Round | Event | Date |
---|---|---|
Round 1 | SRO Phillip Island | Apr 4 - 6 |
Round 2 | SRO Sydney Motorsport Park | May 2 - 4 |
Round 3 | SRO Queensland Raceway | May 30 - Jun 1 |
Round 4 | NTI Townsville 500 | Jul 11 - 13 |
Round 5 | SRO Shell V-Power Motorsport Park | Sep 5 - 6 |
Round 6 | Penrite Oil Sandown 500 | Nov 13 - 15 |

Standings
Pro
Position | Driver | Points |
---|---|---|
1 | Willie Exton | 150 |
2 | Tom Bewley | 138 |
3 | Jake Santalucia | 137 |
4 | Lachlan Bloxsom | 126 |
5 | Tyler Greenbury | 116 |
Pro-Am
Position | Driver | Points |
---|---|---|
1 | Ramu Farrell | 175 |
2 | Lachy Harburg | 162 |
3 | Damien Flack | 150 |
4 | Andrew Georgiadis | 126 |
5 | John Papantoniou | 97 |
Class B
Position | Driver | Points |
---|---|---|
1 | Daniel Quimby | 181 |
2 | Stephen Moylan | 162 |
3 | David Valeo | 144 |
4 | ||
5 |
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Night racing to highlight Round 2 in Sydney
Prime time Porsche racing set for massive Shannons SpeedSeries Sydney encounter
A SATURDAY night fight under lights will highlight the on-track schedule for Round 2 of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia at Sydney Motorsport Park next week.
Following practice and then qualifying under lights on Friday, Saturday at the Shannons SpeedSeries event will see a pair of Porsche races with the second to be held under lights in prime time.
The Jim Richards Enduro Trophy race will then cap off a massive weekend just after midday on Sunday.
All three races will be broadcast live and free on 7plus while the Saturday night race will also be live and free to view on 7mate around Australia.
Click here for the full schedule.
Sprint Challenge is set to be a massive part of a huge event in Sydney next week.
Following an epic opening round to the 2025 season at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Sydney Motorsport Park is up next to experience Shannons SpeedSeries action with the added bonus of racing under lights and multiple public grid walks.
A packed three-day program is headlined by GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, Monochrome GT4 Australia, Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia, Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia and First Focus Radical Cup Australia and fans will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the highly anticipated event.
Featuring more than 26 hours of on-track action from Friday to Sunday, with practice sessions on Friday to occur for all five categories and will be open to the public for free before the racing action begins on Saturday and Sunday.
A mammoth Saturday program is the weekend’s busiest day. Totalling 11 hours, Saturday’s qualifying and race schedule is headlined by three events under lights, with the opening GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS encounter taking centre stage.
The big winners on the Saturday though will be the fans, with multiple opportunities to see the cars up and close and personal as both Monochrome GT4 Australia and GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS hold public grid walks ahead of their races. In addition to the grid walks, attending fans will also be treated to a public Pit Lane walk, where they be able to walk up and down the pit lane.
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS will also hold a secondary grid walk on Sunday ahead of its second and final outing.
Tickets start at $35 for a single day or $60 for a weekend pass, which entitles free paddock access, a variety of vantage points to spectate, Park and View, the Pit Lane Walk and entry to the popular GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS and Monochrome GT4 Australia grid walks.
Fans unable to attend Shannons SpeedSeries GT Festival Sydney will be able to watch the action on Saturday and Sunday unfold via the Seven Network coverage – Saturday’s 7plus broadcast to be split into two sessions with the first being from 9:20am to 2:30pm and the second being 3:30pm to 9:15pm, while Sunday will run all day from 9am to 4:30pm.
Both Saturday and Sunday will also be shown live on free-to-air television with 7mate’s Saturday coverage occurring from 4:30pm – 7:30pm AEST and Sunday from 2:00pm – 4:30pm.
Exton claims Sprint Challenge opener at Phillip Island
Ramu Farrell claims Pro-Am, Daniel Quimby Class B in opening round of brand-new year
NEW ZEALAND rising star Willie Exton has claimed the opening round of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series in a dramatic weekend’s racing at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit.
Exton, driving for TekworkX Motorsport, claimed the opening race on Saturday and then Sunday’s opening sprint before a safe seventh in the Jim Richards Enduro Trophy opener on Sunday afternoon ensured he claimed the big trophy in the first of six rounds this year.
He led home fellow Kiwi Tom Bewley and teenager Jake Santalucia in the overall results for Round 1 with three teams represented in the top three, while the round win was the first for the Queensland-based TekworkX squad in Sprint Challenge competition.
After finishing second on Saturday, a pair of victories delivered Ramu Farrell the Pro-Am round win while Daniel Quimby punched well above to claim the Class B round and mix it with the outright contenders in the process.
Exton’s pathway to the round win was aided by a dominant victory in race two on Sunday morning as he led from lights to flag.
The star of that race, however, was Jake Santalucia who charged from 13th on the grid to second in a stirring drive aboard his Sonic Motor Racing entry.
Hunter Robb had led the race early on the opening lap before he ran off the road and spun at turn 12, handing the lead to Exton and dropping back through the field.
Santalucia, meanwhile, carved his way past several rivals with some thrilling racing that included a three-wide battle for the minors on the exit of Siberia mid-race.
Farrell finished an outstanding sixth outright to claim the Pro-Am win while Quimby was ninth and first of the Class B cars.
Race three doubled as the Jim Richards Enduro trophy opener and was held in challenging conditions – an earlier rain shower leaving the track damp but drying for the 45-minute encounter.
With a majority of the field starting on slick Michelin rubber, Santalucia made the best start from the outside of the front row and rocketed to an early lead he would never lose: easing away throughout the race to claim a dominant win – his first in one-make Porsche racing.
His win made him the youngest winner of a one-make Porsche race in Australia since 2018.
Tom Bewley finished second while Ryan Casha was the biggest improver: working his way forward from 11th on the grid to a top three finish in his strongest performance of the weekend.
With Lockie Bloxsom fourth – a position he owned in each race at Phillip Island – fifth went the way of Kamal Mrad, who starred in his Cup Car Engineering entry to cap off a strong debut weekend for the open-wheel graduate.
Tyler Greenbury finished sixth while Exton slipped back as the race progressed however ensured he did enough to seal the round win overall.
James Lodge rebounded from an unfortunate pair of non-finishes in races one and two to claim eighth with Jackson Rooney and Hunter Robb completing the 10.
Farrell claimed the Pro-Am win in the Enduro while Quimby completed his sweep to take Class B.
