Formula Ford star to graduate Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge

Tom Sargent to progress Porsche one-make series with CHE Racing

Tom Sargent to progress Porsche one-make series with CHE Racing

Talented 19-year-old racer, Tom Sargent, has revealed his racing plans for the 2022 season, announcing he will compete in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge national series with CHE Racing Team.

Sargent’s progression to a full-time Porsche drive comes off the back of his impressive performances in the Formula Ford junior development category over the last four years, including numerous race wins, round wins and lap records, along with victories in both the NSW and Victorian State Championships.

Sargent will not be left wanting for front-running equipment or team support; he will race the very same Porsche 991 Gen 2 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car currently leading the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Championship in the hands of Cameron Hill and it will be operated by Hill’s CHE Racing outfit.

19-year-old Sargent, who hails from the regional NSW town of Young, said he can barely wait to get behind the wheel of the Porsche.

“A Porsche is one of those brands of cars you dream of racing as a kid, so to say I’m excited for next year is an understatement,” Sargent said.

“I’m very impatient for my turn behind the wheel, but Cameron has a Carrera Cup title to win first!

“We identified Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge as a logical next step for my career, because of the exposure it receives as part of the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships.

“It also enables me to participate in the Porsche Michelin Junior Driver Programme, which will give me access to excellent opportunities.

“We’ve seen with drivers like Matt Campbell, Jaxon Evans and Jordan Love, that there is the chance to forge a successful international career if you do well enough here in Australia.”

Hill, who has mentored Sargent through his Formula Ford journey, is looking forward to seeing his young protégé take the next step.

“I have been unbelievably impressed with Tom’s performances in Formula Ford, both his driving and his feedback to the team out of the car,” Hill said.

“He has the ability to analyse very specific details about how he is driving and how the car is behaving, and he uses those skills to maximise his performances every time he is on track.

“I can’t think of a more worthy driver to take over my Porsche next season and I’m looking forward to throwing him the keys after the Carrera Cup Australia season has finished.

“Tom has a few more Formula Ford races this year, so we’ll focus on those before giving him some seat time in the Porsche to prepare him for next season.”

Should the South Australian border restrictions permit, the final two rounds of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge 2021 series, will take place at The Bend Motorsport Park from the 10-12 December.

For race information, videos and interviews, follow the Porsche Motorsport Australia social pages: Instagram – @PorscheMotorsportAU / Twitter – @PorscheMspAU / Facebook.com/ PorscheMotorsportAU

The history of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge in Australia

A look back through the years of the Porsche Sprint Challenge series, formerly known as GT3 Cup Challenge

Founded in the grass-roots desires of Porsche competitors simply looking for a place to race, the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series has grown to become one of the great success stories from the last two decades of Australian Motorsport.

Formed initially as GT3 Cup Challenge Australia, the series has grown from amateur-based competition for fun to a legitimate pathway for drivers young and old to forge their way through the ranks of the Porsche Pyramid.

It’s hugely competitive, high profile, professional and one of the strongest national-level categories in the sport, yet retains the initial charm and enjoyment factor it had in its early years.

Sprint Challenge launched in 2008 during a challenging time for one-make Porsche Racing in Australia. Carrera Cup Australia was – though it didn’t know it yet – in its final season before a three-year hiatus, while other more grass-roots level Porsche competitors were frustrated that the Porsche Drivers’ Challenge had been absorbed by the costlier GT Championship.

2011-2012-2013

Driven by competitors Sven Burchartz and Jon Trende and with the Administrative nous of Jamie Blaikie and Jodi Zylstra steering the ship, GT3 Cup Challenge was born and launched into the national scene with a 13-car field tackling a cold and blustery day at Mallala, South Australia in April, 2008.

The series fired immediately, with grids in the mid-20s by the middle of the season as owners flocked back to the circuit in droves.

Burchartz won the inaugural series driving his 911 GT3 Cup (type 996) prepared by Sonic Motor Racing, and the seeds were sown for a championship that would only become more competitive.

With Carrera Cup on the sidelines for 2009, 997 generation 911 GT3 Cup cars began to join the series in following years, though that year’s title was won by young Queenslander Matt Kingsley, whose devastating pace in the dry, but in particular the wet, set his championship winning season up.

Though any international career ambitions were well tempered by this point, Kingley was the first of a younger brigade of drivers to look at using Cup Challenge as a way of progressing through the local scene; even after two seasons, the championship had a level of exposure and competition that ensured that those at the front were known for succeeding in a championship far from easy to win.

Queenslander Roger Lago was the story of the next two seasons, the quietly-spoken businessman letting his performance on track do all the talking.

He narrowly beat Kingsley for the 2010 title after the latter destroyed his car in a hefty shunt at Sandown late in the season, but romped to the 2011 title in style to become the first to win back-to-back Porsche titles in Australia that decade.

Lago’s form was also notable: not only did he beat strong competition, but it gave him enough experience to prove his ability to compete at an even higher level – Lago later going on to succeed in Australian GT Racing and the Pro-Am class of the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia.

With Carrera Cup returning in 2011, the structure of the series changed somewhat: Porsche Cars Australia’s own in-house motorsport division taking the reigns as they consolidated their local racing programs. In just four short seasons, Cup Challenge had grown from a ‘just for fun’ series to a legitimate place on the Porsche Pyramid, feeding upward to the Carrera Cup grid. If anything, it gave the series even more street cred among the local scene.

Kane Rose’s title in 2012 marked a true turning point for the championship as the field begun to split into two, gradually evolving into the Pro and Pro-Am class structure that is the norm today. The Victorian was another example of drivers’ using the Porsche Pyramid to perfection; his climb came out of the state-based Porsche 944 ranks.

Richard Muscat’s 2013 title was the last of the 911 GT3 Cup type 997 era, the Generation II car filtering down from the main game a season later. Muscat’s title set him up for a progression up the order into Carrera Cup, a series of strong GT performances and even opportunities at a Supercars level.

While Fraser Ross edged out Jon McCorkindale for a tense 2014 championship win, further down the field there was notable interest in the series’ second category, for the now older-model first 997 Generation 911 GT3 Cup cars.

2014-2015-2016

There, a young, reserved man from the Queensland country town of Warwick was doing remarkable things in his older machine, nipping at the heels of the top three or four outright protagonists throughout the season, and occasionally beating them.

His name was Matt Campbell and when he jumped into an outright car at Phillip Island’s final round, having already clinched his class title, and dominated the field all weekend, the world knew they were on to something special.

The rest of that story, as they say, is history: less than five years later that Class B Sprint Challenge winner was on top of the podium for Porsche at Le Mans.

