The Porsche Carrera Cup Italia is just a few hours away from the start of the first free practices of the 2024 edition and at the Misano World Circuit in the paddock of the Italian single-brand brand the “refrain” already partially circulated during the day of collective testing in Imola last month continues: this This year, in its 18th consecutive season and therefore now “of age”, the Porsche Italia series does not fear comparisons with its counterparts.
And not only are comparisons made with the national single-brand championship in general, i.e. the German Carrera Cup, but there is even talk of a Supercup. Teams and drivers are fully aware of this: in 2024 it will be essential not to make mistakes and maximize every result, because the gaps are minimal and the level of driving has never been so high.
Even the global mix gives the idea of balance, between seasoned champions, “senators” to keep an eye on, young and even very young surprises, rookies vying for the new title dedicated to rookies (in the Carrera Cup, but perhaps with already important experiences in single-seaters or GT), protagonists of a Michelin Cup which has also grown visibly as evidenced by the very small gaps seen already yesterday in the test hosted by the same Romagna circuit.
The voice that best summarized the concept is that of Simone Iaquinta, already champion in Italy in 2019 and 2020 and also a protagonist on the podium in the Supercup, which he knows well and which this year will find him at the start in Imola and Monza: ” This year the general level of the Carrera Cup Italia is even higher than in 2023, when it was already very interesting; we can easily define it as a small Supercup, but relatively small…”.
The driver from Castrovillari faces the new season at the wheel of the 911 GT3 of Prima Ghinzani Motorsport and in a season that promises to be more competitive than ever, he makes no proclamations. The final goal, however, is very clear in its prospects: “The objective is to do the best possible both in the two Supercups and in the entire Carrera Cup Italia, aiming for the title. The ideal would be to prove as regular as possible by always getting on the podium and always fighting at the top. This will certainly be the objective at Misano to start the season well, even if I expect many fast riders: it is an easy circuit and in fact in qualifying the gaps are always ultra-small. I like night riding, last year I was very fast but I exaggerated when overtaking and had to retire”.
It was race 1 of the Porsche Festival last October and the direct opponent was Larry Ten Voorde who later won the title. Iaquinta did not fail to think of necessary countermeasures: “Now these are the inconveniences we must not fall into. In 2023 it was a shame not to fight for the title until the end for a couple of these episodes. It’s a mental step that I’ve already taken in the past, so we have to return to be perfect like in the seasons in which I became champion.”.
After yesterday’s pre-weekend test, the Carrera Cup Italia will officially open 2024 on track at 8.45pm this evening with the free practice session scheduled until 9.45pm. Then from tomorrow it will be a fight on all fronts between qualifying in the morning and race 1 again with the lights on (9.00pm live on Dazn also in free mode and www.carreracupitalia.it).
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