As a sign of the competitive balance in this year’s championship, the top eight positions overall for the weekend were filled by eight different teams.
With the first round complete, there will be little time for Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia contenders to regroup ahead of the second round of the series at Sydney Motorsport Park in New South Wales.
Running with the Shannons SpeedSeries, the Western Sydney circuit will host round two on May 2-4.
Exton storms to maiden victory in Sprint Challenge opener
Lachy Harburg claims Pro-Am victory in wild 2025 opener
KIWI young gun Willie Exton has charged to a maiden victory on debut in a dramatic opener to the 2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series at Phillip Island.
A topsy-turvy 30-minute opener was filled with excitement as Exton converted pole into a maiden victory – though not without having to work for it first.
Meanwhile, Lachy Harburg claimed his first ever Pro-Am race win and Daniel Quimby opened his account with Class B victory.
Starting from pole, Exton was slower away from the front row and was beaten to turn one by front-row starter Jake Santalucia and Tyler Greenbury, who started from the second row.
There was early drama as Ryan Casha locked his brakes at the hairpin and tumbled down the order, Ramu Farrell another fast starter and leaping to fourth.
The leaders ran close together for the opening laps before Santalucia survived a huge moment at the Hayshed on lap four, running wide before firing across the circuit to the outside of the road at Lukey Heights. The Sonic driver resumed at the back of the field and recovered to 13th position without damage.
That elevated Greenbury to the race lead however his time on point would only last a lap: his Edge Designer Homes car passed by Exton at Turn One on the following lap.
The Kiwi, driving for TekworkX Motorsport, was measured in his performance from there, never headed to deliver a first-up start victory just a few weeks after claiming New Zealand’s GT4 title.
Having run as low as sixth position on the opening lap, Jones Motorsport’s Hunter Robb was a late charger, taking advantage of a last-lap mishap for Tom Bewley to grab second position, with Greenbury third.
Lockie Bloxsom finished a stout fourth, having been relegated to the back of the top-10 in qualifying following an impeding penalty.
With Bewley fifth, Kamal Mrad was a quiet achiever on his debut to finish sixth outright for Cup Car Engineering, while Casha recovered to seventh following his lap one mishap.
Eighth was an elated Lachy Harburg, who claimed a long-awaited maiden Pro-Am class win after a late-race incident dropped early class leader Ramu Farrell down the order.
Farrell and James Lodge were caught up at Turn four which allowed the EBM / The Cover Shop entry past and while Farrell closed rapidly in the closing laps as he recovered, Harburg was able to hold on and claim the class win.
With Farrell ninth, Daniel Quimby completed a strong debut performance for the Cup Car Engineering team to finish 10th outright and first in Class B.
Two races complete the opening Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia round on Sunday at Phillip Island, with both broadcast on 7plus and the third and final race – the opening encounter for the Jim Richards Endurance Trophy – also live on 7mate.
FULL RACE REPLAY: Race1, Round 1 – Phillip Island
Gerry Murphy shows support for Australia Zoo
Gerry Murphy tells us about his unique livery and support of the Australia Zoo.
Round 1, 2023 – Phillip Island gallery
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Competitive times ahead following Sprint Challenge opening day
Pro-Am contender Ramu Farrell surprise pacesetter in Friday practice
THE BRAND-NEW Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia season has launched in competitive style at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria.
A pair of 30-minute practice sessions set the tone for a competitive new season that begins with a 23-strong grid assembled at the Shannons SpeedSeries this weekend.
RESULTS: Practice at Phillip Island
Pro-Am contender Ramu Farrell was the surprise pacesetter today, his Jones Motorsport Rennauto entry topping the charts in both sessions outright.
His 1m30.2605s best set in practice two stands as the quickest time of the day and saw him leading Pro pacesetter Jake Santalucia on combined times today.
Santalucia’s Dexion-backed Sonic Motor Racing entry was followed by the lead TekworkX car of Kiwi star Willie Exton, fresh from winning the New Zealand GT4 title recently.
Fellow Kiwi Tom Bewley ended the day in fourth aboard his Team Porsche NZ entry with the top three Pro class cars covered by just two-tenths of a second.
McElrea Racing’s Lockie Bloxsom was fifth today, commencing the third of his 14 one-make Porsche events this year in a double-duties campaign between Sprint Challenge and Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia.
DNA Autosport’s Ryan Casha was sixth, the TCR Australia race winner adapting to Porsche power quickly with his Sydney-based team, while Ashley Seward Motorsport’s James Lodge – another Toyota GR Cup graduate – made it seven teams in the top seven today.
An outstanding comeback from Damien Flack saw him second in Pro-Am today and eighth outright, while Kamal Mrad made his Porsche debut in style with 9th outright for Cup Car Engineering. Defending Pro-Am champion Lachlan Harburg completed the top-10 overall today. Daniel Quimby was quickest of the Class B runners and 14th outright.
The opening round of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia continues tomorrow with qualifying and the opening race of the championship.
Both sessions will be broadcast live on 7plus throughout the day, with race one also shown on 7mate.
Talent-stacked field to contest Michelin Sprint Challenge opener
Juniors, Pro-Am and Class B contenders stack up for opening round of new year
A SPECTACUALR start to a new Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia season is in store following confirmation of an outstanding grid for the opening round at Phillip Island this week.
The 23-strong field will once again see a mixture of up-and-coming young Porsche Michelin Junior drivers, more experienced Professionals and Pro-Am / Class B competitors looking to claim their own titles this year.
13 cars are entered in the Professional class, 11 of them current Porsche Michelin Junior drivers.
Tom Bewley makes his debut as the official Team Porsche NZ representative, following in the footsteps of Ryan Wood, Callum Hedge, Marco Giltrap and Brock Gilchrist in the program’s fifth year.
His signing comes as Earl Bamber Motorsport look to win a third consecutive Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge title, a feat only achieved once before in series history.
Tyler Greenbury Racing expands to a pair of entries for the first time, the karting ace himself to be joined by young-gun Lincoln Evans, a Ferrari young driver academy member.
TekworkX Motorsport will field a pair of young chargers from New Zealand in the form of current New Zealand GT4 Champion Willie Exton and 19-year-old Toyota 86 series graduate and multiple Australian and NZ Karting champion, Jackson Rooney.
Another New Zealander, Hunter Robb, will contest a full season with Jones Motorsport, the team led by reigning Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia champion, Harri Jones.