After Ryan Simpson gave everyone a beating in 2016, Hamish Hardeman and Jaxon Evans went wheel to wheel for the 2017 title, the former getting the big trophy after a tense year of competition between Sonic Motorsport and McElrea Racing; a Porsche battle that would define both categories for seasons.

Jordan Love’s 2017 title set him on his way to a Carrera Cup title – which would come just two years later – while Simon Fallon’s 2018 championship came in a final-round clincher after erstwhile leader Cooper Murray’s car went nowhere at the start of the final race. Both, though, would progress up the Pyramid.

Harri Jones’ 2019 series win ended a streak of four consecutive titles for Sonic – an Australian Porsche Motorsport record – and also represented another milestone: Porsche’s Michelin Junior program now stretching through Sprint Challenge all the way to Carrera Cup, and beyond.

2017-2018-2019

Through all that, the Pro-Am drivers have also had their share: Class champions Geoff Emery, Tim Miles, Anthony Gilbertson and Sam Shahin among many others progressing through to Carrera Cup.

Vibrant from the outset, the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge’s growth has come almost entirely organically, evolving with the needs of the series and those within it. For some it’s a place to prove themselves and progress their career. For others, it’s a place to race your mates and have fun. For some it’s a little of both.

Given its humble roots, that the series can continue be all things to all people, all the while putting on fiercely competitive and enjoyable motorsport, well into its 14^th season is all the more remarkable.

The Champions

2008 Sven Burchartz

2009 Matt Kingsley

2010 Roger Lago

2011 Roger Lago

2012 Kane Rose

2013 Richard Muscat (Professional), John Goodacre (Elite)

2014 Fraser Ross (Class A), Matt Campbell (Class B)

2015 Ryan Simpson (Professional), Geoff Emery (Elite), Aaron Seton (Class B)

2016 Hamish Hardeman (Professional), Tim Miles (Elite), Shane Barwood (Class B)

2017 Jordan Love (Professional), Anthony Gilbertson (Elite), David Greig (Class B)

2018 Simon Fallon (Professional), Danny Stutterd (Pro-Am), Christian Pancione (Class B)

2019 Harri Jones (Professional), Sam Shahin (Pro-Am), David Greig (Class B)

For race information, videos and interviews, follow the Porsche Motorsport Australia social pages: Instagram – @PorscheMotorsportAU / Twitter – @PorscheMspAU / Facebook.com/ PorscheMotorsportAU

Troy Bundy announces departure from Porsche Cars Australia

Head of Australia’s premier one-make series to leave Porsche Cars Australia

Following a career spanning four and a half years with Porsche Cars Australia (PCA), Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy, has announced he will be leaving PCA during the month of December this year to take on a new opportunity. Bundy will continue in his role until the completion of this year’s motorsport season and will announce his new role in due course.

Bundy has been a key contributor to the success of Porsche Motorsport in Australia since he joined PCA in 2017. Both Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia have enjoyed strong results under his leadership.

He leaves both series well positioned to continue his success, with the introduction of 30 new 911 GT3 Cup cars (Type 992) already sold ahead of the 2022 Carrera Cup Australia season.

Quotes:

PCA’s Sales and Motorsport Director, Toni Andreevski: “On behalf of the entire team at Porsche Cars Australia, I would like to sincerely thank Troy for his contribution to the successful development of the Porsche motorsport business in Australia. Motorsport in is Porsche’s DNA, and Troy worked tirelessly on behalf of competitors, teams and our many partners to ensure both one-make Porsche racing categories in Australia thrived. Whilst we are sad to see him leave us, we wish him every success in the new endeavors that lay ahead.”

 PCA Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time working on the Porsche Motorsport programme in Australia, and I am really proud of what my team and I have been able to achieve during this time. While I am moving on to my next project, the Porsche motorsport programme in 2022 has never looked stronger and I am confident the team will continue to deliver the best support categories within Australia “

Porsche announce final rounds of 2021 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge season

The Bend Motorsport Park double header to close out 2021 season

Porsche Cars Australia (PCA) is pleased to confirm the remaining rounds of both the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Championships subject to regional borders between the required states opening up in time.

Carrera Cup’s fourth round is currently earmarked for the Repco Bathurst 1000, part of the new six-day event to be held at the historic Mount Panorama circuit, which is scheduled to take place from Tuesday November 30 to Sunday December 5. The return of Carrera Cup in Bathurst follows three thrilling rounds in Sandown, The Bend Motorsport Park and Townsville earlier this year.

The week after Bathurst, Australia’s premier one-make series will then head south for a double header at The Bend Motorsport Park, to complete the final two rounds of the 2021 Championship. The South Australian circuit, owned by Morris Finance Pro-Am, Sam Shahin, will see the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championship event also host the final two rounds of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Series over the same weekend from the 10-12 December.

A drop-the-round ruling – introduced last year by Porsche – may be implemented, should a team be unable to attend. This ruling was already employed to good effect earlier this year by several Sydney drivers (Tim Miles, Indiran Padayachee and Jackson Walls) who were unable to contest the last Carrera Cup Australia round in Townsville, due to travel restrictions at the time in NSW.

While live broadcast coverage of the Repco Bathurst 1000 will be available across both network (FoxSports and Kayo Sports) and Free-to-air (Channel 7) channels, broadcast coverage of the Shannons Motorsport Australia Round will be announced closer to the event.

Quotes:

Porsche Cars Australia’s Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy: “We want to go racing as much as anybody, and are doing all within our means to get our teams and drivers back on track. This announcement provides the opportunity for both categories to try to complete their seasons in what has been a challenging year for all key stakeholders. I would like to thank our competitors and teams for all the continued support they have provided us during the year, as well as Supercars Australia and Motorsport Australia on working with us over the last few months to achieve the best possible opportunities to go racing again.”

For more Porsche Motorsport Australia news and content follow the Porsche Motorsport Australia social pages: Instagram – @PorscheMotorsportAU / Twitter – @PorscheMspAU / Facebook.com/ PorscheMotorsportAU 

2021 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Calendar

Rnd        Event               State    Date

4             Bathurst 1000   NSW     30 Nov – 05 Dec

5             The Bend            SA          10-12 Dec

6             The Bend            SA          10-12 Dec

2021 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Calendar

Rnd        Event              State    Date

3             The Bend            SA          10-12 Dec

4             The Bend            SA          10-12 Dec

Murray to conduct European test in new Porsche 992 & contest Porsche Carrera Cup France

Murray to test new Porsche 992 prior to Global Junior Shootout

Porsche Michelin Junior Australian nominee to test new 911 GT3 Cup (992) prior to Global Shootout

Following the announcement by Porsche Cars Australia (PCA) that Cooper Murray is the Porsche Michelin Junior Australia Winner for 2021 and will be PCA’s nomination to attend the Porsche Junior Shootout in Europe at the end of the year. PCA has also confirmed that the Australian nominee will also test drive the new 992 generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car at Portimao Circuit in Portugal on the 18 October in preparation for the Shootout.

