Two former champions are the first drivers to register a Porsche 996 C2 for the 2012 Porsche Club Championship, 2007 outright champion Mark McAleer and 2004 Class One champion Pete Morris aiming to take to the track in the newly eligible model this season. The 996 version of the iconic Porsche 911 will be the most powerful car in the field, but also the heaviest ensuring that the closely matched power to weight ratios dictated by the series regulations once more provide close exciting racing across a variety of models.

“I’ve been out a long time in a 968,” says Yorkshire-based McAleer, “and last year I think we had the car going as quick as a 968 can go, so I felt it was time for a change. We had a test with the 996 when we got it just to check everything worked, and since then it has been stripped down for a rebuild and we hope to test before the season opens at Brands Hatch.

“It’s going to be a learning curve for us, other than one outing in a GT3 I have never raced a 996, but I’m hoping we will be there or thereabouts in the races.”

“I wanted to race a more modern car, and I was literally wringing the neck of the 968 I was racing last season,” said Morris, whose car has been built up by EMC Motorsport. “The 996 feels very different on the track and I think it will be competitive and we have been on the pace in testing. It should be a good season for the championship, we have lots of new cars coming in.”

At least two other series regulars are currently working on race-preparing 996s, with a view to entering Class One for 2012. The Porsche 996 was the first of the 911 series of cars to feature a water-cooled engine, being manufactured from 1998 to 2005. The 300BHP 3.4-litre car will weigh in at 1,420kg for the start of the 15-race, seven meeting season which kicks off at Brands Hatch on May 5th.