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

Suhle and Belford take Phillip Island round wins after accident red flags Race 3

McGregor, Hovey and Gliksten all discharged from medical centre after Race 3 accident

The final race of the Round 1 of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Series in Phillip Island, was red flagged soon after the race start after Jonathan Gliksten and Michael Hovey made contact on the exit of turn 2.

The altercation between the two Morris Finance Pro-Am drivers also sandwiched an unlucky Ross McGregor against the inside tyre wall. While all three drivers were taken to the Phillip Island medical centre and later discharged, all three Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars were severely damaged and had to be recovered from the circuit.

As a result of the incident, race 3 was red flagged by the Motorsport Australia officials and Gliksten was handed 10 series points penalty. He will also have to start from the rear of the grid for the first race of round 2.

The round win in each class was then based on the performance of the drivers in Races 1 and 2, which saw Ryan Suhle take the overall win in Mobil Pro from Callum Hedge and Christian Pancione.

Ryan Suhle (Mobil Pro winner): “It was great to get the first race win yesterday and obviously in the wet it was pretty interesting for Race 2. It was the first time for me in the rain in one of these Cup cars and I certainly found out that it bites sometimes. I was just happy to recover through the field to second.”

“While today was a little disappointing as we all want to go racing, we’re also just glad that the guys are all ok. Overall, it’s great to come away from the weekend with the championship lead.”

Matthew Belford took his maiden round win in Morris Finance Pro-Am, from Sam Shahin and David Greig.

Matthew Belford (winner Morris Finance Pro-Am) said: “It was a great weekend, but finishing with a red flagged race was unfortunate, but we all just really glad the guys are ok. My weekend was good, qualifying I was fourth and fought my way to second in race 1 while race 2 was just wild. I was just thrilled to take the overall round win.”

“It was only three years ago I was doing track days and went on to do the Porsche Experience Driver Training up in Queensland. I enjoyed that and bought a Cup Car and started doing Sprint Challenge and now within just a few years, I have my first race (and round) win. I can’t thank the whole Porsche Centre Melbourne team enough especially Karl Batson and Nick McBride.”

The next round of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series takes place at Sydney Motorsport Park on the 01-02 May.

Belford and Hedge take maiden wins in rain affected Race 2

Round 1, Phillip Island, Race 1 and 2 review

Phillip Island serves up wet and dry conditions for Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge season opener

After a 16-month break, twenty Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge 91 GT3 Cup cars lined-up for Race 1 of the 2021 season. Overcast, breezy conditions had replaced the sunshine and blue skies of Friday’s qualifying. While the asphalt for Saturday’s opening sprint race would be dry, a huge rain front was on the weather radar for later in the day.

Pole sitter Ryan Suhle made clean start to lead the Mobil Pro field into the first turn, followed  by debutants Bayley Hall and Courtney Prince in close attendance. Callum Hedge struggled to get his Team Porsche New Zealand 911 GT3 Cup car off-the-line dropping three places. Morris Finance Pro-Am top qualifier, Sam Shahin had to take evasive action to miss Hedge, but as a result found himself in fourth position overall after lap 1 just behind the leading Mobil Pro trio.

Matthew Belford had also made a strong start from tenth on the grid, jumping three spots into second in the Morris Finance Pro-Am class. Belford was closely followed by David Greig, Marcel Zalloua and Sergio Pires for the opening laps.

Suhle quickly amassed a 2.2 sec lead at the front of the field, while Pires and Tom Taplin dropped down the order after early off-track incidents. After Christian Pancione and Callum Hedge caught and passed Shahin, attention then switched to the battle between Hall and Prince for second position.

Hall and Prince were locked in battle for the entire race holding their podium positions to the line. They were followed home by Pancione in fourth and a recovering Hedge in fifth. Despite a small lock-up toward the end of the race, Suhle looked unfazed and controlled the gap to the chasing pack throughout the race. The McElrea Racing driver eventually crossed the line 1.6secs ahead of his teammate, Hall.

