24 HOURS OF LE MANS & 2.4 HOURS OF SINGAPORE 2017
Porsche held the second edition of its 2.4 Hours of Singapore Endurance Kart Race at KF1 on Sunday, June 18, 2017.
The 24 hours of Le Mans is the world’s oldest and most prestigious endurance race. Commonly referred to as the “Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency”, the race is one leg of the Triple Crown of Motorsport; the other two events being the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix. To commemorate this event, Porsche Singapore held the 2.4 Hours of Singapore Endurance Kart Race for the second year; together with official partners, Michelin, ExxonMobil and Leica.
The 2.4 Hours of Singapore kart race format was designed to be similar to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in order to give participants a first-hand experience of what competing in an endurance race is like. For this year’s race, 12 teams comprising of Porsche customers and members of Singapore’s media took part. Each team consisted of three drivers and they had to take turns driving a kart for a total of 2.4 hours (2 hours 24 minutes) around the KF1 karting circuit. The qualifying session was a nail-biting affair as teams battled it out to set the fastest lap timing. Eventually, team Friends of Porsche 1 secured the pole position.
The main race started off similar to an F1 race, with drivers trying to overtake and cut into each other’s path. After driving several laps, it started to drizzle but our participants showed no signs of slowing down. However, the drizzle soon turned into a heavy downpour and the race had to be temporarily suspended. Many participants took this opportunity to recharge by having their dinner or getting a massage at the VIP lounge. When the race resumed, the circuit became a lot more challenging due to the wet conditions. Karts could be seen slipping when the drivers attempted to turn a corner at high speeds. At the end of the race, Snamel Dream Team emerged victorious for the second year running after completing a grand total of 71 laps.
Friends and family members of the participants were also invited to watch the 2.4 Hours of Singapore race as well as a live telecast of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. To keep the little ones entertained throughout the event, a dedicated kid’s corner was set up with a face painting booth and LEGO play tables. Porsche colouring books and coloured pencils were also given out to those who wished to express their artistic talent. Crowd favourites such as hotdogs and fried ice-cream were also available.
Winning smiles all around
Winning Team: Snamel Dream Team consisting of Ian Tang, Andy Lee and Cheong Chun Kin
2nd place: Le Media Team, consisting of Ju-Len Leow, Derryn Wong and Jonathan Lim
3rd place: Martini Racing Team, consisting of Lyndon Theo, Ken Wu and Dennis
Calm before the storm
Refuelling with tantalising food
Despite the heavy downpour, the racing spirit was not dampened
