Porsche Carrera Cup Asia is delighted to announce its 2026 Talent Pool, featuring eight gifted young drivers from across the world – including New Zealander Marco Giltrap, who returns to fly the Kiwi flag in one of motorsport’s most prestigious one-make series.
The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Talent Pool aims to detect and develop promising racers by offering them financial support, coaching and training camps while they compete in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, turning them into well-rounded drivers both on and off the track who will be ready to launch their careers as professionals.
The 2026 season also marks a landmark moment, as the series becomes the first One-Make Series to race the brand-new Porsche 911 Cup (992.2).
Marco Giltrap – New Zealand’s Talent to Watch
For New Zealand motorsport fans, Marco Giltrap is the name to follow. Now in his fourth season with Team Porsche New Zealand and Earl Bamber Motorsport, Giltrap steps up to a full Carrera Cup Asia campaign after previously competing in selected rounds alongside his full-time schedule in Carrera Cup Australia.
He arrives with real momentum, having claimed two podium finishes at Sepang in 2025. He will also be racing the all-new 992.2-generation Cup car for the first time, gaining valuable experience with Porsche’s latest technology across a diverse set of circuits throughout Asia.
“I’m excited to be making the move to Carrera Cup Asia with Team Porsche New Zealand and Earl Bamber Motorsport. We’ve had some great success here in the past, and it will be some good competition on track.” – Marco Giltrap
The Full Talent Pool
Giltrap is joined by seven other standout talents from across the globe.
Rodrigo Dias Almeida takes on his third year in the championship, switching to WeTrade x Phantom Global Racing. The Mozambican driver has shown his ability in the series across two seasons, regularly picking up strong points and earning three podium finishes.
2-time F1 Academy race winner Amna Al Qubaisi becomes the first female driver to join the Talent Pool, having switched to car racing from single-seaters last year. Al Qubaisi will drive for the experienced Team Jebsen, continuing her family’s history of competing in Porsche race cars – her father having tackled the 24 Hours of Le Mans five times with the marque.
Chinese racer Ruiqi Liu makes his debut for Phantom Global Racing, following a 2025 season where he scored multiple points finishes in both Formula Regional Middle East and European Championships. Fellow rookie Naquib Azlan, who began his career in sim racing before transitioning to circuit racing, will compete for Malaysian Porsche importer Sime Motors.
A trio of Formula 4 graduates complete the roster. Alex Sawer, who won nine races on his way to the Formula 4 South East Asia title, joins Bergwerk Motorsport. Runner-up Seth Gilmore, an Australian racer, teams up with Porsche Center Adelaide – setting up a tantalising rematch with Sawer. Josh Berry, the youngest member of the Talent Pool and a regular points finisher in Formula 4 South East Asia, will compete for Earl Bamber Motorsport.
World-Class Support Programme
All eight drivers will receive coaching throughout the season from Porsche Junior Coach Sascha Maassen and Maxime Jousse, along with training camps in Shanghai and Phuket in partnership with UFC and Thanyapura Sports Resorts. Financial support includes entry fee rebates, tyres and dedicated prize money. Top performers also have the opportunity to be nominated for the Porsche Junior shootout and the Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver role – a pathway blazed by current Selected Driver Enzo Trulli.
Alexandre Imperatori, Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Manager: “I’m really excited for the new season to get underway and especially delighted to announce such a strong Talent Pool for 2026. It’s going to be a massive year with the introduction of the new Porsche 911 Cup (992.2), and we’re really happy to have some incredibly gifted individuals joining us. Six of the eight were picked up following the Talent Pool Assessment Test at Sepang last year, and we can’t wait to begin working with them.”
Header Image: Porsche Carrera Cup Asia