Shahin meanwhile would grow his advantage over the Morris Finance Pro-Am throughout the race and cross the line first in the class. Behind Shahin great racing had ensued throughout the field between Matthew Belford, David Greig and Marcel Zalloua. Michael Hovey and Shane Barwood too were locked in an intense battle further down the order, until Barwood spun late in the race, allowing Hovey to come home in 14th.

As predicted a huge rain front hit the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit around midday, forcing the officials to declare a wet race for the second sprint race. The sodden conditions saw the field start behind the pace car as a precaution. Suhle would jump the field at the restart and pull out a 2.5 sec lead by the end of the first lap.  The McElrea Racing driver then set the fastest lap of the race – nearly 4 seconds faster than his nearest rival at that point- until spinning under brakes at the turn 3 hairpin. On the same lap, Shahin would ironically also spin at the same corner dropping him down the order to 13^th overall.

With Suhle and Shahin started their recoveries through the rain and field, Courtney Prince seized the opportunity for the overall lead at the front of the field, overtaking Bayley Hall. The Team Porsche New Zealand entry of Callum Hedge was on the move however and would catch the pair, setting the second fastest lap of the race.

After overtaking both Hall and Prince, the young Team Porsche New Zealand driver would tenaciously hold onto that lead for the remainder of the incident marred race, giving the Earl Bamber Motorsport team their first race victory in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Series on debut.

After an impressive drive, Prince would spin late in the second race and eventually finish the race in fifth. Bayley Hall’s equally impressive weekend would come to an unfortunate end in the dying laps due after making contact with a recovering Shane Barwood on the main straight. Hall was lying a strong third in Mobil Pro class until that point. Unfortunately the damage sustained in the incident, saw both Hall and Barwood’s cars retired for the weekend, but thankfully neither driver was hurt in the incident.

Suhle would eventually recover to second behind Hedge by the time the flag fell, with Tom Taplin coming home third. Despite several cars struggling in the worsening conditions, it was Matthew Belford who would emerge unscathed to take his maiden Morris Finance Pro-Am victory for the Porsche Centre Melbourne team, ahead of Michael Hovey and Shahin.

The third and final race of the weekend will also be the longest (45 minutes) on Sunday morning and gets underway at 10:05am AEDT. The race will be broadcast live via the 7plus app.

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

Suhle and Shahin top Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge qualifying

Round 1, Phillip Island, Qualifying

Sunshine and warm track temperatures greeted teams as they ventured onto the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit for the opening round of the 2021 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge season.

As expected McElrea Racing’s Ryan Suhle topped the timesheets in both the Friday practice sessions. Suhle’s advantage over the chasing Mobil Pro field in the day’s final qualifying session was 0.4secs, in a dominant display from the Michelin Junior driver.

Just behind Suhle was a trio of newcomers to the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Mobil Pro class including Bayley Hall (McElrea Racing), Callum Hedge (Porsche Team New Zealand) and Courtney Prince (Sonic Motor Racing), who all improved and impressed throughout the days sessions.

“It was good to take poll on that last lap and come across the line in a good position for tomorrow’s race. After the break last year, it was great to have a strong result and some seat time in Sandown last December. That race really helped today, as any time in the car counts and was good preparation for this year” Suhle said.

“2021 is going to be a really competitive season, as it always is in Sprint Challenge. But that’s what you want in a series and a good line-up of drivers is great for the whole series.”

Sam Shahin looks to have started this season where he left off in 2019. The reigning Morris Finance Pro-Am Champion, dominated all three Friday sessions in his brightly liveried HTFU Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, prepared by Buick Motorsport. The South Australian was kept honest throughout the day by a hard charging Sergio Pires and former Class B front runner, David Greig.

After qualifying, Shahin, who celebrates his 100^th start in the series in Sunday’s final race, was very happy with his performance after a massive accident sidelined The Bend Motorsport Park CEO in the Bathurst 12-hour a year ago,

Shahin enthused, “I’m very thrilled on so many fronts. I can’t believe I’m in a race car to start with and everyone in the Pro-Am class is fast this year. All the drivers here went out of the gate very fast this morning, but that is what it should be.”

“This is a track that rewards bravery and commitment. Everyone has done exceptionally well and it’s great that there were no incidents throughout the day,” Shahin concluded.

