At the Night of Champions in Shanghai, following the finales of both Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Presented by AximTrade and Porsche Sports Cup China, Chinese racer Yifei Ye was announced as the 2022 Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver.
Yifei will receive funding towards his 2022 season, in addition to coaching from former factory driver Sascha Maassen as well as physical, fitness and media training. He will be the first ever Chinese driver in the Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver role which exists to develop Asia-Pacific driver talent outside of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia.
Yifei’s full 2022 racing programme will be announced in due course. The 21-year-old already has an excellent racing record, claiming both the Asian and European Le Mans Series titles in his maiden season in prototypes this year, as well as the 2020 Euroformula Open and 2016 French F4 championships.
Belgium’s Alessio Picariello, the inaugural Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver from 2020-21, will remain with Porsche in a larger capacity in 2022. During his time in the role, he took the 2020 European Le Mans Series LMGTE title and in 2021 raced at two of the world’s largest endurance races – the Nürburgring 24 Hours and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific further extends driver development to Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Presented by AximTrade. Full season drivers under the age of 26 are eligible for the PCCA Talent Pool, offering coaching and physical fitness workshops amongst a host of incentives. Winners also get the opportunity to attend the global Porsche Junior Shootout, the victors of which gain a seat on the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup grid.
Yifei Ye, 2022 Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver: “It’s a huge milestone in my career to be teaming up with a manufacturer and sportscar brand such as Porsche. Motorsport is in Porsche’s DNA and it’s incredibly well known for driver development, which I plan to utilise to get myself in the best shape possible. Next year will be my first season in GT racing, so I have a lot to get used to but with Porsche’s guidance I can make the switch much more easily. I really resonate with the work of Porsche China and Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific, heavily promoting racing activity in China but also Asian teams and drivers competing in Europe. I started endurance racing this year and after winning Asian and European Le Mans Series, my clear goal is to enter LMDh with Porsche in 2023 and to be the first Chinese driver to win an FIA world championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”
Alexandre Gibot, Managing Director Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Ltd.: “Everyone at Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific is really excited to welcome Yifei Ye. The Selected Driver role has developed in recent years and Alessio had great success in the position. We are very proud of Alessio’s progress and we know he will go on to be successful with Porsche in the near future. Yifei is the ideal candidate to take on the role. He’s talented in the car and intelligent off the track as well. He’s already had great success in motorsport and we hope we can help him on his way to a long and fruitful career with Porsche.”
Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Motorsport, Porsche AG: “I’m really excited to see Yifei sign as the new Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver. Alessio did a fantastic job in the role and it’s clear that it’s a position that can benefit both a young driver and Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific. To see a highly talented Asian driver fill Alessio’s position also pleases me, there’s a wealth of ability coming from the continent and I have no doubt Yifei will be very successful with Porsche.”
Michael Dreiser, Director Motorsport Sales, Porsche AG: “Asia is a huge growing market for motorsport and Porsche, so it’s very exciting to see one of the continent’s rising stars take on this position. Yifei is an extremely talented driver, he’s got a great career ahead of him so I’m delighted that Porsche will be part of his future. Tapping into the Asian market has been one of Porsche’s aims for a long time, so adding Yifei’s signing to the recent creation of Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Ltd. will only help to further strengthen the brand in the region.”
Jens Puttfarcken, President & CEO Porsche China: “Since Porsche first entered the Chinese Mainland, we have been committed to developing motorsport and sportscar culture. On the occasion of our 20th anniversary, it gives us great pleasure to announce Yifei Ye as the Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver. This is a clear indication of the brand’s ongoing commitment to cultivating talent from the region. We have fantastic platforms such as Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Presented by AximTrade and the Porsche Sports Cup China, combining them with Yifei representing China and Porsche on a global stage is a brilliant statement about how far we have come.”
Source. Pole/Photo. Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific
Comments
