I find all the one make series really fascinating, in fact, in my opinion, they are the best way for an emerging driver to show his driving skills. The Porsche Carrera Cup Italy is a fantastic one make series. Now in its tenth year, the Carrera Cup Italy, is divided into three races during the weekend.

Two races of 25 minutes + 1 lap and a “mini endurance” 45 + 1 lap. This solution opens the door to the two drivers team who dispute one sprint race each on Saturday and to divide the driving seat on Sunday during the mini endurance race. The champion will win the prize money of € 300,000, raffled by Porsche Italy. Each team will be ready to give the best to win the prize. Throughout the year I was able to follow the Porsche Carrera Cup Italy thanks to live TV feed, and just in the final race, I decided to live the weekend at Mugello Circuit under the sign of Porsche.

The Porsche 911 GT3 CUP (model 991) is an amazing car. Great sound, a lot of camber angle of the wheels, large rear wing. But not only! Drivers must give the best to “hold off” the 3.8-liter that delivers 460 hp! To ensure maximum performance there are also a transmission with racing clutch, sequential gearbox and a mechanical limited slip differential on the rear axle. Even the brakes are for an endurance race through a targeted design.

Great competition, a really fantastic car and a calendar that goes thrugh all the most beautiful Italian circuits. The recipe for the show is served! But that’s not all. Porsche provides a category reserved for Gentlemen Drivers and, more importantly, a program reserved for Junior Drivers. The Porsche Scholarship Programme in fact turns out to be a great growth opportunity that is granted to 6 drivers under 26 years selected by Porsche Italy.

The lucky 6, are followed throughout the season by different specialists in many fields fundamental for the growth of a pilot. Not only practice with the wheel but also mental and physical coaching. Very interesting is the presence of a Mental Coach and a specific education program for the relationship with the media. What a really a complete program!

The ultimate goal of all this is the selection of a driver who will attend at the International Shoot Out Event, a two-day test of the best Junior riders engaged in all the Porsche Carrera Cup in the world in order to win a prize of 200 000 € to join the famous Porsche Supercup (a support race of the Formula 1) and also become Porsche Ambassador. Porsche Italy this year has selected Mattia Drudi for its fantastic performance on the track but also for its excellent performance out of it. The 2016 championship has been won instead by Come Ledogar during Race 1 on Saturday right here at Mugello.

For 2017 we will have a great new season. The wait will be great also for 2018 to see on track the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup presented at the Paris Motor Show. A new 4-liter engine delivers 485 hp (with only 1200 kg of weight of the car) which is not only more powerful but also more efficient and durable, a great way to lower the costs. Aerodynamics also has been revised, a new front bumper and a new rear improves downforce. Only one not to change is the large rear wing. More power and therefore more aerodynamic but also more security. A new safety cage and an evolution of the bucket seat also better protect the drivers involved in the series. In the next year we will admire it in the Porsche Supercup, Carrera Cup Germany and Carrera Cup North America.

 

Text: Edoardo Mascalchi

Photos: Edoardo Mascalchi, Alessandro Morandi

 

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