Porsche Malaysia to field Naquib Azlan in 2026 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season

KUALA LUMPUR: Porsche Malaysia is continuing its involvement in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia for 2026, this time with Malaysian driver Naquib Azlan set to contest the full season in the PRO category.

He will race car number 17, a 992.2-generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, under Team Porsche Malaysia in collaboration with Earl Bamber Motorsport and Axle Motorsports.

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The announcement sees Porsche Malaysia, represented by Sime Darby Auto Performance, push ahead with its effort to create a clearer path for local motorsport talent, including those coming from the sim racing scene.

In Naquib’s case, that route has gone from virtual competition to a full campaign in one of Asia’s most competitive one-make racing championships.

“Motorsport is deeply rooted in Porsche’s DNA, shaped by over 75 years of racing heritage. At Porsche Malaysia, we are committed to creating meaningful platforms for local talent — whether on a virtual circuit or the real track — to pursue their passion and realise their potential. Naquib Azlan’s progression from sim racing to Porsche Carrera Cup Asia demonstrates what can be achieved when performance, discipline and opportunity come together,” said Christopher Hunter, Chief Executive Officer of Sime Darby Auto Performance (Auto Performance).

Naquib, 26, first got into motorsport through sim racing in 2020. That eventually led to him winning the Driven Dreamers category in the first Porsche Esports Sprint Challenge Malaysia in 2025, which then opened the door to the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Talent Pool programme.

The programme is designed to identify and develop promising drivers through coaching, training camps and structured performance work.

That background has now earned him a place on the 2026 PCCA grid, where all drivers compete in identical machinery, putting the spotlight firmly on driver ability rather than equipment advantage. It is a big step up for Naquib, who now moves into a proper GT racing environment against some of the region’s strongest one-make racers.

“My first introduction to motorsports was through sim racing, and I was hooked from the very beginning. Competing in the Porsche Esports Sprint Challenge Malaysia opened doors I never imagined possible. To now race with Porsche Malaysia, which has a strong racing heritage, is an absolute honour. I’m grateful for the belief and support from the team at Porsche Malaysia, as well as the guidance from Axle Motorsports throughout this journey. I look forward to representing Malaysia and Porsche on the international stage,” said Naquib Azlan, race driver for Team Porsche Malaysia.

Ahead of the opening round, Naquib already showed encouraging pace during the Official Test Day at Zhuhai International Circuit, held from 28 February to 1 March. He ended the session with the fastest lap overall, posting a 1:35.391.

For the 2026 season, Team Porsche Malaysia’s 911 GT3 Cup will run in a blue livery with orange accents, matching Sime Motors brand colours.

The roof design also carries the official layout of the upcoming Porsche Experience Centre Singapore. The same look will be used throughout the full championship, with Naquib competing under number 17.

The mention of the Porsche Experience Centre Singapore also ties into Porsche’s wider plans in the region. Scheduled to open in 2027, it will be the first Porsche Experience Centre in Southeast Asia and the 11th globally. Porsche says the facility will offer more immersive driving and brand experiences for customers and fans in this part of the world.

The 2026 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season begins in Shanghai, China, on 14 to 15 March, before moving across other circuits in the region. Malaysian fans will get a closer look later in the year when the series returns to Sepang International Circuit for Rounds 9, 10 and 11, with two sprint races and one endurance-style weekend on the schedule.

Naquib’s entry is obviously a personal breakthrough, but for Porsche Malaysia it also shows that its sim racing and talent development efforts are not just for show. This is now a real example of a Malaysian driver moving from esports into a full-season international programme in a Porsche one-make series.

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