The McElrea Racing graduate will then conduct a further two-day test session with Porsche Mobil1 Supercup Team, Martinet by Almeras, at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France on the 20-21 November before contesting the final round of the Porsche Carrera Cup France Championship on the weekend of the 22 – 24 October.

Martinet by Almeras is the same team which supported 2018 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Champion, Jaxon Evans, to second position overall in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup Championship this year, behind Larry ten Voorde.

Murray, who is the youngest ever race and round winner in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia history, will also miss the remaining rounds of the 2021 series (on the provision state travel restrictions are lifted) as the Global Porsche Junior Shootout is set to take place on the 23-25 November and he will currently have to quarantine on his return.

Quotes:

Troy Bundy, Head of Motorsport, PCA: “We are happy to support Cooper and give him the best possible chance for the Global Porsche Junior Shootout, as the Juniors will be utilizing the new 992 Cup Car for the first time this year. We feel our contribution to his preparation provides him the best opportunity to acquaint himself with the new car in both race and test conditions. This support is further evidence of the investment Porsche is making in the future of Australian Motorsport in our region.”

Cooper Murray, Porsche Michelin Junior Winner:

“To be given the opportunity to drive the new 992 generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car before the Junior shootout event is amazing, not to mention joining the Carrera Cup France grid for the last round of their championship in Portimao. I’m also fortunate enough to do an additional two days in the car to prepare myself in the best possibly way going into the shootout. I can’t thank my Mum and Dad enough for all their hard work to make this possible, as well as McElrea Racing and Porsche Motorsport Australia. I’m looking forward to the challenge that is ahead of me. New Car, new tracks, new team and new countries. Bring it on!“

Cooper Murray wins Carrera Cup Australia nomination for Porsche Junior Shootout

Murray looks to emulate Campbell and Evans success in Porsche Global Shootout

Porsche Cars Australia (PCA) has announced Cooper Murray as the winner of the Porsche Michelin Junior Australia Programme for 2021 and as a result their nomination for Porsche Junior Shootout globally later in the year.

After taking the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia round win in Townsville earlier this year, Murray held a 25 point advantage in the Michelin Junior Competition point standings prior to Round 4 over McElrea Racing teammate, Harri Jones.

But the cancellation of the Bass Coast Festival of Motorsport at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit recently – the revised final point scoring round – meant that Murray, as the points leader at the time, earned the nomination from Carrera Cup Australia. Should his nomination be approved by Porsche Motorsport in Germany, Murray will have the opportunity to contest the Porsche Junior Shootout against the best Junior drivers from Porsche Carrera Cup Championships from around the world.

The Shootout opportunity continues to play a crucial role in the development of the best emerging talent from the region and is seen as the most proven pathway for talented drivers to progress to the highest level abroad.

To date, the once in a lifetime prize, helped launch the international motorsport careers of both Matt Campbell (2016 winner) and Jaxon Evans (2018 winner). Campbell is now a Porsche factory driver with victories in Bathurst 12 Hour and Le Mans 24 Hour to his name, while Evans is a two-time Carerra Cup Champion with regular appearances in top-level GT competition globally including the Le Mans 24 Hour, World Endurance Championship and Porsche Mobil1 Supercup, where he finished second this season.

Other Carrera Cup Australia drivers to ascend the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid locally and go on to attend the Porsche Junior Shootout in recent years include the likes of Nick Foster (2015); Dylan O’Keeffe (2017, 2018) and Jordan Love (2019). The Porsche Michelin Junior Programme remains the most established and proven Junior driver development pathway to the highest level of both local and international motorsports.

A European race track has been booked for the three-day Shootout, which starts early on the morning of Tuesday, 23 November and ends in the late afternoon of Thursday, 25 November later this year.

Quotes:

Troy Bundy, Head of Motorsport, PCA: “Like all the Juniors that have come through our Programme, it’s been personally rewarding to see Cooper’s development and outright pace mature in both our series, ever since his first season with us in 2018 – which was then GT3 Cup Challenge (Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge.) Despite his young age, he has been a force within Carrera Cup Australia the last two years, against arguably the strongest Pro drivers in the series history.“

Cooper Murray, 2021 Porsche Michelin Junior Winner: “I’m very excited and grateful to have been nominated as Porsche Carrera Cup Australia’s representative with the opportunity to attend the Porsche Junior Global Shootout event. I hope to follow in the footsteps of fellow McElrea drivers Matt Campbell and Jaxon Evans and replicate their success. I wouldn’t have been able to get to this point in my career if it wasn’t for the amazing support of my family, McElrea Racing and everyone who has helped me along the way.”

To learn more about the Porsche Michelin Junior Programme in Australia: https://www.carreracup.com.au/junior-programme/

Change at the helm of Porsche Motorsport

Fritz Enzinger passes the Porsche Motorsport baton to Thomas Laudenbach

Thomas Laudenbach (53) will assume the role of managing Porsche Motorsport on October 1, 2021. The accomplished German engineer takes over from Fritz Enzinger (65), who has led the racing department of the sports car manufacturer to countless successes since 2011. “We cannot thank Fritz Enzinger enough for his enormously successful work over the past ten years. He shaped an era at Porsche Motorsport that led us to incredible triumphs and title wins,” comments Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board for Research and Development at Porsche AG. “Motorsport has played a very special role in Porsche’s corporate strategy. We’ve always used the racing platform as a test laboratory for the latest technologies. Thomas Laudenbach has everything it takes to successfully continue on this path. We look forward to the future of motorsport, in which we want to take an active role in shaping. The Mission R concept presented at the IAA MOBILITY showcases an exciting preview of what’s to come.”

When the Austrian Fritz Enzinger came to Porsche in 2011, he spearheaded the successful LMP1 programme with the 919 Hybrid. Between 2014 and 2017, he achieved three overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as winning a total of six world championship titles in three consecutive years. In 2019, Enzinger took over complete responsibility for Porsche Motorsport. Two more world championship titles followed that year, this time with the 911 RSR in the GTE-Pro category of the World Endurance Championship FIA WEC. Under Enzinger’s direction, the sports car manufacturer also tackled the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, and won the titles in the North America IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) in the fiercely contested GTLM class with the 911 RSR.

