Porsche’s license to thrill campaign concludes at the Sepang International Circuit

Last June, Porsche Asia Pacific launched the region-wide “License to Thrill” campaign in search of the 2017 Porsche Asia Pacific Driver of the Year. The response was unprecedented, with more than 3,600 entrants from 13 countries across the region responded to the call to compete for the opportunity to win the title, and a fully sponsored trip to the Porsche Experience Centre in Los Angeles, USA.

At the final practical test at the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, 30 shortlisted competitors completed a series of unusual but exhilarating practical tests such as the Reverse Gymkhana, designed to push their limits and get pulses racing. Going down in history as the first-ever Porsche Asia Pacific Driver of the Year, Mohd Elyas Bin Zakaria from Malaysia won the inaugural title, demonstrating exceptional knowledge and skill on the track.

Commenting on his win, Mohd Elyas, said, “I’m very humbled to receive the award and to be the first Porsche Asia Pacific Driver of the Year. The challenges were unique and definitely one of a kind, stressful yet fun. This is definitely what Porsche is all about. Moving forward, I hope to see License to Thrill becoming an annual event on the Porsche calendar. Thank you and keep up the great work.”

The License to Thrill campaign is unlike any other in the automotive industry, representing Porsche’s desire to celebrate values such as skill, passion and flair, which are deeply embedded in the company’s DNA.

To stand a chance of winning, participants were first put through an online theory test to demonstrate their knowledge of Porsche. 86% of respondents knew that the first Porsche 911 model was launched in 1963, while nearly 80% were unaware that Ferdinand Porsche invented the first ever hybrid vehicle. Respondents from Singapore faired strongest answering 76% of questions correctly, closely followed by Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines on 73%. As a whole, participants from across all age groups were drawn to the unique challenge and opportunity presented by this campaign.

Models at this year’s event included were the Porsche Panamera 4S, Porsche Panamera Turbo, Porsche 911 Carrera S, Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, Porsche 911 Targa 4S, Porsche 911 Turbo, Porsche 911 Turbo S, Porsche Cayenne GTS, Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Cayenne Turbo S, Porsche 718 Boxster, Porsche 718 Boxster S and Porsche Macan GTS.