JAKE SANTALUCIA has claimed the 2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series, surviving a dramatic showdown at Sandown to claim his maiden one-make Porsche Championship.

The 18-year-old from Melbourne had to survive two tough races on Saturday to claim his title, in just his second year aboard the Sonic Motor Racing Series #777 entry.

He’s Sonic’s sixth Sprint Challenge champion and their first since Simon Fallon claimed the crown in 2018 and at 18 years, four months and 21 days old, he’s the second youngest one-make Porsche champion in Carrera Cup or Sprint Challenge history.

Santalucia came into the weekend with a comfortable 70-point plus lead but had it whittled down in race two on Saturday after an off-track excursion and a post-race penalty saw him tumble down the order of the Pro class field.

However his cool demeanour and race craft saw him race his way to fifth position in the finale’, which was more than enough to claim the title.

Tom Bewley claimed the Sandown round after sweeping two a pair of Saturday race wins – one of them after Ryan Casha was penalised after crossing the line first in race two, the second of them in dominant style in the season finale’.

It was Bewley’s first round win of an unpredictable year for the Team Porsche NZ / Earl Bamber Motorsport driver.

His pathway to a maiden round win came first via a combative Jim Richards Enduro Cup finale’ which saw a host of drivers penalised, either in race of following its conclusion, for on track incidents.

Ryan Casha had muscled his way to the front and had for a moment looked to have claimed his first Sprint Challenge win – however a post-race penalty dropped him to fourth place.

Lockie Bloxsom was also pinged for a moment that involved Jake Santalucia coming off the road at turn one, while the latter was also pinged for contact with James Lodge at turn one. Starting from pole, Lodge was slower away than the pair on the second below and contact from behind at the first corner saw him firstly off the road, then spun into the path of an unfortunate Tyler Greenbury.

The amended results for the Enduro Cup affair saw Bewley win, Kamal Mrad finish an outstanding second from the back of the field – on account of a race one non-finish – and Casha third.

Casha’s result, however – coupled with Santalucia’s struggles – was enough to ensure that the Queenslander will lift the prestigious Jim Richards Enduro Trophy this year.

Daniel Quimby finished an outstanding fourth outright in his Class B car while Lachy Harburg claimed the Pro-Am race win in style.

Bewley then pulled away from the field after a perfect start in race three, checking out from the pack while a ferocious battle between Mrad, Bloxsom and Casha unfolded for second, third and fourth, respectively.

Santalucia charged his way through the field from 14th to fifth position to ensure he did enough to seal the championship in style, while Hunter Robb led the race at one point before he unfortunately failed to finish thanks to a loose coolant pipe.

Harburg claimed the Pro-Am class win, at one point running fifth outright on the road before settling into an eighth place finish, while Daniel Quimby’s car didn’t make the start.

The Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series returns in 2026.

ROUND RESULTS:

3rd Pro-Am: Stephen Moylan
3rd Pro: Kamal Mrad

2nd Pro-Am: Jacque Jarjo
2nd Pro: Ryan Casha

1st Class B: Daniel Quimby
1st Pro-Am: Lachy Harburg
1st Pro: Tom Bewley

CHAMPIONSHIP: 

PRO:
1. Jake Santalucia (Sonic Motor Racing)
2. Ryan Casha (DNA Autosport)
3. Tom Bewley (Team Porsche NZ / EBM)

PRO-AM: 
1. Ramu Farrell (Jones Motorsport)
2. Jacque Jarjo (DNA Autosport)
3. Lachy Harburg (EBM)

Class B: 
Daniel Quimby (McElrea)

Jim Richards Enduro Trophy:
1. Ryan Casha (DNA Autosport)