“I look back on what we’ve achieved together with pride and gratitude,” explains Fritz Enzinger. “It was an incredibly intense time. The development of the LMP1 programme, the hat-trick at Le Mans and the world championship titles with the 919 Hybrid, the title wins with the 911 RSR, our entry into Formula E and the preparation of our LMDh engagements from 2023 onwards have demanded fortitude and focus from us all. Such successes are always the result of excellent teamwork. My greatest respect and thanks go out to everyone who contributed to this – in the cockpit, on the racetrack, in Weissach, Flacht and Zuffenhausen. My thanks also go to the strong Porsche customer teams who, among other achievements, clinched overall victories in the 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and in Spa-Francorchamps,” the Austrian added. “Motorsport, like the entire automotive industry, is changing. Thanks to his experience and expertise, Thomas Laudenbach is exactly the right man to lead Porsche Motorsport into this future.”

“I’m thrilled about the trust that’s been placed in me and excited about the tasks ahead,” comments Thomas Laudenbach. “The big goal is to build on the great successes that have been achieved under the direction of Fritz Enzinger. It’s a wonderful challenge. We will adapt motorsport to the changed conditions in the automotive industry – from customer racing to factory involvement in the major racing series around the globe. We have our sights firmly set on claiming our 20th Le Mans victory, we want to win world championships – both in endurance racing and in Formula E. It’s also important to continue developing our customer racing. With the Mission R concept study, we are showing how attractive this can look.”

The qualified engineer Thomas Laudenbach, born in Santiago de Chile, completed his mechanical engineering studies at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. His path initially led him to the DTM and to a service company that developed powertrain components for various European vehicle manufacturers. In the autumn of 1998, Laudenbach came to Porsche AG. As Head of Powertrain Development, he was involved in racing and sports car projects such as the 918 Spyder, 911 RSR, 911 GT3 R and the 911 GT3 Cup until 2013.

As the leading developer of the 3.4-litre direct-injection V8 engine for the Porsche RS Spyder, Laudenbach also became acquainted with the North American motorsport scene. This will soon come full circle: From 2023, Porsche will compete for overall victories with a new LMDh hybrid prototype in the US IWSC racing series and the FIA WEC World Endurance Championship. As was the case with the RS Spyder between 2005 and 2008, the top American team Penske will once again serve as Porsche’s cooperation partner.

Applications for the 2022 Team Porsche New Zealand Scholarship Open

Porsche New Zealand is looking for a young New Zealand driving talent.

Team Porsche New Zealand (TPNZ) is opening the application process for its Scholarship to support a young kiwi talent to drive in the 2022 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia series.

In its debut 2021 season, TPNZ has already had success in achieving its purpose – winning & creating a pathway for young New Zealand talent to advance in motorsport.

Despite Covid-19 disrupting the 2021 season and allowing only three rounds so far, the 2021 scholarship recipient Matthew Payne has already achieved two pole positions, a race win and has recently signed with Grove Racing as their inaugural inductee into their Grove Junior Team.

Grove Motorsport run cars in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia, Dunlop Super 2 series and Repco Supercars Championship (under Kelly Grove Racing). They established their junior team to support and foster the next generation of motorsport talent to the highest level of Australasian motorsport, the Repco Supercars Championship.

Which category Matthew will compete in next year has yet to be announced.

Applications for the 2022 scholarship are now being accepted online: Apply Here. They are open until the 15th of October. A shortlist of candidates will then be chosen for interviews and assessments before a final selection.

Earl Bamber: “We are really excited about the Team Porsche New Zealand Scholarship. It is something we are proud to offer, and it gives a solid platform for young Kiwi drivers to aspire to from karts and other national championships. With Matthew’s success this season, the programme has already proven its value. It’s about providing a pathway to a professional motorsports career.”

Porsche New Zealand General Manager, Greg Clarke: “The success achieved in such a short period has been fantastic, and we look forward to following Matthew’s development in 2022 as we welcome our second scholarship recipient into the brand new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car (Type 992). This programme, in conjunction with our support of the local Pirelli Porsche NZ Championship & recently announced Super GT New Zealand Motor Racing Series, are key in our support of New Zealand Motorsport and talent.”

Porsche Cars Australia’s Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy: “It is great to see Matthew Payne’s development and success this season with Team Porsche New Zealand and Earl Bamber Motorsport, as well as the future opportunity he has with Grove Racing Junior team. We welcome all the Junior development initiatives from each of our Carrera Cup Australia teams. They only serve to reinforce the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid and our domestic Porsche Michelin Junior Programme – which provides the most proven pathway for emerging talent from across the Australasian region to reach the highest levels of the sport; both locally and internationally.”

About Team Porsche New Zealand: Team Porsche New Zealand was formed by Porsche New Zealand in conjunction with Earl Bamber Motorsport (EBM) in late 2019.

The team is based in Brisbane and run by EBM, whose principals are brothers Earl and Will Bamber. Two-time Le Mans 24-hour winner Earl himself progressed his motorsport career via the Porsche Pyramid through Carrera Cup Asia, Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and ultimately as a factory driver for Porsche in both the WEC (World Endurance Championship) and the North American IMSA (International Motor Sports Association).

It is intended that each year a scholarship will be offered to support an exciting young New Zealand talent achieving a drive in the Carrera Cup Australia. With the combination of the Bamber’s international motor racing and Porsche Motorsport experience, this scholarship provides a unique opportunity to develop upcoming New Zealand drivers skills for international success.

For further information please contact:

Sales Manager
Porsche New Zealand
Jamie Taylor
Phone: +64 21 803 358
E-mail: jtaylor@porsche.co.nz

Local Legends aligns with Sonic driver Courtney Prince

Courtney Prince will feature a new livery and backing from Local Legends Beef Jerky

Sonic Motor Racing Services driver Courtney Prince will feature a new livery and backing when the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge returns to the race track at Sandown in September.

Local Legends Beef Jerky, a loyal supporter on the Australian motorsport scene, has thrown its support behind Prince for the remaining rounds of her maiden Porsche campaign.

Owned by noted motorsport enthusiast Tony Quinn, Local Legends already supports Fabian Coulthard’s Team Sydney Holden ZB Commodore amongst a variety of rising stars competing in state-based categories.

“The association started with Tony by competing against him in Aussie Racing Cars and I’m really excited to have him on board with Local Legends Beef Jerky,” Prince said.

“I’m grateful for his support as my first big sponsor and I’m thrilled that Tony’s interest has led to his company becoming involved in my racing. I am stoked about it and it provides me with added confidence as I look towards the next round of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge at Sandown in September.”

The striking livery that adorns Prince’s Sonic Motor Racing Services Porsche 991 Cup Car features Local Legends’ trademark fluro yellow colours.