Saturday sees two sprint races taking place in what looks to be a very wet weekend according to the weather forecast. The Michelin wet tyres are likely to be working to their optimum with between 5 to 10mm predicted for tomorrow. Race 1 gets underway at 10:30 AEDT, followed by the second sprint race at 15:05 AEDT. Both races will be broadcast live via the 7plus app.

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

Solid 20-car Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge grid for Phillip Island

Mobil Pro and Morris Finance Pro-Am entries announced ahead of season opener

After a 16-month forced break as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge teams mark their return to the track this weekend at one of Australia’s most iconic race circuits.

Round 1 will see a grid of twenty (20) Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars take to the Phillip Island Grand Prix start line, with the premier Mobil Pro class featuring some of the country’s top junior drivers and the Morris Finance Pro-Am class destined to be one of the mostly hotly contested in the series history.

McElrea Racing teammates Ryan Suhle and Christian Pancione carry strong momentum into the 2021 season after strong performances in both the 2019 series and the more recent Porsche PAYCE and Michelin Cup one-off event at the Sandown International Raceway last December.

South Australian, Tom Taplin returns as well for 2021 and will again be an ever present contender for race honours. Set to challenge the established trio of Michelin Juniors is a swathe of talented newcomers all with strong racing pedigrees. The challengers include Bayley Hall (McElrea Racing); Courtney Prince (Sonic Motor Racing) and the Porsche Team New Zealand pairing of Callum Hedge and Madeline Stewart (Earl Bamber Motorsport).

2019 Morris Finance Pro-Am champion, Sam Shahin returns to defend his class title, but will face strong opposition this season from the likes of Andrew Goldie and David Greig, who have made the step up from the 997 Class. Other experienced contenders expected to challenge the front trio include: Matthew Belford, Ross McGregor, Michael Hovey, Sergio Pires, Marcel Zalloua, Jonathan Gliksten, Shane Barwood, Graham Williams and Nathan Murray, while Terrance Knowles makes his debut in the series with Ash Seward Motorsport.

After two practice sessions and a 20-minute qualifying on Friday 12 March, teams contest two sprint races on Saturday, followed by a final 45-minute race on Sunday morning. 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.

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

ENTRY LIST: Round 1 – Phillip Island

#    DRIVER               SURNAME          SPONSOR                        Class

3     Jonathan                Gliksten                  Racing to beat FA                Morris Finance Pro-Am

5     Nathan                    Murray                    Garage 1                                Morris Finance Pro-Am

7     Ryan                        Suhle                       Latitude Coffee                     Mobil Pro

8     Madeline                Stewart                   Porsche Team NZ                 Mobil Pro

9     Callum                    Hedge                     Porsche Team NZ                 Mobil Pro

13   Sam                        Shahin                     HTFU / OTR                          Morris Finance Pro-Am

14   Matthew                 Belford                    ID Land                                  Morris Finance Pro-Am

17   Marcel                    Zalloua                    Valmont Racing                     Morris Finance Pro-Am

21   Shane                      Barwood                                                                   Morris Finance Pro-Am

22  Andrew                   Goldie                     Cirrus Aircraft                        Morris Finance Pro-Am

26  Tom                        Taplin                      Taplin Real Estate                 Mobil Pro

28  Bayley                    Hall                          Siebe Gorman                         Mobil Pro

32   Courtney                Prince                     Sonic Motor Racing              Mobil Pro

55    Sergio                     Pires                       Valmont Racing                     Morris Finance Pro-Am

68   Terrance                 Knowles                 Ash Seward Motorsport       Morris Finance Pro-Am

73   Michael                   Hovey                     HHH Racing / Triffid           Morris Finance Pro-Am

76   Christian                 Pancione                VCM Performance                Mobil Pro

87   David                      Greig                        David Greig                            Morris Finance Pro-Am

99   Ross                        McGregor               Southern Star Windows       Morris Finance Pro-Am

131  Graham                  Williams                 Sonic Motor Racing              Morris Finance Pro-Am

BROADCAST SCHEDULE: Round 1 – Phillip Island

Race 1: Sat 13 March  10:30-10:55  7plus

Race 2: Sat 13 March  15:05-15:25  7plus

Race 3: Sun 14 March 10:05-10:50  7plus

Coffex Coffee Roasters renews partnership with Porsche Cars Australia for 2021 season

Coffex to keep the Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Sprint Challenge teams energized for 2021

An integral part of the service Porsche provides to its teams and drivers at each event would only be possible with the support of partners Coffex Coffee Roasters, who have renewed their support of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series for the 2021 season.