DNA Autosport will field former TCR Australia winner Ryan Casha in a continuation of their GR Cup relationship, while Lachlan Bloxsom will create his own piece of Porsche history by doubling up his Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup campaign with a full season in Michelin Sprint Challenge as well. As he is in Carrera Cup, Bloxsom will be fielded by McElrea Racing.
Auticon-backed Ben Taylor shifts to Wall Racing for his second Sprint Challenge season, while new team Cup Car engineering will sport two entries having locked in US F4 champion Daniel Quimby and another Formula 4 graduate in the form of Sydney-based driver, Kamal Mrad.
Multiple Sprint Challenge champions Sonic Motor Racing return for another tilt this year, second-year driver Jake Santalucia returning for his second Sprint Challenge season. The Formula Ford graduate returns following six top-five finishes in his rookie season, including a best of a runner-up finish at The Bend.
Completing the Pro mix will be Ashley Seward Motorsport, who have secured Toyota GR Cup series runner-up James Lodge to pilot their #39 entry this year.
The Pro-Am fight is set to be fiercely competitive once again with defending champion Lachlan Harburg returning to defend his title in his The Cover Shop / EBM entry.
Harburg, who will have reigning Sprint Challenge Champion Oscar Targett on the headset from pit lane this weekend, will seek a maiden Pro-Am race win this year having claiming the 2024 title without winning a race in an incredibly consistent performance.
He is likely to be challenged by the very quick Ramu Farrell – who won six races in 2024 – while a Phillip Island wildcard could be Damien Flack, who makes his first Porsche one-make start since the 2014 Carrera Cup Australia Championship season.
The father of Carrera Cup Michelin Junior Marcos, Damien will return to Sonic Motor Racing in a Phillip Island one-off next week.
The Pro-Am field will add to its depth by including PSCA regulars David Grieg, John Papantoniou, Indiran Padayachee and Eric Constantinidis.
In Class B, Daniel Quimby is expected to be the man to beat, however newcomer David Valeo and 2024 Porsche Sprint Challenge Michelin Sportsperson of the year Stephen Moylan will be in the mix, running the previous-generation 991.1 GT3 Cup Cars.
The Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia field will contest three races across the Phillip Island weekend running alongside the Shannons SpeedSeries.
Following a pair of practice sessions on Friday, qualifying will be held on Saturday morning with the opening race later that afternoon.
Two further races will be held on Sunday to complete the opening round, with both the Saturday and Sunday action to be broadcast live on 7+ and 7mate this weekend.
Michelin Sprint Challenge has developed since its 2008 foundation to become one of Australia’s premier development categories, for both Professional and Pro-Am drivers and teams.
12 of the 18 Professionals in this year’s Porsche Carrera Cup championship are Sprint Challenge graduates, as are seven in the Pro-Am class.
Meanwhile, existing Sprint Challenge teams Jones Motorsport and DNA Autosport became race winners in Carrera Cup on stepping up for the first time this year.
ENTRY LIST
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia, Round 1.
No | Car # | SPONSOR | C/L | DRIVER | SURNAME | COLOUR |
1 | 4 | Team Porsche New Zealand / EBM | Pro | Tom | Bewley | White / Black / Yellow |
2 | 6 | Tyler Greenbury Racing | Pro | Tyler | Greenbury | White / Blue / Black |
3 | 7 | Cup Car Engineering | Pro | Kamal | Mrad | White |
4 | 11 | Aera Cloud & Cyber Security Group | Pro-Am | Eric | Constantinidis | Blue |
5 | 23 | McElrea Racing | Pro | Lachlan | Bloxsom | White |
6 | 24 | Cup Car Engineering | Class B | Daniel | Quimby | White |
7 | 25 | Auticon / Wall Racing | Pro | Ben | Taylor | White |
8 | 29 | Tyler Greenbury Racing | Pro | Lincoln | Evans | White |
9 | 30 | TekworkX Motorsport / Jackson Rooney Motorsport | Pro | Jackson | Rooney | |
10 | 35 | Rentcorp Forklifts | Pro-Am | Indiran | Padayachee | Red / Blue / White |
11 | 37 | Jones Motorsport / Bondi Carpets | Pro-Am | Andrew | Georgiadis | Silver |
12 | 39 | Ashley Seward Motorsport | Pro | James | Lodge | White |
13 | 42 | Tractor Repairs & Spares / TekworkX | Pro | Willie | Exton | White |
14 | 47 | Effect Building Projects | Class B | Stephen | Moylan | White |
15 | 55 | AeroAdapt / Tigani Motorsport | Class B | David | Valeo | White / Multi |
16 | 69 | Jones Motorsport / vomofiji.com | Pro | Hunter | Robb | White |
17 | 79 | DNA Autosport | Pro | Ryan | Casha | White |
18 | 87 | DW Motorsport | Pro-Am | David | Greig | White / Blue |
19 | 91 | The Cover Shop / EBM | Pro-Am | Lachlan | Harburg | Navy / Pink |
20 | 96 | Entertainment Park | Pro-Am | John | Papantoniou | White / Green |
21 | 99 | Sonic Motor Racing | Pro-Am | Damien | Flack | Silver / Blue |
22 | 777 | Sonic Motor Racing / Dexion | Pro | Jake | Santalucia | White / Grey / Red |
23 | 888 | Rennauto | Pro-Am | Ramu | Farrell | Black / Gold |
Profile: Brett Boulton
Brett tells us about his life away from the track and his relationship with the McElrea Racing team
We catch-up with Porsche #Michelin Sprint Challenge Morris Finance Pro-Am, Brett Boulton, on his life away from the track and his relationship with the McElrea Racing team
Profile: Richard Cowen
We catch up with Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Pro-Am
We catch up with Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Pro-Am, Richard Cowen on his life away from the track as part of the McElrea Racing team
Profile: Jonathan Gliksten
The Morris Pro-Am tells us about his life away from the track and support of Friedreich Ataxia
Jackson Rooney Joins Sprint Challenge Field with TekworkX Motorsport
Rooney will join fellow Kiwi William Exton to form a two-car line-up for the opening round of the season at the multiple-race winning squad.
New Zealander Jackson Rooney will make his Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia debut at Phillip Island next weekend with TekworkX Motorsport.
Rooney will join fellow Kiwi William Exton to form a two-car line-up for the opening round of the season at the multiple-race winning squad.
The 21-year-old has an extensive racing background, competing in karting since the age of just seven. After numerous titles throughout New Zealand, Rooney made his car racing debut in the 2024 NZ Toyota 86 Championship.