“MSC Signs wrapped the car for us and it has turned out great,” enthused Prince. 

“The fluro yellow, orange and the black altogether makes it a great livery, and it will definitely stand out compared to my competitors. There’s nothing quite as bright as it!”

Prince completed a test at Winton Motor Raceway prior to the Melbourne lockdowns where she completed around 100 laps of running.

After a strong start to her season at Phillip Island, Prince heads to Sandown fourth in the standings with added confidence after racing her Porsche at the venue late last year. 

“I raced in the end of year event Porsche held at Sandown last December, so I’ve done a few laps there,” said Prince. 

“I’m looking forward to continuing my learning this season and hopefully we’ll be at the pointy end. I seem to have clicked with the Porsche and I’m absolutely loving it.”

The Sandown round of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge will be held on September 17-19.

Jaxon Evans repeats his 2020 Porsche Mobil1 Supercup win in Spielberg

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, Round 3, Race, Spielberg (Austria)

The Red Bull Ring continues to be good turf for Jaxon Evans: The New Zealander won round three of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup on the Formula 1 circuit in Styria. It was here in 2020 that the Martinet by Alméras driver won his very first race in Porsche’s international one-make cup. Evans swept to the front in the first lap and controlled the 32-strong field over the remainder of the race. At the flag, he held a 0.646-second lead over Luxembourger Dylan Pereira (BWT Lechner Racing), who had taken up the race from pole position. Third place was enough for Larry ten Voorde (Team GP Elite) from the Netherlands to defend his championship lead.

The second Spielberg race within two weekends got off to a turbulent start. Taking up the race from the second grid spot, Evans overtook Pereira shortly after the start when he had to veer into the run-off area in a corner. “The brake balance was perfect in qualifying but wasn’t quite optimal in the race – the front wheels locked up for a second,” said Pereira, explaining his detour. While a vehicle was being salvaged from the gravel trap shortly afterwards, the race officials deployed a safety car. The race had only just gone green again when a similar incident caused another safety car phase. Evans kept his cool after the two restarts and even managed to pull clear of his pursuers. “I was certain that Dylan would have problems with his tyres after his brakes locked up so I wasn’t too worried,” revealed the New Zealander, who has advanced to position two in the standings after his victory.

While Evans and Pereira turned their laps at a respectful distance, a fierce fight for third place unfolded behind them. Defending champion Larry ten Voorde, Porsche Junior Ayhancan Güven (BWT Lechner Racing) from Turkey and Germany’s Laurin Heinrich (Nebulus Racing by Huber) battled amongst themselves in almost every corner and also switched positions. Güven overtook ten Voorde only to have a puncture knock him out of the three-way fight during the penultimate lap. Ten Voorde managed to fend off Heinrich, who ultimately took the flag in fourth place and won the rookie classification. “I couldn’t do more today,” admitted ten Voorde, the reigning champion and winner of last weekend’s race at the Red Bull Ring. “Ayhancan’s overtaking manoeuvre was superb. If it hadn’t been for the puncture, I’d never had caught him again.”

The ProAm category went to the Monegasque Nicolas Misslin (Lechner Racing Middle East), who shared the podium with Stéphane Denoual (F/Pierre Martinet by Alméras) and the defending ProAm champion Roar Lindland (N/Nebulus Racing by Huber). Hollywood star Michael Fassbender (X-Men, 12 Years a Slave) finished the race on 24th as a guest driver in the ca. 375 kW (515 PS) Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. “My goal was to beat the other amateur guest driver Georgios Frangulis to the flag – and I did it,” concluded the German-Irish actor, who normally contests the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) in the Porsche 911 RSR.

The winner’s trophy was presented by Albrecht Reimold, Member of the Executive Board, Production and Logistics, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. “It’s fantastic that spectators can now return to the circuits. The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup races always have a great atmosphere. As the person responsible for production, I’m thrilled that the teams are very satisfied with the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup,” he commented. “As a sponsor for sustainability with our company, I’m proud that the Supercup is powered by regenerative fuel from renewable sources. Motorsport at Porsche has always brought about innovations that benefit production vehicles. Now, motorsport again has the unique chance to advance key elements not only for the automobile but also for society as a whole. In this regard, Porsche has taken the perfect first step.”

Round four of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup will be contested in Budapest, Hungary from 26 to 28 July, 2021.

Race 3 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, 17 laps, Spielberg (A)
1. Jaxon Evans (NZ/Martinet by Alméras), 28:31.966 minutes
2. Dylan Pereira (L/BWT Lechner Racing), +0.646 seconds
3. Larry ten Voorde (NL/Team GP Elite), +4.902 seconds
4. Laurin Heinrich (D/Nebulus Racing by Huber), +5.370 seconds
5. Florian Latorre (F/CLRT), +5.850 seconds
6. Tio Ellinas (CY/Lechner Racing Middle East), +10.890 seconds

Overall classification Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup after 3 of 8 races
1. Larry ten Voorde (NL/Team GP Elite), 67 points
3. Jaxon Evans (NZ/Martinet by Alméras), 55 points
2. Dorian Boccolacci (F/Martinet by Alméras), 37 points
4. Leon Köhler (D/Nebulus Racing by Huber), 35 points
5. Christopher Zöchling (A/FACH AUTO TECH), 29 points
6. Dylan Pereira (L/BWT Lechner Racing), 25 points

* Full results and overall standings:
https://motorsports.porsche.com/usa/en/article/2021/03/12/pmsc-2021-results

To keep abreast of Jaxon Evans performances in 2021 follow the Porsche Motorsport Australia social pages: Instagram – @PorscheMotorsportAU / Twitter – @PorscheMspAU / Facebook.com/ PorscheMotorsportAU

Round 3 of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge to move to 13-15 August

Shannons at Morgan Park postponed

Round 3 of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge at Morgan Park in Queensland will now take place on 13-15 August, due to the current border restrictions.

Below is the Motorsport Australia announcement made this afternoon:

The upcoming Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships round at Morgan Park will now take place on 13-15 August.

Originally slated for 25-27 June, ongoing border restrictions mean the event will be pushed back until August to allow all competitors, fans and officials to attend the event in Queensland.

Those who have already purchased tickets for the event will be able to use their existing tickets on the new date. Current ticketholders do not need to do anything to have their existing tickets honoured for the new dates.

Motorsport Australia Director of Motorsport & Commercial Operations Michael Smith said it was pleasing that a new date for the event could be found.

“This round of the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships is one we have been looking forward to for some time, with a unique ‘country round’ feel expected at Morgan Park,” Smith said.