Coffex has been closely aligned with the Carrera Cup Australia series since the start of the 2015 season when it began as the Official Coffee Supplier of Australia’s premier one-make series, providing coffee, tea and associated products to all involved in each series.

The Coffex Coffee bar is traditionally the most popular feature within the Carrera Cup Australia hospitality lounge at each event and provides a place for teams, partners and drivers to relax and enjoy premium, locally roasted – and, above all, the freshest – coffee from professional baristas.

For 2021, the proudly Melbourne brand will again receive integrated Coffex branding in the Porsche hospitality area, on every vehicle, and communications across Porsche’s websites and social media channels. Coffex also continues as the naming rights partner to an exclusive behind-the-scenes video series, dubbed the Coffex Backstage Pass.

The series will be shot by Porsche at each Carrera Cup event and give fans an insight into the Porsche life at every circuit, by showcasing profiles on leading teams, drivers and personnel as well as highlighting aspects of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Championship that set it apart from other categories in Australia.

Quotes:

Porsche Cars Australia Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy: “We are thrilled to continue our strong partnership with Coffex Coffee Roasters into the 2021 season. The benefits Coffex provide at each event play a crucial role in the overall racing experience for our drivers, teams, sponsors and this is evident from the tremendous feedback we receive. The 2021 partnership is vital in allowing us to continue to enhance and innovate the on- and off-track experiences for our motorsport customers.”

Coffex Coffee Roasters, Managing Director, Fong Loong: “We are once again, very proud to be the Official Coffee Supplier of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Series. With the Coffex Backstage Pass, we would like to give audiences a glimpse into the role that Coffex Coffee Roasters plays behind the scenes at every race. The event is truly a highlight in the Australian events calendar for us and we look forward to supporting Porsche Cars Australia for many more years.”

Round 1 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia season takes place from the 19-21 March in Sandown International Raceway, while Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge gets underway at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit from the 12-14 March.

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

About Coffex Coffee Roasters:

Born in 1959, Coffex Coffee Roasters has a rich and diverse heritage in Melbourne. Our founding goal was to deliver premium, locally roasted and, above all, the freshest coffee to baristas and coffee lovers – and we have been doing so, ever since. Locally roasted in Brunswick, Victoria; Coffex Coffee Roasters is now one of the largest coffee roasters in the southern hemisphere. As part of its partnership with Porsche, Coffex’s perennial crowd favorite and multiple award winner – Superbar blend is served in the Porsche Lounge at every Carrera Cup Australia event.

Coffex Coffee Roasters – https://www.coffex.com.au/
For more coffee information and videos, follow the Coffex Coffee Roasters social pages: Instagram – @CoffexCoffeeRoasters  / Twitter – @CoffexCoffee / Facebook.com/CoffexCoffee

Coffex Backstage Pass

VIDEO: Episode 1 – Richard Crail https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UysKeK7Ykk

VIDEO: Episode 2 – Michael Ritter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fx-UwwgJcE

Two-car Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge attack for Sonic

Sonic Motor Racing Services will enter a two-car attack on the 2021 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge

Sonic Motor Racing Services will enter a two-car attack in the 2021 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series, fielding entries in both the Mobil Pro and Morris Finance Pro-Am classes.

Heading the charge in the Mobil Pro class is Courtney Prince. The 19-year-old female racer is fresh out of the competitive Formula Ford category where she finished eighth in the 2019 championship.

Prince, along with most other motorsport competitors, had a lean 2020 due to COVID-19, however, a strong testing and fitness regime over the enforced break means that she is not lacking any confidence ahead of her first season racing a Porsche.