Rooney immediately excelled in the category, blazing his way to five race wins and eight podiums, netting the rookie fourth in the points standings. 2024 also saw Rooney make his debut in Australian car racing, contesting a round of the Monochrome GT4 Australia Series alongside Tony Quinn at The Bend Motorsport Park.
Phillip Island will mark the first time TekworkX has fielded multiple Pro-Class cars in the category since 2023, when the team clean swept three of the final four rounds.
Round one of the 2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Series takes place from April 4-6 at Phillip Island, as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries.
Jackson Rooney
“I don’t really know what to expect, it’s going to be a big learning curve, but I can’t wait to hit the track with TekworkX.
“I haven’t driven a car like this before, so our goal is just to learn as much as we can at Phillip Island. There are a few drivers in the field who have done a lot of testing, and we’ll be on track on Thursday for the first time. From what I’ve seen it’s definitely a fun track, lots of high-speed corners to test the limits.
“William and I grew up karting together, and we were actually teammates in the Toyota 86 last year so I’m looking forward to teaming up with him again.
Rob Woods
“I had been in discussions with Jackson last year and we met at Hampton Downs earlier this year when we ran Zoe in the GT4. Since then, there have been further discussions and from there, I left Jackson to put together the budget to run with TekworkX in 2025.
“I know it hasn’t been ideal for him to get the budget together and it being so late prior to Round 1, but it was finalised only this Monday while we were testing at Phillip Island, some 10 days prior to round one.
“Jackson comes with obviously a very good karting career and achievements. His season in 2024 in Toyota 86s in NZ and his results as well were very impressive. For us as a team, we really want Jackson to improve session by session over the weekend at Phillip Island and not put any pressure on himself for results as he learns these cars.”
US F4 Champion to join Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia
International F4 champion to join Porsche Sprint Challenge
2024 US F4 Champion Daniel Quimby has signed with Andy Hall’s Cup Car Engineering for his rookie campaign in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Class B.
Quimby has been racing since the age of 10 in National Karting series around Australia, highlighted with a move to the US last year and winning the US F4 Championship in his debut year.
Quimby, is also the youngest ever US Formula Pro Winter series champion at the age of 14 years old, racing on the west coast of America in 2023.
Returning home he has his sights set on making his mark in the Porsche championship starting off in Class B with a move to the Pro class in 2026.
“I’m really looking forward to racing this year in the Porsche, I know I wont be able to compete fully with the guys in the faster cars, but I will be trying to put myself in amongst them.
“I still have racing commitments in the US this year, with a scholarship drive for winning the F4 championship, so I will be flying in and out of Australia this year” concluded Quimby.
Cup Car Engineering lead by Porsche guru Andy Hall will be helping Quimby with car preparation and track support this year from their Melbourne Based workshop.
“I have had the privilege of racing with Daniel in 2024 at the last round of Sprint Challenge and I have been massively impressed by his ability to drive the Porsche. said Hall.
The 2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge season gets underway at Phillip Island from April 4-6 – the first of a six-round calendar that also sees the category race in Sydney, Queensland, Townsville, Tailem Bend and Sandown.
Sprint Challenge opening round schedule confirmed
Packed Phillip Island program locked in for start of new year
Friday
Time |
Category |
Session |
09:05 – 09:25 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Free Practice 1 |
09:30 – 10:00 |
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge |
Free Practice 1 |
10:05 – 10:45 |
Monochrome GT4 Australia Series |
Free Practice 1 |
10:50 – 11:35 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Free Practice 1 |
11:40 – 12:40 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Free Practice 1 |
12:45 – 13:05 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Free Practice 2 |
13:10 – 13:40 |
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge |
Free Practice 2 |
13:45 – 14:30 |
Monochrome GT4 Australia Series |
Pre-Qualifying |
14:35 – 15:35 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Pre-Qualifying |
15:40 – 16:25 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Free Practice 2 |
16:30 – 16:50 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Free Practice 3 |
Saturday
Time |
Category |
Session |
09:05 – 09:35 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Qualifying 1 |
09:40 – 10:10 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Qualifying 1 |
10:20 – 10:50 |
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge |
Qualifying 1 |
10:55 – 11:05 |
Monochrome GT4 Australia Series |
Qualifying 1 |
11:15 – 11:25 |
Monochrome GT4 Australia Series |
Qualifying 2 |
11:35 – 11:45 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Qualifying 1 |
12:00 – 12:10 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Qualifying 2 |
12:25 – 12:50 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Race 1 |
13:05 – 13:35 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Race 1 |
13:50 – 14:20 |
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge |
Race 1 |
14:35 – 15:35 |
Monochrome GT4 Australia Series |
Race 1 |
15:50 – 16:50 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Race 1 |
Sunday
Time |
Category |
Session |
09:05 – 09:35 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Qualifying 2 |
09:50 – 10:15 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Race 2 |
10:30 – 11:30 |
Monochrome GT4 Australia Series |
Race 2 |
11:45 – 12:15 |
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge |
Race 2 |
12:20 – 12:35 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Grid Walk |
12:45 – 13:15 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Race 2 |
13:20 – 13:35 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Grid Walk |
13:45 – 14:45 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Race 2 |
15:00 – 15:50 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Race 3 |
16:05 – 16:50 |
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge |
Race 3 |
Round 2 – Sydney – Race 3 Highlights
Highlights of the final race from Round 2 at Sydney Motorsport Park
Round 2 – Sydney – Race 2 Highlights
Highlights of the 45-minute endurance race from Sydney Motorsport Park
Night racing to highlight Round 2 in Sydney
Prime time Porsche racing set for massive Shannons SpeedSeries Sydney encounter
A SATURDAY night fight under lights will highlight the on-track schedule for Round 2 of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia at Sydney Motorsport Park next week.
Following practice and then qualifying under lights on Friday, Saturday at the Shannons SpeedSeries event will see a pair of Porsche races with the second to be held under lights in prime time.
The Jim Richards Enduro Trophy race will then cap off a massive weekend just after midday on Sunday.
All three races will be broadcast live and free on 7plus while the Saturday night race will also be live and free to view on 7mate around Australia.
Click here for the full schedule.
Sprint Challenge is set to be a massive part of a huge event in Sydney next week.
Following an epic opening round to the 2025 season at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Sydney Motorsport Park is up next to experience Shannons SpeedSeries action with the added bonus of racing under lights and multiple public grid walks.
A packed three-day program is headlined by GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, Monochrome GT4 Australia, Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia, Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia and First Focus Radical Cup Australia and fans will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the highly anticipated event.