“We obviously are disappointed that we can’t hold this round of the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships in June, however we are delighted to be able to secure a new date in August to put on a great show for competitors and fans alike.

“Motorsport Australia is working closely with Porsche, the Australian Racing Group and all our loyal categories to work on a track schedule for the new date and will release details of the full line up shortly, but we are hopeful everyone can join us as originally planned.

“A big thank you must also go to the Southern Downs Regional Council and the Warwick and District Car Club for their ongoing support of this event and making sure it’s a success for Warwick and the surrounding areas.”

Existing categories will be given the option of taking part in the new dates, with the line up to be finalised in the coming weeks.

Tickets remain on sale for the new date, and can be purchased here. Any fans unable to make the new dates will also be able to request a refund.

TAG Heuer expands partnership with both Porsche one-make series in Australia

Swiss watchmaker to be the Official Watch and Naming Rights partner for Fastest Lap Awards

Porsche Cars Australia (PCA) is pleased announce that Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer has increased its partnership with the German car brand in Australia, expanding its motorsport involvement across both the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series in 2021.

Together with TAG Heuer’s global partnership with Porsche, Porsche Motorsport and the Porsche Formula E team, domestically the brand will be the Official Watch and Naming Rights partner for the Fastest Lap Champions in both Australian one-make series.

In return, TAG Heuer brand will be featured on the Fastest Lap graphic displayed during the qualifying sessions at seven premier Carrera Cup Australia rounds in 2021. At each of these rounds, the TAG Heuer Pole Position Award will also be presented to camera for the fastest qualifying driver in both the Mobil Pro and Morris Finance Pro-Am classes.

Together with post produced telecast coverage, photo calls and media releases, the TAG Heuer Fastest Lap Award will be presented at both the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Awards nights at the end of year.

The TAG Heuer brand also be included on both the carreracup.com.au and porschesprintchallenge.com.au websites as well as related content on the Porsche Motorsport Australia (@PorscheMortsportAU) social media channels. Porsche Cars Australia will also provide a bespoke driving experience for ten TAG Heuer customers at a tailored Porsche Drive the Range event.

Quotes:

PCA Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy: “This relationship between TAG Heuer and Porsche connects two of the world’s most premium brands and extends across all areas of our business in Australia and abroad. To see that partnership enriched further at a local motorsport level allows not only Porsche, but TAG Heuer to continue their strong heritage in motor racing and both our one-make series in Australia.”

TAG Heuer, General Manager Australia & New Zealand, Van Mulryan:  “We are honoured to strengthen our partnership both globally and locally with Porsche, the alliance which further reinforces our passion and commitment to motor racing. Both brands share an uncompromising commitment to quality and technology, we are excited for what the future holds and look forward to seeing what we will achieve together from this dynamic partnership.”

The TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph

Carrera as an icon of a name has been associated with Porsche and TAG Heuer for generations – so it was a natural choice for the first creative product collaboration. A tribute to the heritage of two brands, the new chronograph offers a first glimpse at what they can achieve together and is a seamless blend of the Porsche and TAG Heuer universes, reflecting the excellence of both names without diluting the essence of either.

Porsche’s engraved inscription is visible on the bezel and the unmistakable font is also used for the indexes. The Porsche colours of red, black, and grey – which also recall historic Heuer models – are incorporated throughout the watch, and on clear display through the transparent cristal case back is the oscillating mass, which has been redesigned in affectionate tribute to Porsche’s celebrated steering wheel. It is printed with “Porsche” and “TAG Heuer”.

The dial’s asphalt effect, created especially for this watch, expresses a passion for the road, while Arabic numerals suggest the numbers on the dashboard of fine Porsche sportscars. The timepiece is presented either on a soft strap in luxurious calf leather and innovative stitching that echoes the Porsche interior or on an interlocking bracelet reflecting streamlined racing design. At the heart of the timepiece is the in-house Calibre Heuer 02 manufacture movement with an impressive 80-hour power reserve.

Pancione and Shahin take the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge round win

Suhle and Shahin victorious in final race at Sydney Motorsport Park

The third race of Round 2 of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Series took place slightly later than scheduled after thick flog blanketed the Sydney Motorsport circuit on the Sunday morning, causing a small delay in the Motorsport Australia program.

But the fog gradually lifted during the morning and clear skies greeted the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge competitors as all 21 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars took to the grid for the final race.

As in Races 1 and 2, Christian Pancione made a great start to lead his teammate into turn 1, followed by Bayley Hall and Callum Hedge. Hall, like most of the field, had used up his two allocated sets of new Michelin tyres earlier in the weekend and would start the final race on used rubber.

While the Queenslander would jump passed the Team Porsche New Zealand driver off the line, Hedge would eventually retake third position after drafting passed Hall into turn 1 later in the race.

Behind the leading quartet, Sam Shahin had again assumed control of the Morris Finance Pro Am from the start and was involved in a tussle with Courtney Prince for the duration of the race.

The safety car was deployed on lap 3 after Ross McGregor’s Ash Seward Motorsport drew to a halt in turn 3. After closing the gap to Pancione after the restart, Suhle would challenge for the lead, overtaking his teammate around the outside of turn 8.

Suhle would maintain that advantage to the line with Pancione finishing second to take his maiden round win in the series. Hedge filled the remaining step on the Mobil Pro podium for the Earl Bamber Motorsport team. Pancione’s efforts in Sydney sees the VCM Performance driver now reduce Suhle’s lead in the series from 19 to 13 points heading into round 3.

Sam Shahin’s three race wins in Sydney, sees him with a commanding lead in the Morris Finance Pro Am class, with Sergio Pires and Valmont Racing teammate Marcel Zalloua finishing the round in second and third in class respectively. Zalloua would make up six positions in Race 3 to finish third just behind Pires in the final race of the weekend.

The next round of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series takes place at Morgan Park in Warwick, Queensland on the 25-27 June.

Race results: https://www.porschesprintchallenge.com.au/results/

Pancione takes maiden Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge victories

Christian Pancione and Sam Shahin dominate Races 1 and 2

Clear skies and cool conditions greeted Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge teams as they rolled out for the first sprint race of the weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park.

After dominating both Friday’s practice sessions and narrowly missing out on the qualifying window to take pole in the Mobil Pro class the previous evening, Christian Pancione made the perfect start from the front row to lead his McElrea Racing teammate, Ryan Suhle, and the rest of the chasing field through Turn 1.

Pancione’s pace was blistering in the opening stages, lapping over a second faster than anyone in the 21-car field. The VCM Performance driver would quickly amass a 3 second advantage over his McElrea Racing teammate and control the race fairly effortlessly to the flag.