The Melbourne-based driver will compete in the 911 GT3 Cup car that Aaron Love used to finish second in the 2019 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series.

Morris Finance Pro-Am racer, Graham Williams, continues in the team’s second car in what will be his fifth-straight year with the Sonic team.

Williams is a long-time Porsche enthusiast and is looking to improve on his fifth place in the Morris Finance Pro-Am class from 2019.

The opening round of the 2021 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge will take place at the world-famous Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, with practice and qualifying to be held on Friday, Race 1 and 2 on Saturday ahead of the final race on Sunday.

All races will be seen live and free on the 7plus streaming app in Australia.

QUOTES

Courtney Prince, Driver, Sonic Motor Racing Services: “I am so excited to get into the car and go racing,” said Prince.

“My goal is to do a good job, have good pace, and be fighting against the leading pack. I want to be consistently up the pointy end for the whole weekend.

“And being consistent is important, because at the end of the championship, I want to be in the top five.

“I really love Phillip Island. It’s one of my favourite tracks and after a test day earlier this year, I I feel comfortable. I’m just super excited to get out there.”

Graham Williams, Driver, Sonic Motor Racing Services: “This is now my fifth year with Sonic and it’s exciting to get back on track, into racing and spending time with the Team,” said Williams.

“It is be good to be able to get back into the seat again, and I look to working to improve on our efforts in 2019”

“Phillip Island is a spectacular place, and is great to have this as our first round.”

Michael Ritter, Owner, Sonic Motor Racing Services: “We are looking forward to getting back into the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge this year,” said Ritter.

“Courtney has been progressing really well over the past two seasons. Her momentum was great leading into 2020, but even in the enforced break, she remained active, we tested where we could and she is in a good space.

“It’s always great to have Graham in the team. This is our fifth year working together, and he is always looking to make more gains with his own driving.”

Mobil renews Naming Rights partnership of Porsche’s Mobil Pro Category

Mobil to continue as the Official Fuel Partner for both Porsche one-make series

Porsche Cars Australia (PCA) is pleased to announce that Mobil will continue as the Official Fuel Partner for both Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series this season.

As the “Official Partner” of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series, Mobil also continue as naming rights to its premier class within both series and will be referred to the ‘Mobil Pro Class’ in all official communications, including Porsche press releases, websites and social media accounts.

The partnership with Mobil provides a range of benefits to both parties ensuring that all cars competing in both series will run on Mobil’s Synergy Supreme+ 98 octane fuel product moving forward.

This enhances Porsche’s long term partnership with Mobil 1 ensuring that both Mobil Synergy fuels and Mobil 1 lubricants will be delivered in all Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race cars in each series.

In addition to the naming rights, Mobil receives extensive branding on all Pro Class cars on the front windscreen together with the side mirrors, rear windscreen, side panels, inside drivers panels and in-car cameras. The Mobil logo will also be present on the podium backdrop and team garages for each Pro Car competing in the Carrera Cup championship this year.

Further to these benefits, a range of money can’t buy experiences will be delivered throughout the year that will provide the chance for race fans and Mobil customers to enjoy the Porsche road cars at a range of exclusive events.

Porsche Cars Australia Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy: “We are pleased to renew our partnership with a quality fuel supplier for both series and continue to have Mobil as the Naming Rights partner to our Pro class this season. Our premier one-make series provides Mobil a prime platform to showcase their product to our drivers, teams and customers, as well as amplify their product attributes to Porsche customers both on and off the racetrack. The partnership further enhances our existing long term partnership with Mobil1, our Official Lubricant Partner to both series.”

Mobil Australia Retail Sales Manager, Charles Ewart: “Mobil is committed to supporting Australian drivers and the Porsche race series and is very proud to announce our partnership with premium car manufacture Porsche. This partnership provides us with the opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of our world renowned engine protecting Mobil Synergy Fuel Technology to Australians”.

Round 1 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia season takes place from the 19-21 March in Sandown International Raceway, while Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge gets underway at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit from the 12-14 March.