Featuring more than 26 hours of on-track action from Friday to Sunday, with practice sessions on Friday to occur for all five categories and will be open to the public for free before the racing action begins on Saturday and Sunday.
A mammoth Saturday program is the weekend’s busiest day. Totalling 11 hours, Saturday’s qualifying and race schedule is headlined by three events under lights, with the opening GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS encounter taking centre stage.
The big winners on the Saturday though will be the fans, with multiple opportunities to see the cars up and close and personal as both Monochrome GT4 Australia and GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS hold public grid walks ahead of their races. In addition to the grid walks, attending fans will also be treated to a public Pit Lane walk, where they be able to walk up and down the pit lane.
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS will also hold a secondary grid walk on Sunday ahead of its second and final outing.
Tickets start at $35 for a single day or $60 for a weekend pass, which entitles free paddock access, a variety of vantage points to spectate, Park and View, the Pit Lane Walk and entry to the popular GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS and Monochrome GT4 Australia grid walks.
Fans unable to attend Shannons SpeedSeries GT Festival Sydney will be able to watch the action on Saturday and Sunday unfold via the Seven Network coverage – Saturday’s 7plus broadcast to be split into two sessions with the first being from 9:20am to 2:30pm and the second being 3:30pm to 9:15pm, while Sunday will run all day from 9am to 4:30pm.
Both Saturday and Sunday will also be shown live on free-to-air television with 7mate’s Saturday coverage occurring from 4:30pm – 7:30pm AEST and Sunday from 2:00pm – 4:30pm.
Exton claims Sprint Challenge opener at Phillip Island
Ramu Farrell claims Pro-Am, Daniel Quimby Class B in opening round of brand-new year
NEW ZEALAND rising star Willie Exton has claimed the opening round of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series in a dramatic weekend’s racing at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit.
Exton, driving for TekworkX Motorsport, claimed the opening race on Saturday and then Sunday’s opening sprint before a safe seventh in the Jim Richards Enduro Trophy opener on Sunday afternoon ensured he claimed the big trophy in the first of six rounds this year.
He led home fellow Kiwi Tom Bewley and teenager Jake Santalucia in the overall results for Round 1 with three teams represented in the top three, while the round win was the first for the Queensland-based TekworkX squad in Sprint Challenge competition.
After finishing second on Saturday, a pair of victories delivered Ramu Farrell the Pro-Am round win while Daniel Quimby punched well above to claim the Class B round and mix it with the outright contenders in the process.
Exton’s pathway to the round win was aided by a dominant victory in race two on Sunday morning as he led from lights to flag.
The star of that race, however, was Jake Santalucia who charged from 13th on the grid to second in a stirring drive aboard his Sonic Motor Racing entry.
Hunter Robb had led the race early on the opening lap before he ran off the road and spun at turn 12, handing the lead to Exton and dropping back through the field.
Santalucia, meanwhile, carved his way past several rivals with some thrilling racing that included a three-wide battle for the minors on the exit of Siberia mid-race.
Farrell finished an outstanding sixth outright to claim the Pro-Am win while Quimby was ninth and first of the Class B cars.
Race three doubled as the Jim Richards Enduro trophy opener and was held in challenging conditions – an earlier rain shower leaving the track damp but drying for the 45-minute encounter.
With a majority of the field starting on slick Michelin rubber, Santalucia made the best start from the outside of the front row and rocketed to an early lead he would never lose: easing away throughout the race to claim a dominant win – his first in one-make Porsche racing.
His win made him the youngest winner of a one-make Porsche race in Australia since 2018.
Tom Bewley finished second while Ryan Casha was the biggest improver: working his way forward from 11th on the grid to a top three finish in his strongest performance of the weekend.
With Lockie Bloxsom fourth – a position he owned in each race at Phillip Island – fifth went the way of Kamal Mrad, who starred in his Cup Car Engineering entry to cap off a strong debut weekend for the open-wheel graduate.
Tyler Greenbury finished sixth while Exton slipped back as the race progressed however ensured he did enough to seal the round win overall.
James Lodge rebounded from an unfortunate pair of non-finishes in races one and two to claim eighth with Jackson Rooney and Hunter Robb completing the 10.
Farrell claimed the Pro-Am win in the Enduro while Quimby completed his sweep to take Class B.
As a sign of the competitive balance in this year’s championship, the top eight positions overall for the weekend were filled by eight different teams.
With the first round complete, there will be little time for Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia contenders to regroup ahead of the second round of the series at Sydney Motorsport Park in New South Wales.
Running with the Shannons SpeedSeries, the Western Sydney circuit will host round two on May 2-4.
Exton storms to maiden victory in Sprint Challenge opener
Lachy Harburg claims Pro-Am victory in wild 2025 opener
KIWI young gun Willie Exton has charged to a maiden victory on debut in a dramatic opener to the 2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series at Phillip Island.
A topsy-turvy 30-minute opener was filled with excitement as Exton converted pole into a maiden victory – though not without having to work for it first.
Meanwhile, Lachy Harburg claimed his first ever Pro-Am race win and Daniel Quimby opened his account with Class B victory.
Starting from pole, Exton was slower away from the front row and was beaten to turn one by front-row starter Jake Santalucia and Tyler Greenbury, who started from the second row.
There was early drama as Ryan Casha locked his brakes at the hairpin and tumbled down the order, Ramu Farrell another fast starter and leaping to fourth.
The leaders ran close together for the opening laps before Santalucia survived a huge moment at the Hayshed on lap four, running wide before firing across the circuit to the outside of the road at Lukey Heights. The Sonic driver resumed at the back of the field and recovered to 13th position without damage.
That elevated Greenbury to the race lead however his time on point would only last a lap: his Edge Designer Homes car passed by Exton at Turn One on the following lap.
The Kiwi, driving for TekworkX Motorsport, was measured in his performance from there, never headed to deliver a first-up start victory just a few weeks after claiming New Zealand’s GT4 title.
Having run as low as sixth position on the opening lap, Jones Motorsport’s Hunter Robb was a late charger, taking advantage of a last-lap mishap for Tom Bewley to grab second position, with Greenbury third.
Lockie Bloxsom finished a stout fourth, having been relegated to the back of the top-10 in qualifying following an impeding penalty.
With Bewley fifth, Kamal Mrad was a quiet achiever on his debut to finish sixth outright for Cup Car Engineering, while Casha recovered to seventh following his lap one mishap.
Eighth was an elated Lachy Harburg, who claimed a long-awaited maiden Pro-Am class win after a late-race incident dropped early class leader Ramu Farrell down the order.
