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain
• 997 Cup
• The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia
• The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Season
• The Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia (in swedish)