About Mobil Synergy Fuels:

At Mobil, it’s all about the details and bringing quality fuels to every driver, all across Australia. That’s why we’re committed to getting performance enhancing additives that protect your engine from the very first fill, clean your engine and improve engine performance into every Mobil branded service station across Australia. You can trust that Mobil has your fuelling needs sorted with Mobil Synergy Fuel Technology. This is one more way our fuels work harder for you every day, and one more reason to refuel at Mobil. Because every drive matters.

Morris Finance partners with Porsche Motorsport series in Australia

Morris Finance secures Naming Rights to Pro-Am Championships for Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge

National Commercial Finance and Leasing leaders Morris Finance have secured the naming rights to the hotly contested Pro-Am Championships across both Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series for the 2021 season.

As part of the agreement, Morris Finance will gain significant visibility with both Australia’s premier one-make series, with extensive branding across Pro-Am Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars competing in both series. They will also feature across both podium and media backdrops at every event, as well as Pro-Am team garages and various event related branding around the Carrera Cup Australia drivers lounge and pit garages.

Morris Finance will also offer a range of finance solutions to Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series customers delivering financial solutions for a range of their needs, including race cars, transporters, equipment and more.

The deal follows Morris Finance’s continued commitment to its long-term relationship with Walkinshaw Andretti United in Supercars, Motorsport Australia, The Bend Motorsport Park, and their community program which involves drivers Nick Percat and Jaxon Evans.

Porsche Cars Australia will also provide several bespoke experiences for Morris Finance VIP customers at premier Carrera Cup Australia events throughout the year.

To support these VIP Customer experiences, Morris Finance will run a promotion that provides the opportunity for customers to win an ultimate giveaway to the final Carrera Cup Australia round on the Gold Coast.

This increased partnership builds upon the support Morris Finance has given to both categories to date – having previously supported the Sports Person of the Year Award – as well as their long term support of 2018 Carrera Cup Champion, Jaxon Evans, who continues to forge his international motorsport career abroad.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia series will get underway at Sandown International Raceway in mid-March, with the series concluding alongside Supercars on the streets of Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast in early December.

Quotes:

PCA’s Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy: “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Morris Finance, which delivers value to them across numerous key partnership pillars including branding; digital and social media; events; promotions; hospitality; experiences and business development. Morris Finance has been a strong supporter of both series, either in a category level or driver perspective, and it’s great to have them on board as our naming rights partner of the Pro-Am Championships of both categories.

Morris Finance Marketing Manager, Tiffany Hunt: “As a proud Australian business operating on a national level, we take great pride in partnering with such a strong global brand and are delighted to be partnering with Porsche Motorsport Australia as the Official Finance Partner. With this alliance, we are looking forward to creating unmatched experiences for our national broker, client, investor and referrer markets”.

About Morris Finance:

Based in Geelong, Victoria, Morris Finance is Australian owned and one of Australia’s leading finance companies, providing asset finance, investment, leasing and insurance services to ABN Holders; Registered Companies; Individuals and Sole Traders.  

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

Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge to join C0₂ offset program, Porsche Impact

Porsche Motorsport Australia racing series to be integrated into Porsche sustainability initiative

Porsche Cars Australia (PCA) is pleased to announce that it will integrate both Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia (PCCA) and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia (PSCA) series into the newly launched Porsche Impact Program in Australia. Porsche Impact Program is a C0₂ compensation scheme offering Porsche customers the option to calculate and offset their personal carbon footprint.

PCA commits to compensating the C0₂ footprint of the 911 GT3 Cup cars racing in PCCA and PSCA in the 2021 Season. The financial contribution is based on an estimated annual mileage and consumption during the scheduled Rounds. The monetary compensation will be calculated by using an emission calculator and directed to financially support two selected Australian environmental projects in partnership with South Pole after the 2021 season concludes.

The two certified offset initiatives, also offered to Porsche Customers as a part of the scheme are:

Mount Sandy:

The first project is Mount Sandy, located between the Coorong National Park and Lake Albert in South Australia. It is a pocket of intact native vegetation in a region dominated by farmlands, Mount Sandy brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to promote land conservation methods that have been used by the Traditional owners of the land, the Ngarrindjeri people, for thousands of years. The 200 hectare site ensures permanent protection for all biodiversity, which is a unique mix of coastal shrublands and saline swamplands. The site provides habitat for iconic native wildlife, such as the short-beaked echidna, purple-gaped honeyeater and elegant parrot.

