Watts and Baird set to mix it up in Singapore

If ever a cat – or cats - were set among the pigeons, the addition of super-quick Briton Danny Watts and New Zealand’s Craig Baird to the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia grid in Singapore later this month is certain to rev up the already-furious competition.

As the region’s premier sportscar series gears up for the Porsche SC Global Carrera Cup Asia – Singapore 2009 race, part of the Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix weekend from September 25-27, a truly spectacular field prepares to tackle the Marina Bay street circuit.

Watts, who has been recruited by race title sponsor, leading Singapore luxury property developer SC Global Developments, is no stranger to the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia nor street circuits, having won at the Macau Grand Prix in 2006.

The A1 GP Great Britain driver brings a wealth of experience, from his early career in single seaters as a national champion through to the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup, British GT Championship, Le Mans 24 Hours, Le Mans Series, Petit Le Mans, and American Le Mans.

New Zealand’s Craig Baird makes his Porsche Carrera Cup Asia debut in Singapore with Team Porsche Club Singapore (PCS) Racing. Multiple championship winner Baird, like Watts, began his career in open wheelers, winning three national titles before doing the same in touring cars. Several seasons on the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series followed, as well as an impressive number of title wins in the New Zealand Porsche GT3 Championship and Australian Porsche Carrera Cup.

There is no doubt the regular series drivers will welcome the added competition, although their arrival is certain to add to the already nail-biting contest for valuable championship points. The series sees both the professional Class A and non-professional Class B drivers in the midst of electrifying battles, with both titles wide open and the top four drivers overall separated by just 33 points.

The race in support of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix is among the highlights of the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia calendar, which saw the first our meetings take place in the Chinese cities of Shanghai (where it was on the undercard of the 2009 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix), Beijing and Zhuhai, and in Indonesia.

Credits: JRC