Suhle would finish a hard fought second after coming under heavy pressure from Callum Hedge in the early laps after out breaking himself into turn 2. Hedge would eventually cross the line 4 seconds behind the Queenslander in third with Bayley Hall and Courtney Prince rounding out the top five.

After a treacherous qualifying, Sam Shahin would overcome Sergio Pires early in the Morris Finance Pro Am battle and take the lead into turn 2. Despite being plagued with brake bias issues, The Bend Motorsport Park owner would take the class win ahead of Pires and Matthew Belford.

One the most impressive drives of the race, was from Shahin’s teammate, Tom Taplin, who would make up over 14 places to finish in seventh overall. The most entertaining tussle for spectators lining the Sydney Motorsport Park circuit however, was in the Morris Finance Pro Am mid field, which saw Marcel Zalloua, Michelin Junior Madeline Stewart, David Greig and Ross McGregor embroiled in race long battle.

As Pancione had used his second allocated set of Michelin control slick tyres in qualifying, many expected the 19-year old to fade in the second 45-minute endurance race. But as in Race 1, Pancione made a clean start and built an early lead lapping four tenths quicker than Suhle. Both Pancione and Suhle gradually pulled away from Callum Hedge and Bayley Hall, with the series debutants matching the more experienced front pair for pace in the early stages.

While a short delay when lapping a back marker toward the end of the race looked like it may rob Pancione of his second race victory, he absorbed the pressure from Suhle and maintained his advantage to the line.

Sam Shahin would continue to dominate Morris Finance Pro-Am in Race 2. Despite issues with his HTFU liveried Porsche 911 GT3 Cup’s cooling and steering systems, the South Australian had pulled out a 10 second advantage with 20 laps remaining and eventually cross the line over 20 secs ahead of his nearest competitor, Sergio Pires.

Pires recovered from an early altercation with Matt Belford into turn one on the first lap and was followed home by David Greig, Michael Hovey and Graham Williams. One of the stand out drives of the second race was that of Hovey, after starting from the back of the field due to a gearbox issue in the first race, the Morris Finance Pro Am made up 12 positions to finish in ninth overall.

The third and final race of the weekend takes place at 14:05 local time on Sunday and will be broadcast live via the 7Plus app.

For Race 1 and 2 results visit: https://www.porschesprintchallenge.com.au/results/

Suhle and Pires top Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge qualifying

Sergio Pires takes his maiden pole in Morris Finance Pro-Am

Ryan Suhle will start Round 2 of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series from pole position after topping Mobil Pro class in an eventful Friday night qualifying session under the Sydney Motorsport Park lights.

In contrast to the wet and wild conditions of Round 1, the pace in each Friday’s three sessions was very quick, due in part to the near perfect weather and the added grip from Sydney Motorsport Park’s newly resurfaced turns two and three.

Practice 2 lap times as a result saw the front four cars all drop under the existing race lap record of 1m30.869s, currently held by none other than Jaxon Evans in a 997 generation 911 GT3 Cup car in 2016.

But as the 21 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car field ventured out for the first lap of qualifying under lights, Tom Taplin was caught out, spinning on cold tyres and making contact with the safety barriers. The session was red flagged and after a delay it was the turn of Sam Shahin to bring out a second red flag for the session.

With only 3 minutes remaining, Suhle made the most of the second restart to claim pole from team mate Christian Pancione by 0.4 secs, the largest margin between the whole day. The pace of the McElrea Racing front pair throughout Friday will serve as an ominous sign for the chasing Mobil Pro field as McElrea drivers have taken the last two round wins at the circuit with Jimmy Vernon victorious in 2018 and Harri Jones in 2019.

While Suhle had trailed Pancione in the days first two sessions, the latter’s improvement and pace in both Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge and Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia has been impressive to watch so far this year and the VCM Performance driver has gone from strength-to-strength since joining the McELrea squad from Ash Seward Motorsport.

Keeping them honest in tomorrow’s first race will be Porsche Team New Zealand driver, Callum Hedge, and the youngest addition to the McElrea team, Bayley Hall. The two Michelin Juniors continuing to impress in their debut season along with Courtney Prince.

In the Morris Finance Pro Am class, Shahin had looked the class of the field the whole day, but The Bend Motorsport Park owner could only recover second by the time the session ended. An ecstatic Sergio Pires found himself on pole, the first of his career. Matthew Belford and Michael Hovey will start in third and fourth respectively for the first race.

Quotes:

Ryan Suhle, McElrea Racing: “It was a massive day, we we’re here for the track walk at 07:00 this morning and we just went out tonight at 19:30, so it’s probably one of the biggest racing days we’ll do given we can drive at night here, it was awesome. The two red flags saw two resets, so it was just about coming in, clearing your head and going again. The lighting system here is so good it was almost like daylight, the only difference was in the cabin. I’ve done a bit of karting under lights so it wasn’t unfamiliar and I really enjoyed it.”

Sergio Pires, Valmont Racing: “I saw Sam go off and he’s the class of the field, so I knew this was my chance to take the pole. I put down a good lap following some of the guys out the front which helped. It was my personal best as well, so a really a good session all round. This is the best track in Australia when racing under lights in my opinion, but this is my home track, so I might be a bit biased, for me it just feels special.”

Saturday morning sees the Race 1 sprint race start at 09:35, while the 45-minute Race 2 Endurance takes place at 15:10. Both races will be broadcast live via the 7plus app.

For race information, videos and interviews, follow the Porsche Motorsport Australia social pages: Instagram – @PorscheMotorsportAU / Twitter – @PorscheMspAU / Facebook.com/ PorscheMotorsportAU

Pre-purchase your tickets for Round 2 at SMP and save time

Purchase Round 2 tickets in advance as no ticket sales will be available at the SMP gate

Sydney Motorsport Park to host Porsche qualifying under lights

21-car Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge grid for Round 2

After wet weather and two unfortunate accidents marred the opening round of the 2021 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, both Mobil Pro and Morris Finance Pro-Am competitors will be looking forward to drier conditions and better fortunes when they converge on Sydney Motorsport Park for Round 2 of the one-make series on Friday.

A full Shannons Motorsport Australia Championship program has provided a rare opportunity for Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge competitors to qualify under lights on the Friday evening. The 20-minute qualifying session follows two earlier practice sessions on the first day, before the business end of the weekend starts early on Saturday morning, where teams contest a 20-minute Sprint race followed by a 45-minute Endurance race. The final 20-minute Sprint race of the weekend takes place on Sunday afternoon, with all three races broadcast live on the 7plus app.

The Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series last visited Sydney Motorsport Park in May 2019, a fiercely competitive round that saw three different winners from the three races. Max Vidau won race 1, while Ryan Suhle and Harri Jones shared the spoils in races 2 and 3. Sam Shahin was fourth overall and took home the silverware in the Morris Finance Pro-Am class.

Suhle will be hoping to carry the momentum from both Round 1 and his 2019 race victory into Sydney Motorsport Park this weekend, with the McElrea Racing driver currently leading the Mobil Pro Championship from the Team Porsche New Zealand rookie, Callum Hedge. The impressive New Zealand teenager gave the Earl Bamber Motorsport team their maiden win on Australian soil on his (and their) debut and will again be a podium contender in Round 2 together with McElrea Racing team mates Christian Pancione and Bayley Hall, as well as Courtney Prince from the Sonic Motor Racing team.

In Morris Finance Pro-Am, Porsche Centre Melbourne driver, Matt Belford, leads the Championship for the first time in his career, from Sam Shahin. David Greig sits third with Michael Hovey fourth after a second in race two in Phillip Island. Shahin became just the third driver to notch up 100 race starts in the series in the opening round, only Ross McGregor (106) has more.
The Bend Motorsport Park owner will also surpass John Goodacre for second on the list for all-time starts in Sydney – and will eclipse Goodacre for rounds started at the Sydney circuit, with the pair currently tied on 34 starts a piece following the Victorian event.

For race information, videos and interviews, follow the Porsche Motorsport Australia social pages: Instagram – @PorscheMotorsportAU / Twitter – @PorscheMspAU / Facebook.com/ PorscheMotorsportAU

ENTRY LIST: Round 2 – Sydney Motorsport Park

# NAME     SURNAME CLASS                             SPONSOR
2 Richard     Cowen            Morris Finance Pro-Am McElrea Racing
3 Jonathan   Gliksten        Morris Finance Pro-Am Racing to Beat FA
5 Nathan      Murray          Morris Finance Pro-Am Garage 1
7 Ryan          Suhle              Mobil Pro                          Latitude Coffee
8 Madeline  Stewart          Mobil Pro                          Porsche Team NZ/EBM
9 Callum      Hedge            Mobil Pro                          Porsche Team NZ/EBM
13 Sam         Shahin           Morris Finance Pro-Am HTFU / OTR
14 Matthew Belford          Morris Finance Pro-Am ID Land
22 Andrew  Goldie            Morris Finance Pro-Am Cirrus Aircraft
26 Tom        Taplin            Mobil Pro                          Taplin Real Estate
28 Bayley    Hall                Mobil Pro                          Siebe Gorman
29 Rob         Woods           Morris Finance Pro-Am TekworkX Motorsport
32 Courtney Prince          Mobil Pro                          Sonic Motor Racing
44 Marcel    Zalloua         Morris Finance Pro-Am Valmont Racing
55 Sergio     Pires              Morris Finance Pro-Am Valmont Racing
68 Terrance Knowles      Morris Finance Pro-Am ASM
73 Michael  Hovey           Morris Finance Pro-Am HHH Racing / Triffid
76 Christian Pancione    Mobil Pro                           VCM Performance
87 David      Greig            Morris Finance Pro-Am David Greig
99 Ross        McGregor   Morris Finance Pro-Am Southern Star Windows
131 Graham Williams     Morris Finance Pro-Am Sonic / Williams Racing

BROADCAST SCHEDULE: Round 2 – Sydney Motorsport Park

Race 1: Sat 01 May 09:35-09:55 7plus
Race 2: Sat 01 May 15:10-15:55 7plus
Race 3: Sun 02 May 14:05-14:25 7plus

From track days to the top of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge podium

Matt Belford’s journey up the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid through the Porsche Track Experience

Just five rounds in the 2019 series was all it took for Morris Finance Pro-Am, Matt Belford, to climb to the top step of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge podium. Belford took out the class win at the opening round of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge 2021 season at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

His story is a great example of where the Porsche Track Experience can develop participants and how his journey up the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid offers opportunities for drivers of all experience levels, to ascend from track day enthusiasts to the top echelons of national competition.

Belford’s passion for motorsport evolved after completing all five levels of the Porsche Track Experience in 2018. His brother, also a keen motorsport enthusiast and historic racing competitor, then convinced him to buy a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car to use in track days.

Belford participated in a range track day events including the Porsche Pole Position experiences at Albert Park and Bathurst, before returning to Porsche Track Experience to complete Level 4 and 5 again in 2019.

The Melbourne resident joined the Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport team under the guidance of Team Manager and Race Engineer, Karl Batson the same year. Belford improved every round and would finish seventh out of 15 Pro-Am competitors in his debut Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge season in 2019.

According to Batson, “Matt was a quick learner from the start and takes instruction well. He never gets flustered or emotional at the track, he just comes in from every session sees where he needs to improve and goes out and does it.“

“Every test and race session we’ve had with him, he’s bettered his personal best and lap times. Overall he’s down-to-earth and a great guy to have in the team, we all get on very well,” Batson enthused.

Following his first round victory in the Morris Finance Pro-Am class in a wet and wild season opener at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit this year, Belford paid homage to the support of not only his brother and the whole Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport Team, but also his driving coach and Porsche Centre Melbourne teammate, Nick McBride.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/7SKAocQXX4E

McBride, himself a widely experienced and successful Mobil Pro driver in the premier Carrera Cup Australia series said, “When Matt joined the team, he had next to no racing experience, which was an advantage in a way as he was almost a clean canvas to work with. “

“He’s very driven and has a natural ability and picked up pace fairly easily. His first year he showed massive glimpses of speed, but lacked the experience to give him the consistency and extract the best from the car in qualifying.”

“He has a really good attitude and knows what success looks like on and off the track. You can see it in how he prepares and does his homework before test days, he’s very analytical, spending a lot of time reviewing data to know what the limit is and what’s achievable. I think he’s also learn’t from Jonathan (Gliksten) at high speed circuits.”

“The biggest difference I’ve seen in him this year over 2019, was that he is not making the same mistakes. He’s an intelligent driver and for example knew to drive within himself in the wet at Phillip Island and that ultimately won him the round. He’s on a very steep trajectory of improvement and I feel he will be very quick in a year or so, with every race he gets under his belt,” McBride concluded.

Belford will be in action in Round 2 of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series which takes place at Sydney Motorsport Park from 30 April to 02 May. All three races will be broadcast live on the 7plus app. The app is free to download and accessible from any computer, smart tv, or mobile phone, together with replays of each race on demand.

To learn more about the Porsche Track Experience and the courses available visit https://porscheevents.com.au/Track-Experience or email trackexperience@porsche.com.au