Farrell and James Lodge were caught up at Turn four which allowed the EBM / The Cover Shop entry past and while Farrell closed rapidly in the closing laps as he recovered, Harburg was able to hold on and claim the class win.
With Farrell ninth, Daniel Quimby completed a strong debut performance for the Cup Car Engineering team to finish 10th outright and first in Class B.
Two races complete the opening Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia round on Sunday at Phillip Island, with both broadcast on 7plus and the third and final race – the opening encounter for the Jim Richards Endurance Trophy – also live on 7mate.
Competitive times ahead following Sprint Challenge opening day
Pro-Am contender Ramu Farrell surprise pacesetter in Friday practice
THE BRAND-NEW Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia season has launched in competitive style at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria.
A pair of 30-minute practice sessions set the tone for a competitive new season that begins with a 23-strong grid assembled at the Shannons SpeedSeries this weekend.
RESULTS: Practice at Phillip Island
Pro-Am contender Ramu Farrell was the surprise pacesetter today, his Jones Motorsport Rennauto entry topping the charts in both sessions outright.
His 1m30.2605s best set in practice two stands as the quickest time of the day and saw him leading Pro pacesetter Jake Santalucia on combined times today.
Santalucia’s Dexion-backed Sonic Motor Racing entry was followed by the lead TekworkX car of Kiwi star Willie Exton, fresh from winning the New Zealand GT4 title recently.
Fellow Kiwi Tom Bewley ended the day in fourth aboard his Team Porsche NZ entry with the top three Pro class cars covered by just two-tenths of a second.
McElrea Racing’s Lockie Bloxsom was fifth today, commencing the third of his 14 one-make Porsche events this year in a double-duties campaign between Sprint Challenge and Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia.
DNA Autosport’s Ryan Casha was sixth, the TCR Australia race winner adapting to Porsche power quickly with his Sydney-based team, while Ashley Seward Motorsport’s James Lodge – another Toyota GR Cup graduate – made it seven teams in the top seven today.
An outstanding comeback from Damien Flack saw him second in Pro-Am today and eighth outright, while Kamal Mrad made his Porsche debut in style with 9th outright for Cup Car Engineering. Defending Pro-Am champion Lachlan Harburg completed the top-10 overall today. Daniel Quimby was quickest of the Class B runners and 14th outright.
The opening round of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia continues tomorrow with qualifying and the opening race of the championship.
Both sessions will be broadcast live on 7plus throughout the day, with race one also shown on 7mate.
Talent-stacked field to contest Michelin Sprint Challenge opener
Juniors, Pro-Am and Class B contenders stack up for opening round of new year
A SPECTACUALR start to a new Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia season is in store following confirmation of an outstanding grid for the opening round at Phillip Island this week.
The 23-strong field will once again see a mixture of up-and-coming young Porsche Michelin Junior drivers, more experienced Professionals and Pro-Am / Class B competitors looking to claim their own titles this year.
13 cars are entered in the Professional class, 11 of them current Porsche Michelin Junior drivers.
Tom Bewley makes his debut as the official Team Porsche NZ representative, following in the footsteps of Ryan Wood, Callum Hedge, Marco Giltrap and Brock Gilchrist in the program’s fifth year.
His signing comes as Earl Bamber Motorsport look to win a third consecutive Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge title, a feat only achieved once before in series history.
Tyler Greenbury Racing expands to a pair of entries for the first time, the karting ace himself to be joined by young-gun Lincoln Evans, a Ferrari young driver academy member.
TekworkX Motorsport will field a pair of young chargers from New Zealand in the form of current New Zealand GT4 Champion Willie Exton and 19-year-old Toyota 86 series graduate and multiple Australian and NZ Karting champion, Jackson Rooney.
Another New Zealander, Hunter Robb, will contest a full season with Jones Motorsport, the team led by reigning Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia champion, Harri Jones.
DNA Autosport will field former TCR Australia winner Ryan Casha in a continuation of their GR Cup relationship, while Lachlan Bloxsom will create his own piece of Porsche history by doubling up his Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup campaign with a full season in Michelin Sprint Challenge as well. As he is in Carrera Cup, Bloxsom will be fielded by McElrea Racing.
Auticon-backed Ben Taylor shifts to Wall Racing for his second Sprint Challenge season, while new team Cup Car engineering will sport two entries having locked in US F4 champion Daniel Quimby and another Formula 4 graduate in the form of Sydney-based driver, Kamal Mrad.
Multiple Sprint Challenge champions Sonic Motor Racing return for another tilt this year, second-year driver Jake Santalucia returning for his second Sprint Challenge season. The Formula Ford graduate returns following six top-five finishes in his rookie season, including a best of a runner-up finish at The Bend.
Completing the Pro mix will be Ashley Seward Motorsport, who have secured Toyota GR Cup series runner-up James Lodge to pilot their #39 entry this year.
The Pro-Am fight is set to be fiercely competitive once again with defending champion Lachlan Harburg returning to defend his title in his The Cover Shop / EBM entry.
Harburg, who will have reigning Sprint Challenge Champion Oscar Targett on the headset from pit lane this weekend, will seek a maiden Pro-Am race win this year having claiming the 2024 title without winning a race in an incredibly consistent performance.
He is likely to be challenged by the very quick Ramu Farrell – who won six races in 2024 – while a Phillip Island wildcard could be Damien Flack, who makes his first Porsche one-make start since the 2014 Carrera Cup Australia Championship season.
The father of Carrera Cup Michelin Junior Marcos, Damien will return to Sonic Motor Racing in a Phillip Island one-off next week.
The Pro-Am field will add to its depth by including PSCA regulars David Grieg, John Papantoniou, Indiran Padayachee and Eric Constantinidis.
In Class B, Daniel Quimby is expected to be the man to beat, however newcomer David Valeo and 2024 Porsche Sprint Challenge Michelin Sportsperson of the year Stephen Moylan will be in the mix, running the previous-generation 991.1 GT3 Cup Cars.
The Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia field will contest three races across the Phillip Island weekend running alongside the Shannons SpeedSeries.
Following a pair of practice sessions on Friday, qualifying will be held on Saturday morning with the opening race later that afternoon.
Two further races will be held on Sunday to complete the opening round, with both the Saturday and Sunday action to be broadcast live on 7+ and 7mate this weekend.
Michelin Sprint Challenge has developed since its 2008 foundation to become one of Australia’s premier development categories, for both Professional and Pro-Am drivers and teams.
12 of the 18 Professionals in this year’s Porsche Carrera Cup championship are Sprint Challenge graduates, as are seven in the Pro-Am class.
