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Tan set for biggest challenge of his racing career

SINGAPORE — Belgium’s classic Spa-Francorchamps circuit has been celebrated by drivers as the ultimate test of their technical skills, and this week Singapore’s Yuey Tan will find out if he is cut out for the challenge to race on it.

Singaporean racer Yuey Tan (picture) and Chris van der Drift were selected as they are the respective leading private and professional racers in the current Asian season after eight of 16 races. Photo: Mark Gong

Singaporean racer Yuey Tan (picture) and Chris van der Drift were selected as they are the respective leading private and professional racers in the current Asian season after eight of 16 races. Photo: Mark Gong

SINGAPORE — Belgium’s classic Spa-Francorchamps circuit has been celebrated by drivers as the ultimate test of their technical skills, and this week Singapore’s Yuey Tan will find out if he is cut out for the challenge to race on it.

Tan, who races for Hong Kong’s Team Jebsen in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, will fly the Singapore flag in a race that pits the best Porsche racing drivers from around the world.

The 33-year-old, along with Chris van der Drift from Kamlung Racing, another Hong Kong team, are the only drivers from Porsche’s Asian competition. The rest of 55 drivers hail from the German sports-car maker’s various championships across the globe.

Both drivers were selected as they are the respective leading private and professional racers in the current Asian season after eight of 16 races.

Qualifying is set for Friday followed by the race the following day on the 7.004km circuit, which features the world-renowned Eau Rouge chicane.

The 45-minute Porsche Carrera Cup at Spa is one of three single-make races, including Renault and Lamborghini, that will run this week ahead of the 24-hour Endurance race on Saturday afternoon.

As a privateer, the Singaporean pays for his racing expenses and hopes that Belgium will attract sponsors and convert him into a full-fledge professional.

“Competing in this race can help my career,” said Tan. “The aim is to do well but it will be a tough race as I’ll be up against some of the best Porsche championship drivers in the world. But a good result at Spa will make potential sponsors sit up and take notice of me.”

Tan heads to Belgium tonight carrying a disadvantage, because unlike most of the other competing racers, he has no experience at all, even for test runs, on the Spa track.

The 33-year-old said all he has are loads of technical data.

“I’ve been preparing hard for this race,” added Tan. “Apart from increasing my fitness levels with cardio work, I’ve also clocked about 250 laps on a racing simulator of the Spa track over the past six weeks to familiarise myself with it.

“I’ll get a feel of the track on Wednesday when my racing engineer and I will walk on it to try and understand better what we’ll be up against.”

So far, Tan has had a good year. He is leading the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Class B category for privateer drivers — and 11th overall — for the first time since his debut in the series six years ago.

He hopes to keep it that way as he ended as a runner-up in the last two seasons.

“My ambition this year is to win the Class B division and break into the top-10 overall standings,” said Tan. “I’m focused on this goal and to perform well so that Jebsen will renew my contract to race for them next year.

“But this is the best season I’ve had so far. I didn’t start racing till I was about 22, which is pretty late for a racing driver.

“I learnt a lot racing against the likes of Van Der Drift (overall leader), who are really competing a very high level. It has been a privilege as they helped my growth as a racing driver.”

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