At a glance
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Maiden podium finish in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia: Team Porsche Malaysia driver Naquib Azlan secured second place at Fuji Speedway, finishing just 0.3 seconds behind championship leader Marcus Amand after a race-long battle for victory.
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Strong response to Saturday setback: After a first-lap contact ended his opening race prematurely, Azlan rebounded on Sunday with a composed drive from pole position to claim the first Porsche Carrera Cup Asia podium of his career.
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Validation of Porsche Malaysia's talent pathway: The result marks another milestone in Azlan's rapid progression from Porsche Esports Sprint Challenge Malaysia champion and Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Talent Pool participant to front-running competitor in Asia's premier one-make championship
After months of demonstrating front-running pace against some of Asia's most experienced Porsche one-make racers, Team Porsche Malaysia driver Naquib Azlan secured his maiden Porsche Carrera Cup Asia podium at Fuji Speedway, delivering the strongest result of his rookie campaign to date.
The Malaysian driver recovered from a disappointing opening-race retirement on Saturday to finish second on Sunday, pushing championship leader Marcus Amand to the chequered flag and crossing the line just three-tenths of a second behind the race winner.
The result marks an important milestone in Azlan's rapid rise through the Porsche Motorsport ranks. Having earned his opportunity through the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Talent Pool programme after winning the Driven Dreamers category of the Porsche Esports Sprint Challenge Malaysia, Azlan entered the 2026 season with limited Carrera Cup experience compared to many of his rivals.
Yet since the opening round, he has consistently demonstrated front-running speed, collecting five pole positions in six races and proving capable of competing against established international talent.
Fuji provided the clearest indication yet of that progress. While an opening-lap incident on Saturday denied him what looked set to be a podium challenge, Azlan responded with a composed and determined drive in Sunday's race. Starting from pole position, he remained in contention throughout and repeatedly pressured Amand following a Safety Car restart, ultimately securing his first podium finish in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia
Stay tuned on Porsche Malaysia’s Facebook and Instagram or visit Porsche Malaysia’s official website to stay updated on the latest news on Team Porsche Malaysia.