Meanwhile, existing Sprint Challenge teams Jones Motorsport and DNA Autosport became race winners in Carrera Cup on stepping up for the first time this year.
ENTRY LIST
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia, Round 1.
No | Car # | SPONSOR | C/L | DRIVER | SURNAME | COLOUR |
1 | 4 | Team Porsche New Zealand / EBM | Pro | Tom | Bewley | White / Black / Yellow |
2 | 6 | Tyler Greenbury Racing | Pro | Tyler | Greenbury | White / Blue / Black |
3 | 7 | Cup Car Engineering | Pro | Kamal | Mrad | White |
4 | 11 | Aera Cloud & Cyber Security Group | Pro-Am | Eric | Constantinidis | Blue |
5 | 23 | McElrea Racing | Pro | Lachlan | Bloxsom | White |
6 | 24 | Cup Car Engineering | Class B | Daniel | Quimby | White |
7 | 25 | Auticon / Wall Racing | Pro | Ben | Taylor | White |
8 | 29 | Tyler Greenbury Racing | Pro | Lincoln | Evans | White |
9 | 30 | TekworkX Motorsport / Jackson Rooney Motorsport | Pro | Jackson | Rooney | |
10 | 35 | Rentcorp Forklifts | Pro-Am | Indiran | Padayachee | Red / Blue / White |
11 | 37 | Jones Motorsport / Bondi Carpets | Pro-Am | Andrew | Georgiadis | Silver |
12 | 39 | Ashley Seward Motorsport | Pro | James | Lodge | White |
13 | 42 | Tractor Repairs & Spares / TekworkX | Pro | Willie | Exton | White |
14 | 47 | Effect Building Projects | Class B | Stephen | Moylan | White |
15 | 55 | AeroAdapt / Tigani Motorsport | Class B | David | Valeo | White / Multi |
16 | 69 | Jones Motorsport / vomofiji.com | Pro | Hunter | Robb | White |
17 | 79 | DNA Autosport | Pro | Ryan | Casha | White |
18 | 87 | DW Motorsport | Pro-Am | David | Greig | White / Blue |
19 | 91 | The Cover Shop / EBM | Pro-Am | Lachlan | Harburg | Navy / Pink |
20 | 96 | Entertainment Park | Pro-Am | John | Papantoniou | White / Green |
21 | 99 | Sonic Motor Racing | Pro-Am | Damien | Flack | Silver / Blue |
22 | 777 | Sonic Motor Racing / Dexion | Pro | Jake | Santalucia | White / Grey / Red |
23 | 888 | Rennauto | Pro-Am | Ramu | Farrell | Black / Gold |
James Lodge makes step up to Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge
New Michelin Junior another to graduate to Sprint Challenge ranks
Toyota GAZOO Racing Australia GR Cup race winner James Lodge will make the next progression in his racing career by driving in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge for Ashley Seward Motorsport, starting at Phillip Island this weekend.
Lodge, 19, proved a standout in last year’s TGRA GR Cup achieving four victories, nine podiums, a pair of pole positions and three fastest laps in a standout year, and will now progress through the ASM pathway into Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge.
The second-tier Porsche category in Australia is renowned as a key developer of talent by providing the launch pad to careers in GT racing overseas, Carrera Cup and even Supercars.
As part of the deal, Lodge will be inducted into the Michelin Junior Program where he will benefit from tuition and experiences to fast track his career.
Ashley Seward Motorsport is vastly experienced in the category having supported many drivers efforts during the past decade.
Lodge and Ashley Seward Motorsport will begin their Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge campaign at Phillip Island at the Shannons SpeedSeries, starting this Friday.
“I’m very excited to be rejoining ASM in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge,” said Lodge.
“It will be a new challenge, compared to 86, but I’m prepared for it and I know I have the team to get the results that we are looking for.
“The Porsche is certainly a lot faster than the 86, but it’s a pleasure to drive. I’ve enjoyed the two test days that we’ve had and I can’t wait to get to Phillip Island for the first round.
“Last year was a really strong season. We expected to do another year in the 86s, but after having so much success, we needed to take the step up. And Porsche was the logical progression for my career.
“It’s going to be a challenge to step up like this. I don’t want to set expectations too high, so I’ll just take it a step at a time and see what happens at Phillip Island.”
Jackson Rooney Joins Sprint Challenge Field with TekworkX Motorsport
Rooney will join fellow Kiwi William Exton to form a two-car line-up for the opening round of the season at the multiple-race winning squad.
New Zealander Jackson Rooney will make his Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia debut at Phillip Island next weekend with TekworkX Motorsport.
Rooney will join fellow Kiwi William Exton to form a two-car line-up for the opening round of the season at the multiple-race winning squad.
The 21-year-old has an extensive racing background, competing in karting since the age of just seven. After numerous titles throughout New Zealand, Rooney made his car racing debut in the 2024 NZ Toyota 86 Championship.
Rooney immediately excelled in the category, blazing his way to five race wins and eight podiums, netting the rookie fourth in the points standings. 2024 also saw Rooney make his debut in Australian car racing, contesting a round of the Monochrome GT4 Australia Series alongside Tony Quinn at The Bend Motorsport Park.
Phillip Island will mark the first time TekworkX has fielded multiple Pro-Class cars in the category since 2023, when the team clean swept three of the final four rounds.
Round one of the 2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Series takes place from April 4-6 at Phillip Island, as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries.
Jackson Rooney
“I don’t really know what to expect, it’s going to be a big learning curve, but I can’t wait to hit the track with TekworkX.
“I haven’t driven a car like this before, so our goal is just to learn as much as we can at Phillip Island. There are a few drivers in the field who have done a lot of testing, and we’ll be on track on Thursday for the first time. From what I’ve seen it’s definitely a fun track, lots of high-speed corners to test the limits.
“William and I grew up karting together, and we were actually teammates in the Toyota 86 last year so I’m looking forward to teaming up with him again.
Rob Woods
“I had been in discussions with Jackson last year and we met at Hampton Downs earlier this year when we ran Zoe in the GT4. Since then, there have been further discussions and from there, I left Jackson to put together the budget to run with TekworkX in 2025.
“I know it hasn’t been ideal for him to get the budget together and it being so late prior to Round 1, but it was finalised only this Monday while we were testing at Phillip Island, some 10 days prior to round one.
“Jackson comes with obviously a very good karting career and achievements. His season in 2024 in Toyota 86s in NZ and his results as well were very impressive. For us as a team, we really want Jackson to improve session by session over the weekend at Phillip Island and not put any pressure on himself for results as he learns these cars.”