Myanmyn:

The second local initiative is the Myamyn project at Annya State Forest, located in south-western Victoria. The habitat is home to numerous vulnerable and endangered plant and animal species. The Myamyn project works to protect and rehabilitate the site after clearing and the introduction of an invasive eucalyptus species occurred in 1997. So far 20 hectares of cleared land have been rehabilitated with a total of 200 hectares protected against further clearing.

About Porsche Impact:

Porsche Cars Australia is participating in the Porsche Impact program, which was developed by Porsche AG in association with its subsidiary Porsche Digital. The estimated 2020 CO2 emissions of the Porsche Cars Australia fleet of cars have been offset using Porsche Impact. This includes company cars, press cars and vehicles dedicated to the Porsche Track Experience program.

The sports car manufacturer is committed to reducing CO2 emissions. In doing so, Porsche considers the entire value creation chain: from suppliers, to the product, to after sales and recycling. Today, Porsche AG uses 100% green energy for production and rail logistics. In Australia, Porsche also prioritises other sustainability measures like solar power and tyre recycling.

Quotes:

Sam Curtis, CEO & Managing Director, Porsche Cars Australia: “Sustainability is an essential pillar of our corporate strategy at Porsche. The global approach to sustainability at Porsche is holistic, working in all fields of action: ecological, economic and social.”

For more information about Porsche Impact visit: https://www.porsche.com/australia/aboutporsche/responsibility/porscheimpact/

Porsche Mobil1 Supercup to be shown live on FOX Sports in Australia

Monaco Grand Prix to host debut of the new 992 generation 911 GT3 Cup

The 2021 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup season will play host to drivers from eleven teams and herald the racing debut of the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992 generation). All eight rounds of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup Championship will again be broadcast live in Australia on FOX Sports with replays throughout the season.

The premier one-make Championship will be part of the Monaco Grand Prix programme (20 to 23 May) in 2021 with a driver line-up that includes defending champion Larry ten Voorde from the Netherlands and Porsche Junior, Ayhancan Güven from Turkey.

“Despite the ongoing difficulties for international motor racing due to the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve managed to put together an extremely attractive package for the 2021 season,” explains Oliver Schwab, Project Manager Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.

“The new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup has attracted even more interest from teams. The permanent grid positions that are available are overbooked. I expect up to 32 competitors at all races except Monaco.”

Up to four additional competitors are permitted to contest the remaining seven Cup rounds. The new entries among the permanently registered teams are Parker Racing from Great Britain and Huber Racing from Germany. Both teams ran the overall winners in their respective national Porsche Carrera Cups last season. Lechner Racing from Austria returns to defend its title in the team classification of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Lechner Racing has also entered a second, officially independent squad. GP Elite from the Netherlands and Alméras from France also compete with two separate teams. The other permanent participants are Fach Auto Tech from Switzerland, CLRT from France and Dinamic Motorsport from Italy.

After the 2021 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup season gets underway in Monaco, the Championship then travels to seven other race circuits in France, Austria, Hungary, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy to round off the calendar.

The new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992 generation) features a 375 kW (510 hp) flat-six engine that is designed to run on synthetic fuel and will be campaigned in Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia series in 2022.

2021 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup calendar*

Rnd        Event                                        Date

1             Monaco                                          20-23 May

2             Le Castellet (France)                   25-27 June

3             Spielberg (Austria)                      2-4 July

4             Silverstone (England)                 16-18 July

5             Budapest (Hungary)                    30 July-1 August

6             Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) 27-29 August

7             Zandvoort (Netherlands)            3-5 September

8             Monza (Italy)                                10-12 September

*subject to changes

Motorsport Australia announces revised date for Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge season opener

Phillip Island season opener to take place on 12-14 March

Motorsport Australia has confirmed a replacement date for the opening round of the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships. The event will now be held on 12-14 March.

