Power couple

Everyone needs to escape every now and again. This is especially true for Claire Jedrek and Yuey Tan – Singapore’s motorsport power couple. After nine seasons in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia series, Yuey has stepped up to the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup championship in Europe while Claire will be making a comeback to racing later in this year after taking 12-months off to have their first baby.

In between balancing the demands of motherhood with Claire’s racing schedule, the couple jumped at the chance for a weekend getaway to Malaysia, in a Porsche 911 Carrera T, no less.

Magical Malaysia

The twisty, hilly roads to Bentong proved ideal for the Porsche 911 Carrera T. “Some of the roads were really tight but the car was good around the corners. It obviously has a bit more body roll than the 911 GT3 Cup cars I’m used to, but the more pliant suspension makes it easier to drive on these roads,” said Yuey.

The mountainous roads also provided the ideal backdrop to appreciate the 911 Carrera T’s sports exhaust system. “When you downshift for the corners, the exhaust just pops and rumbles, making you look forward to the next bend over and over again,” said Claire.

Although the 911 Carrera T is one of the latest Porsche models, it can trace its roots back to the 911T of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Coincidentally, the town of Bentong seems to have been preserved from the same era. “It felt like stepping back into the 1970s,” remarked Yuey. “Driving around, you notice things like the billboard adverts that are still painted on the walls.”

And just as the 911 Carrera T offers a combination of performance and heritage, the rustic charms of Bentong contrasted with all the outdoor activities available nearby, such as all-terrain quad bikes to explore the surrounding rainforest, or helicopter rides for the adventurous.

Deep impressions

After more than a 1,000km round trip, Claire and Yuey discovered that the 911 Carrera T was the perfect companion for their adventure, offering a combination of excitement, comfort and pedigree. “This car was just right for this trip; there was enough luggage space for the both of us, yet it wasn’t too wide for the narrow roads that led up to Bentong and the nearby Berjaya Hills.

“It is amazing how technology has caught up over the years,” said Yuey. “The size of the rear tyre, for example, is as big as that of the 911 GT3 RS from 10 years ago.” Although the Carrera T is positioned near the entry point of the Porsche 911 range, it still managed to impress this veteran Porsche racing driver.