MARCHY LEE GRABS PCCA SEAT FOR SEASON OPENER

7 April 2007

With backing from KK Motors and Michelin, Hong Kong’s Marchy Lee is gearing up for what could well be a pivotal point in his motor racing career as he joins the opening rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia this weekend, part of the Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix weekend.

Despite never having raced the 997-based Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car before, Lee is confident a strong showing this weekend will bring him the backing to contest the full season, and mount a serious challenge for the championship title.

Although the 30-year-old has never contested a full Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season, he made his debut in a one-off race in Thailand in 2003, famously beating the legendary Charles Kwan. Since then, he has contested one-off races in the series which features some of the finest sportscar drivers to be found anywhere.

Lee was upbeat after today’s practice sessions, saying: “The car feels fantastic, and it has been great to have a couple of practice sessions to really get to know it. If I can earn a place on the podium this weekend, I hope it will help me gain support for the rest of the season. It’s going to be really tough as the drivers are all highly competitive, but I’m feeling fit and confident.”

Although known mainly as Hong Kong’s most successful single seater racer, Lee has also notched up an impressive tally of wins in touring and sportscars. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Lee began his career at the age of 13 competing in karts, winning the Asia Pacific Karting Championship at 17, and clinching the China Formula Campus title four years later. He then moved to Europe and trained at the La Filiere racing school in France, finishing 4th in the 1998 French Formula Renault Campus Championship, before spending two years in the French F3 series.

Lee returned to Asia and made his mark with a 7th place finish in the 2002 Macau Grand Prix before his near-total domination of Formula BMW Asia in 2004.

Joining Lee in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia are fellow Hong Kong drivers Alain Li, Philip Ma (left), Chip Connor and Siu Yuk Lung.

Supporting the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia are two of the most recognised names in international motorsport, Mobil 1 and Michelin. Mobil and Porsche have been partners since 1996. Close co-operation in research and development has led to every new Porsche engine being filled with Mobil 1 high-performance lubricant.

Porsche Carrera Cup Asia drivers also have the advantage of racing on cutting-edge tyres supplied by series partner Michelin. The consistent performance and leading technology of Michelin tyres constantly improve the performance of many teams in international motorsport. The partnership between Michelin and the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia has emerged from a worldwide agreement signed between Porsche AG and the Michelin group.

The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia runs as part of the Asian Festival of Speed, organised by Malaysian-based Motorsport Asia Limited.