Porsche Sprint Challenge Suisse
| Category | One-make racing by Porsche |
|---|---|
| Country | Switzerland / Europe |
| Inaugural season | 2016 |
| Constructors | Porsche |
| Tyre suppliers | Michelin |
| Drivers' champion | Ethan Ischer (GT3 Cup) Elia Pappacena (GT4 CS) Stephan Heim (Open GT) |
| Official website | Porsche Sprint Challenge Suisse |
| Current season | |
Porsche Sprint Challenge Suisse (PSCS) is a Swiss One-make racing series for Porsche vehicles. The championship runs within the framework of the Porsche Sports Cup Suisse. The series was founded in 2016 by the Porsche Motorsport Club Suisse. It is designed for privateer drivers, semi-professional competitors, and teams, offering the opportunity to compete at relatively low cost.
Classes and eligible cars
The series is divided into multiple classes to group cars of similar type and performance. Typical classes include, but are not limited to:[1]
- GT3 Cup – Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars (various generations as allowed by the regulations).
- GT4 / Clubsport – Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport and similar GT4-spec machinery.
- Open GT – a broad class allowing a range of Porsche 911 and Cayman race cars from different generations, grouped by performance and specification.
- Classic – a category for historic or older Porsche Cup cars (e.g., 964/993 Cup models), introduced to accommodate classic Cup machinery.
- Endurance – these are two-hour races featuring GT3 Porsche cars from the Open GT and GT3 Cup classes. They are part of the series but do not count towards the main championship standings.
Format
Events in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Suisse usually take place over three days. Thursdays are reserved for private testing sessions for all classes, supplemented by the Street Cars training programme run by Porsche Switzerland. Fridays are dedicated to the official free practice sessions, with four sessions held per class.
Saturday features the qualifying sessions and the sprint races. The day typically begins with a 20-minute qualifying session for the GT3 Cup, followed by a 20-minute session for the GT4 Clubsport cars and, if present, the Classic class. Due to its larger grid, the Open GT class contests two separate 20-minute qualifying sessions. The sporting regulations are identical across all categories: the fastest lap of each driver sets the grid for Race 1, while the second-fastest lap determines the starting order for Race 2.
The subsequent sprint races are short and fast-paced. Race 1 runs for 30 minutes plus one lap, while Race 2 is contested over 25 minutes plus one lap. Championship points are awarded on a class-based system, meaning that drivers compete for titles within their respective technical categories, such as Class 21, Class 1 or Class 11.
If a 2-hour endurance race is included in the event schedule, it takes place after the final sprint race of the weekend. These endurance races typically feature two drivers sharing each car.
Circuits
The series has already taken place in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, and Portugal.[2]
Bold denotes a future circuit that will be used in the 2026 season.[3]
| Number | Circuit | Rounds | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello | 11 | 2016–present |
| Misano World Circuit | 11 | 2016–present | |
| 2 | Imola Circuit | 10 | 2016–2022, 2024–present |
| 3 | Red Bull Ring[notes 1] | 9 | 2017–2019, 2021–present |
| 4 | Circuit Paul Ricard | 8 | 2016–2024 |
| 5 | Circuit de Dijon-Prenois | 5 | 2016–2019, 2022 |
| 6 | Monza Circuit | 3 | 2023, 2025–present |
| Algarve International Circuit | 3 | 2024–present | |
| 7 | Hockenheimring | 2 | 2020–2021 |
| 8 | Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours | 1 | 2016 |
| Lausitzring | 1 | 2021 | |
| Autodromo di Franciacorta | 1 | 2022 |
Ways to watch
Since 2025, all qualifying sessions and races of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Suisse have been broadcast through a partnership with Alpha Live. The sessions are available with English commentary on the official YouTube channel of Alpha Live.[4]
In addition, there is a German-language broadcaster, Motorsport Television Deutschland, on YouTube,[5] as well as an Italian stream provided by Parc Fermé TV. The series will continue to be broadcast live until at least 2028 following an extended partnership agreement with Porsche Schweiz and Alpha Live.[6]
Notes
References
- ^ "Porsche Sprint Challenge Suisse 2025 Sporting Regulations" (PDF). Porsche Motorsport Club Suisse (in German). 2025-12-07.
- ^ "All Racetracks for PSCS". RacingCalendar.net. 2025-12-07.
- ^ "Kalender für die Saison 2026" (PDF). Porsche Motorsport Club Suisse (in German). 2025-12-07.
- ^ "Alpha Live + English Commentator Alex Goldschmidt announcement". Instagram.
- ^ "Porsche Sprint Challenge Suisse Live Stream". Racing Porsche (in German).
- ^ "Alpha Live and Porsche Switzerland extend partnership". Motorsport Television Deutschland (in German).