With two profiles down already, we take a close look at Esmee Hawkey as we approach the weekend and the result of the 2018/2019 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Junior Scholarship shootout.
Like most racers, 18-year-old Hawkey began her journey in to motor sport via karting in 2009 with Easykart and then in 2012 she moved up to the junior class, finishing ninth overall in her first year of the championship.
In 2013 she was awarded a place in the Ginetta Junior Scholarship shootout, and while she ultimately lost out to fellow Porsche Carrera Cup GB Junior Scholarship competitor Jamie Caroline, made it through to the finals before entering the Ginetta Junior championship with the BTCC AMD squad. In 2016 Hawkey became Vice Champion driving a Porsche Cayman GT4 Club Sport in the GT Cup Championship with the GT Marques race team.
Now in 2017 there are five drivers fighting for what Hawkey described as “one of the greatest prizes of racing”.
“It feels absolutely amazing,” said Hawkey. “I mean to get into the final five means you’ve come a long way I guess, and yeah absolutely honored to be here and for Porsche to have picked me.
Credit: Porsche GB
“I’m on the Porsche pyramid already, and so from being in the Cayman GT4 car its definitely a massive achievement for me now to be here and working towards getting on that next step in Carrera Cup.”
The Kent-based driver is aware of how big things can come from this chance, “It’s a huge opportunity I mean Porsche have been going on for years and to say they’ve made the millionth 911 in May 2017, it just shows you how big a brand they are.
“To be sponsored by Porsche, and to have their recognition behind you, watching you racing and wanting to put some budget towards you, it’s just one of the most amazing things ever.”
Credit: Porsche GB
Hawkey is under no illusion as to what Porsche are looking for in the shootout, “They definitely want and all rounded person, with the driving they definitely want your technical feedback as well;
“So there’s a lot more that goes on behind the scenes with that, and yeah with the fitness as well you can’t not have the strength and the ability in the fitness because that’s all an aspect that comes into the actual racing. When you get out the car you’re definitely got a microphone in front of you so you to be good at media too.”
Hawkey added, “You kind of don’t want to let it go so you’re just putting every single ounce of what you’ve got into it, and it’s an absolutely amazing opportunity and I’ll definitely be working really really hard to get that scholarship.”
Esmee Hawkey will be hosting a live Q&A on 2/3 December at the Porsche Centre South London pop-up showroom in Bluewater to give visitors an insight into the world of racing and what it’s like to be setting a new standard for female racing drivers.
The winner of the Scholarship will be announced this Saturday (11 November) at the annual Porsche GB Awards ceremony, TCF will bring you the result as soon is it is made public.
