Porsche will support four young drivers in single make cups as Porsche Juniors throughout 2014.
21-year-old Sven Mueller will tackle his first season in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, joining current Porsche Juniors Alex Riberas (19) and Connor de Phillippi (20) in the Carrera Cup Deutschland, while Klaus Bachler (22) continues to receive support in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.
Not only do the Porsche Juniors receive financial backing, but they also receive assistance similar to the successful international Porsche works drivers. Fitness tests, media coaching and sponsor obligations all form part of the programme.
Bachler has received Porsche support since 2012 and put in some strong performances in the second half of the 2013 season, taking his first Supercup victory at Spa-Francorchamps. He rounded out the season seventh in the standings, the second-highest newcomer behind Michael Christensen, who has gone from Porsche Junior in 2013 to a Porsche works driver for 2014.
“I’ve learned a lot over the course of the 2013 season,” says Klaus Bachler. “Next year I’d like to be a regular visitor to the podium. I feel good in the car, I know the circuits where we are going to race next year. I’d like to thank Porsche for the trust they have placed in me and I look forward to my third year as a Porsche junior.”
Riberas and de Phillippi also receive backing for another year in the Carrera Cup Deutschland, where the new Porsche 911 GT3 will be run, having been exclusively in the Supercup in 2013. De Phillippi ended his first season in a GT car as the best newcomer, finishing ninth in the overall standings, while Riberas, who took pole position at the Nurburgring, was the third-best newcomer, taking 11th in the overall standings.
“My dream is now entering phase two,” said Riberas. “I’ve worked hard over the entire season and even managed to secure a podium result at the season final this year. I can hardly wait for next season and I’m looking forward to everything I’ll experience during the year.”
“Klaus Bachler impressed us with a very strong second half of the season,” concluded Porsche Head of Motorsport, Hartmut Kristen. “His learning curve is shooting skywards. We would like to give him the chance to use the experiences he gained on predominantly unfamiliar circuits in 2013 to achieve even better results. The same goes for Connor de Phillippi and Alex Riberas. We saw the potential that we had hoped for during their first year as Porsche juniors. I’m confident that both will make further progress next season and they may at times even take the limelight.”