In addition to Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series, Australian Racing Group categories will again be on show at the event, including the VHT S5000 Australian Drivers Championship, Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series, National Trans Am Series and the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS.

Further categories may also be part of the event, with category managers in discussion with Motorsport Australia to compete at the iconic Victorian circuit.

With the Victorian COVID-19 lockdown forcing a postponement of February’s 2+4 Australian All Wheels Race Fest, Motorsport Australia has worked with the circuit and category managers to secure a new date.

Unfortunately, Australian Superbike Championship and its support categories were unable to join the event on this occasion, given a number of scheduling conflicts. However, discussions between Motorsport Australia and Motorcycling Australia are already underway about rescheduling the All Wheels Race Fest for later in the year.

At this stage, Motorsport Australia is unable to confirm any spectator details, however it is hoped that some spectators may be able to attend, in line with any government restrictions that apply at the time.

The event will also be broadcast across the screens of 7, including on 7mate and 7plus. New Zealand viewers will be able to watch via Sky Sports, while other international viewers can watch online via the Motorsport.TV stream.

The opening round of the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships will be held at Phillip Island on 12-14 March, 2021.

Michael Smith, Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships Director said: “We’re really pleased to confirm this new date for the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships and also to be able to secure a new date so quickly.”

“I’d like to thank the team at Phillip Island for their flexibility and support, allowing us to put this event on in March. Motorsport Australia is in regular dialogue with the Victorian Government about this event and will certainly work to deliver a COVID safe event in line with all restrictions and requirements that may be in place at the time.

“We hope that we will be able to welcome fans to this event, however understandably there is still some uncertainty about what restrictions may be in place, so at this stage we are not offering tickets for sale. This is something we’ll monitor closely and provide regular updates for motorsport fans.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the team at Motorcycling Australia for their hard work in preparing for the 2+4 Australian All Wheels Race Fest. While we are unable to make the joint-event work for this specific date, we’ve formed a great partnership over recent months and fully expect this combined event to happen in the very near future.”

Amadio Wines renews partnership with Porsche Cars Australia for 2021 motorsport season

Amadio Wines named as Official Wine & Champagne Partner for both Porsche one-make series in Australia

Porsche Cars Australia have announced that Amadio Wines have renewed their support of Australia’s premier one-make motorsport series. The South Australian winemaker will again be the Official Wine and Champagne Partner of both the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series for the 2021 season.

Amadio’s premium wine and champagnes will again be used for all Carrera Cup Australia and Sprint Challenge podium celebrations throughout the 2021 season, with each Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car displaying Amadio Wines branding on the rear wing end plates and sill on every Carrera Cup and Sprint Challenge entry.

Porsche Cars Australia Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy: “Without our long standing partners we could not provide the level of support to our drivers and teams that we do. We’re thrilled to continue our relationship with Amadio Wines for the 2021 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge seasons. Both series provide a great activation platform for all our partners and reinforce Porsche’s association with these premium brands.”

On the renewal of the partnership, Amadio Wines Managing Director Danniel Amadio said, “We are delighted to continue supporting this high calibre class of motor racing. It is a testament to all the competing teams and the organisation behind Porsche Motorsport in Australia for their continued efforts in producing some of the best young talents this country has to offer. This is evident not just on a national stage, but the results of their drivers on the international stage.“

Round 1 of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge gets underway at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit from the 18-20 February, while Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia season is due to start on the 19-21 March at the Sandown International Raceway, as the premier support category for Repco Supercars Championship.

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

About Amadio Wines:

Amadio Wines represents Danniel Amadio’s contribution as the third generation to his family’s successful winemaking legacy. Stemming from his grandfather’s success in the early 30’s and his parents success in the 90’s, whose label rose to be acclaimed ‘most awarded boutique label in Australia’, Danniel is now continuing the family legacy. The Amadio family pride themselves on their Italian heritage, which has aided them in sourcing the best quality food from around Australia and creating a top branding wine as Danniel personally selects the best fruit parcels from his family owned Kersbrook Vineyards in the Adelaide Hills.