Porsche Carrera Cup GB

Four into one as Porsche Carrera Cup GB starts its Junior selection process

3 Mins read
Porsche Carrera Cup GB Junior Shootout
Credit: Porsche GB

As Dan Harper crossed the line for the last time this season at Brands Hatch, so ended his last race as the 2018/2019 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Junior. Tomorrow (30 October 2019), four new faces will go head-to-head in a bid to become the new Junior for the next two years.

The final four have been shortlists from over forty applicants, who were then reduced down to ten and invited to an interview in front of a panel made up of the Porsche GB Motorsport team at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone.

Following the interviews four drivers were chosen to take part in the final part of the selection programme.

“There is huge global interest in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Junior programme, underlined by the number of applications we received from drivers with a diverse range of motorsport backgrounds.explained James MacNaughton, Motorsport Manager, Porsche Cars Great Britain.

” The position Porsche Carrera Cup GB enjoys within the Porsche Motorsport pyramid, and top-level motorsport generally, means it’s viewed as a proven stepping stone on the path to domestic and international motor racing success.

“Selecting the four finalists was a difficult task given the sheer calibre of the applicants. Each finalist has excelled in their motorsport career to date and stood out at the interview stage.

“All four will now have to impress in very specific disciplines at the Junior Shootout where they will be placed under extreme pressure to perform both on and off the track.”

Contenders ready!

Image: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Luke Browning – 17 years old

Browning is no stranger to the TOCA package having raced for two years in the Ginetta Junior championship before switching to British F4 this season, picking up two victories and a further seven podiums throughout the year.

Louis Foster – 16 years old

Foster has had a similar motorsport career to Browning, starting in Ginetta Juniors where he secured the Rookie championship in 2018 before moving on to British F4 this season where he took six victories and five podium finishes on his way to third place in the championship

“It is a real privilege to be in this position,” said Foster. “It will be a good shootout – there’s no doubt that there is some really tough competition but as always, I’ll be giving it my all to win it.

I’ve been a massive Porsche fan all my life and I just love the car. It is a real opportunity for me next week and one I want to really make the most of.” he added.

Lorcan Hanafin – 16 years old

Another Ginetta Junior racer, Hanafin had been racing in the championship for the last two seasons, this year he took two victories on his way to fourth place in the overall championship.

Harry King – 18 years old

The oldest driver of the four, King also heads in to the shootout with an impressive 2019 season behind him.

Crowned the 2019 Ginetta GT4 Supercup champion, King has recorded a sensational eleven wins this season.

The shootout

Porsche Carrera Cup GB Junior Shootout
Credit: Porsche GB

With a high of 10 degrees centigrade forecast at Silverstone tomorrow, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB team will be watching over the assessment program that will include timed laps in the 485 hp second generation ‘Type 991’ Porsche 911 GT3 Cup around the Silverstone National circuit.

While driving is important the quartet will also be judged on technical ability and how they feed back information to the Porsche engineers.

Off of the circuit the finalists will be given a full workout under the watchful eye of the Porsche Human Performance team and then finally interviews with media members who form part of the TOCA weekend’s live television coverage.

First step on the Porsche Pyramid

The Junior programme is the perfect start to a career in sportscars with previous Juniors and Scholars proving sucesssful.

Outgoing Junior Dan Harper had a stella year which saw him claim the Porsche Carrera Cup GB championship, and also run at the front of the pack in the British Grand Prix supporting Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup race.

Former Scholars Josh Webster and Charlie Eastwood secured titles of their own before heading out on to the international sportscar stage.

Following the shootout, finalists will have to wait until 9 November at the 2019 Porsche Carrera Cup GB end-of-season awards where the winner will receive a £85,000 budget contribution per season, one-to-one support from Porsche Motorsport engineers – experts in data analysis and the 911 GT3 Cup – as well as a fully-funded drive in the Silverstone round of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in 2021.

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Founder and Editor-In-Chief of The Checkered Flag who grew up visiting race circuits around the UK also a freelance motorsport PR officer. Outside of motorsport a lover of music, photography, NBA and NFL.
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