Porsche Michelin Junior Programme
The continued support and development of the best young drivers from around the Australasian region has been a key priority for both Michelin Australia and Porsche Cars Australia for several years now.
The domestic collaboration has seen the initiative grow into benchmark driver development programme in the country and remain a vital feature of the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid.
For the 2023 season, the French tyre giant has announced that it will again support the Porsche Junior Development Programme offering eligible young drivers from the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series mentorship, support and training from the country’s leading sports professionals and coaches.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for To be eligible to qualify as a Porsche Michelin Junior driver in 2023:
Team Managers must submit their respective Junior driver’s to Porsche Motorsport Australia before 20 January 2023.
Eligible drivers must:
- Attend and complete the Porsche Junior Training Workshop in Melbourne 16-17 February 2023.
- Be born between 30.11.1999 – 01.03.2006
- Commit to a full season in either Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia (8 rounds) or Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia (6 rounds).
- Grant PCA the right to use their driver image and name in the promotion of the Michelin Junior Programme.
- Commit to attendance at a range of promotional events and activities as requested by PCA.
- Comply with all elements of driver standards and behaviour policy as per the 2023 Series Sporting and Technical Regulations.
- *Commit to provision of signage positions to Michelin on their Porsche race car on the top and bottom of the rear wing, on the top of the front bonnet and inside the car on an agreed position. (Designated areas to be supplied by PCA)
- *Commit to the provision of signage positions to Michelin on the Visor of your driver helmet for the 2023 season. (Designated areas to be supplied by PCA)
- Commit to the provision to PCA of written content (race reports, season updates) upon request.
*If the above cannot be provided due to existing agreements, then an alternative benefit must be provided as agreed with PCA and Michelin.
Please note: Any driver who elects to compete in any other one-make Carrera Cup Championship or Porsche Sprint Challenge Series globally, prior to the 2023 Junior Champion being crowned on 17 September 2023, these drivers will lose their Junior status within Australia and no longer be eligible as a Michelin Junior driver for the 2023 season.
Training Days
The Junior Training Workshop is an integral part of the Porsche Motorsport Development Programme in Australia. Every year Michelin Junior drivers are invited to attend and receive professional coaching from the country's leading experts.
In 2022, the workshop combined elements of the SASR Selection Course with exciting adventure activities, designed to take the drivers out of their comfort zone and offer a unique and unrivalled opportunity for personal development. Across two days, drivers were assessed and guided by former Special Forces operators and were required to draw upon their courage, resilience and stamina to surmount a series of tough mental and physical challenges. Upon completion, drivers had a sense of confidence that they had enhanced ability to perform optimally under pressure. The techniques are invaluable for drivers in dealing with the duress and pressures in a race car.
Brad Hodge, Matt Campbell, Jaxon Evans, Joshua Rogers and Scott Pye were just some of the top drivers and presenters at the 2020 Michelin Junior Driver Training, which took place via a virtual workshop in 2020 due to the Covid-19 travel restrictions. The workshop centered around mindset, mental preparation, managing their brand, producing social media content, sponsorship, heart intelligence, resilience and coherence.
The 2019 training workshop saw the Juniors receive professional coaching on sports psychology, social media, media training, branding, sponsorship as well as nutrition and dietary advice. Drivers also received nutrition and dietary advice after completing a thorough range of physical assessments.
2020
Porsche Junior Shootout
The main incentive for the Michelin Junior drivers is an opportunity to represent Carrera Cup Australia at the global Porsche Global Junior Shootout. The shootout 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.
Drivers that have progressed up the Porsche Motorsport pyramid in recent years via the Australian Junior Programme, include the likes of Matt Campbell (Porsche factory driver), Nick Foster, Andre Heimgartner, Jordan Love, Cameron Hill and Dylan O’Keeffe, who have all gone on to succeed at the highest levels of the sport both locally and internationally.
Contact
For more information on the Porsche Michelin Junior Programme in Australia email [email protected]
Junior Programme
About Junior Programme
Porsche Cars Australia and Michelin Australia have joined forces to launch one of Australian motorsport’s most extensive driver development programmes, providing total benefits of up to $300,000. The Porsche Michelin Junior Programme Australia supports seven young drivers across Australia’s two Porsche one-make series – Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge Australia and Carrera Cup Australia – providing all Michelin Juniors financial support by way of entry fee support and an allocation of Michelin race tyres, along with access to training, mentorship and education throughout the racing season.
The Porsche Michelin Junior Programme Australia will consist of two teams – the GT3 Cup Challenge Junior Team, consisting of three drivers, and the four-driver Carrera Cup Junior Team.
2018 Junior Drivers
Driver Bio
A young rising star based in Queensland – but with Kiwi heritage – Jaxon Evans continues to step up the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid having finished a narrow second in the 2016 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia Series.
After two years learning the ropes of one-make Porsche competition, Evans stepped into Carrera Cup in 2017 behind the wheel of the car Matt Campbell took to the outright championship in season 2016.
Evans was well-prepared for his step into the big league, having won the Jim Richards Endurance Trophy in 2016 – the GT3 Cup Challenge’s ‘series within a series’ for longer distance races.
Following the same career progression as his friend Campbell, Evans made a successful transition to Carrera Cup, finishing fifth in the standings with two convincing round wins at Darwin and Gold Coast.
Driver Bio
Adam Garwood moved to the Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia series after a stint in Touring Cars Masters.
The Tasmanian replaced his race-winning Holden Torana SL/R 5000, equiped with 600hp from a Chevrolet V8 engine, for one of the series’ new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars with a 485hp rear-mounted flat six.
Driver Bio
Canberra racing driver Cameron Hill chose Porsche power for the next phase of his career, announcing he would undertake a full-time campaign in the 2018 Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia series following a stint in the Toyota 86 Racing Series.
The 21-year-old demonstrated his talent ahead of his Carrera Cup debut, winning the coveted Australian Formula Ford Series in 2015 and scoring more race victories than anyone else in the Toyota 86 Racing Series during 2016 and 2017.
Driver Bio
Jordan Love made his Carrera Cup debut at Sandown in 2017 just one week after securing the outright GT3 Cup Challenge title at Phillip Island. Following the title win, Love announced a three-round initiation into Carrera Cup and an eventual full-time series entry in 2018.
Love was also named as an official Porsche Junior driver at the start of the 2017 GT3 Cup Challenge season, becoming only the second driver to be the recipient of the Jamey Blaikie Scholarship.
