Singapore. It was a strong weekend in the championship for Philip Hamprecht and the Team StarChase crew at the Marina Bay Circuit in Singapore as the young driver pushed hard under the night lights to receive a technical victory in Round 9 before executing a solid finish in wet Round 10.
Known for its difficult technical turns, minimal passing lanes and unforgiving corners, the Marina Bay Circuit has long been a tough challenge for drivers in Asia. But Hamprecht showed a confidence beyond his years on the track, starting with a respectable 2:19.442 second lap time in qualifiers on Saturday afternoon that saw him take two P5 starts.
Later that evening, Hamprecht stepped onto the track for his first-ever race at Singapore and the series’ first night race under the streetlights. Immediately he showed a hunger for the win, blasting through the first turn with incredible pace and overtaking the fourth place driver. With a gap between the race leaders and Hamprecht in fourth, he was left leading the mid-pack for much of the race as he defended an onslaught of attacks but expertly shut the door on each one.
Hamprecht put in a fantastic performance to finish in fourth place, but was later deemed the winner of the round after the first three finishers were all handed penalties for missing the checkered flag.
He showed equal spirit the next day as a sudden burst of heavy rain wet the track for Round 10. Forced to use his wet tyres, Hamprecht was in hot pursuit of the P4 and P3 starters straight off the line but wisely held his challenges back as he waited for the right moment to pass. His patience paid off after he spotted an ideal opening mid-way through the race, sweeping in to make a perfectly performed pass and briefly lead the mid-pack. His luck did not last, however, and he was soon forced to give up the position but continued his fight throughout the rest of the round to finish in fifth.
“This is my first time racing in Singapore and it’s been an amazing experience both on and off the track. It’s a super tough circuit so you have to constantly be at the highest level of focus while driving, and I feel we did that well this weekend. The team was totally on point throughout both races and the qualifiers, providing a really excellent car. Obviously I would have preferred to take the Round 9 win by being the fastest driver, but in the end we are happy to take the points,” Hamprecht said.
The Round 9 victory gave Team StarChase a boost for the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Dealer trophy, solidifying a second place slot in the points table and furthering the team’s gap on the third place competitor.
“Singapore is always a special highlight of the season for the team, and this year it was no difference. The level of competition we’re witnessing in this series is incredible and I’m very proud of the way both Philip and the team have composed themselves – we have put in an indisputable challenge in each and every race this year. While we’re happy to take the victory for Round 9, our concentration still heavily remains on sharpening our skills ahead of the finale. With Sepang just around the corner, we’re looking forward to getting back on the track and pushing for a victory,” Robby Niermann, COO of StarChase said.