The 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season roared into action at the Chinese Grand Prix, delivering an unforgettable weekend of intense racing, unexpected twists, and breakout performances. The spotlight belonged to Enzo Trulli, who marked his debut with a sensational victory despite the chaos that unfolded on the track.
Representing TORO Racing, Italian driver Enzo Trulli showcased his talent from the start by securing pole position in his first qualifying session as a member of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Talent Pool Presented by Michelin. Trulli held his nerve at the start, maintaining the lead as the pack charged forward. However, Team Shanghai Yonda BWT’s Dylan Pereira ran wide, losing several places and setting off a relentless battle for the lead that saw positions change with almost every lap.
Drama unfolded at Turn 15 when Hugo Ellis of Sime Motors Racing and Rodrigo Dias Almeida from Team Jebsen collided, earning Ellis a penalty. Meanwhile, Pereira, recovering from his earlier mishap, made a bold move to challenge Trulli for the lead, forcing the Italian wide and off the track. This mistake dropped Trulli’s #99 machine into the pack, where a collision with Josh Rowledge from Team WeTrade x PGR on Lap 12 sent him spinning. Pro-Am leader Bao Jinlong clipped Trulli’s stranded car, collecting Li Chao’s Team Betterlife machine in the aftermath. The race was promptly red-flagged and ended.
After the results were counted back to Lap 10 and penalties were applied, including one to Pereira, Trulli was declared the winner, making his debut victory even sweeter. Brock Gilchrist of Team Porsche New Zealand claimed second place, while Amer Harris Jefry secured third for Z.SPEED Motorsport.
In the Pro-Am category, Origine Motorsport’s Wang Zhongwei triumphed, followed by Francis Tjia of OpenRoad Racing and Li Xuanyu in the #321 Z.SPEED Motorsport car. Munkong Sathienthirakul began his campaign in impressive fashion, taking seventh overall and winning the Am category for EBM. Meanwhile, Adrian D’Silva secured victory in the Masters class for EBM, with Christian Chia and John Shen rounding out the podium for OpenRoad Racing and Modena Motorsports, respectively.
Sunday’s Race 2 unfolded with less chaos but no shortage of excitement. This time, Dylan Pereira capitalized on his pole position to maintain the lead, while Trulli’s fortunes took a downturn as a technical issue forced him to stop on track, bringing out the Safety Car.
On the restart, Pereira pulled away confidently, leaving the chasing pack to fight for second place. Rodrigo Dias Almeida ultimately clinched the runner-up spot after a fierce final-lap battle with Brock Gilchrist, marking Pereira’s sixth series win.
The Pro-Am category saw TORO Racing’s Eric Zang claim victory, holding off a superb recovery drive from Bao Jinlong, who fought his way up from 21st to second. Sathienthirakul capped his impressive weekend with another Am category win, while Eric Kwong and Yan Chuang completed the podium. D’Silva rounded off the Masters class with back-to-back wins, with Shen and Chia again securing the remaining podium spots.
The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia is set to continue next month at the newly added Mobility Resort Motegi from April 18 to 20. Fans can keep up with the latest updates through Porsche Malaysia’s social media channels on Facebook and Instagram.
In a weekend filled with unpredictable turns and fierce competition, Enzo Trulli’s debut win has made a bold statement, and the season ahead promises even more high-octane action.