US F4 Champion to join Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia
International F4 champion to join Porsche Sprint Challenge
2024 US F4 Champion Daniel Quimby has signed with Andy Hall’s Cup Car Engineering for his rookie campaign in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Class B.
Quimby has been racing since the age of 10 in National Karting series around Australia, highlighted with a move to the US last year and winning the US F4 Championship in his debut year.
Quimby, is also the youngest ever US Formula Pro Winter series champion at the age of 14 years old, racing on the west coast of America in 2023.
Returning home he has his sights set on making his mark in the Porsche championship starting off in Class B with a move to the Pro class in 2026.
“I’m really looking forward to racing this year in the Porsche, I know I wont be able to compete fully with the guys in the faster cars, but I will be trying to put myself in amongst them.
“I still have racing commitments in the US this year, with a scholarship drive for winning the F4 championship, so I will be flying in and out of Australia this year” concluded Quimby.
Cup Car Engineering lead by Porsche guru Andy Hall will be helping Quimby with car preparation and track support this year from their Melbourne Based workshop.
“I have had the privilege of racing with Daniel in 2024 at the last round of Sprint Challenge and I have been massively impressed by his ability to drive the Porsche. said Hall.
The 2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge season gets underway at Phillip Island from April 4-6 – the first of a six-round calendar that also sees the category race in Sydney, Queensland, Townsville, Tailem Bend and Sandown.
Sprint Challenge opening round schedule confirmed
Packed Phillip Island program locked in for start of new year
Friday
Time |
Category |
Session |
09:05 – 09:25 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Free Practice 1 |
09:30 – 10:00 |
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge |
Free Practice 1 |
10:05 – 10:45 |
Monochrome GT4 Australia Series |
Free Practice 1 |
10:50 – 11:35 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Free Practice 1 |
11:40 – 12:40 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Free Practice 1 |
12:45 – 13:05 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Free Practice 2 |
13:10 – 13:40 |
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge |
Free Practice 2 |
13:45 – 14:30 |
Monochrome GT4 Australia Series |
Pre-Qualifying |
14:35 – 15:35 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Pre-Qualifying |
15:40 – 16:25 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Free Practice 2 |
16:30 – 16:50 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Free Practice 3 |
Saturday
Time |
Category |
Session |
09:05 – 09:35 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Qualifying 1 |
09:40 – 10:10 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Qualifying 1 |
10:20 – 10:50 |
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge |
Qualifying 1 |
10:55 – 11:05 |
Monochrome GT4 Australia Series |
Qualifying 1 |
11:15 – 11:25 |
Monochrome GT4 Australia Series |
Qualifying 2 |
11:35 – 11:45 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Qualifying 1 |
12:00 – 12:10 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Qualifying 2 |
12:25 – 12:50 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Race 1 |
13:05 – 13:35 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Race 1 |
13:50 – 14:20 |
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge |
Race 1 |
14:35 – 15:35 |
Monochrome GT4 Australia Series |
Race 1 |
15:50 – 16:50 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Race 1 |
Sunday
Time |
Category |
Session |
09:05 – 09:35 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Qualifying 2 |
09:50 – 10:15 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Race 2 |
10:30 – 11:30 |
Monochrome GT4 Australia Series |
Race 2 |
11:45 – 12:15 |
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge |
Race 2 |
12:20 – 12:35 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Grid Walk |
12:45 – 13:15 |
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Australasia |
Race 2 |
13:20 – 13:35 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Grid Walk |
13:45 – 14:45 |
GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS |
Race 2 |
15:00 – 15:50 |
First Focus Radical Cup Australia |
Race 3 |
16:05 – 16:50 |
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge |
Race 3 |
Cup Car Engineering to join Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia grid
Two-car commitment from Sydney-based team in 2025
SYDNEY-BASED team Cup Car Engineering will enter a two-car team in the 2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series.
Porsche Engineer Andy Hall has made the decision to take his Cup Car Engineering team to the next level and has entered a 2-car team in the 2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge.
Hall’s deep understanding of Porsche vehicles and racing strategies will be a key asset for the team. His experience in high-stakes competition will be crucial in navigating the challenges of the Sprint Challenge, positioning Cup Car Engineering for success in 2025.
FCL Transport has come on board to support the team and has made significant investment to ensure its success, which has been critical to the start-up phase of this venture.
Further announcements to follow in the next few weeks with an exciting driver lineup to be announced.
Ryan Casha to make Porsche debut in 2025
TCR Australia and Toyota 86 race winner joins the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series
TCR Australia and Toyota 86 race winner Ryan Casha will join the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series with DNA Autosport in 2025.
Casha, 20, was the 2023 Toyota champion and also scored a class podium finish in the Bathurst 6 Hour, before making his TCR Australia debut with Garry Rogers Motorsport last year.
That season delivered a race win at Queensland Raceway and sixth place in the championship in a strong year.
Casha switches to one-make Porsche racing this season and will join the Porsche Michelin Junior Program as part of his campaign with the Sydney-based DNA team.
“I’m overjoyed by the opportunity to reunite with the team we had so much success with in the Toyota 86 Series in 2023 and I’m eager to replicate that championship winning feeling again in 2025,” Casha said.
“This season will be exciting, as Porsche always host a strong depth of talent in Sprint Challenge and I’m keen to join the esteemed Porsche Michelin Junior Program.
“Last year was a great experience for myself and to be able to learn off the likes of Aaron Cameron in TCR Australia and work with our corporate partners like Valvoline to find success, made it enjoyable.
“However I felt like I needed a change heading into 2025 and DNA afforded me that option. I can’t thank Barry and Garry and the rest of the crew at GRM enough for what they did for me last year. Especially my engineer Timmi who really helped develop me as a driver and person over a short 12 months and to secure that race win at home with those boys was a feeling like no other.
“I’m more focused and prepared then ever to hunt those trophies down this season and will be doing everything I can to work with our partners to make it a memorable year.”
Casha’s livery and sponsor reveals will come in due course in the lead-up to the opening round of the series – to be held with the Shannons SpeedSeries at Phillip Island – in April.
Kiwi Ace William Exton Signs with TekworkX Motorsport
Another young rising star from New Zealand joins 2025 Sprint Challenge grid
One of New Zealand’s brightest prospects, William Exton, has signed with TekworkX Motorsport for his rookie campaign in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge.
Exton plied his trade across an extensive junior career in national karting, highlighted with a championship winning campaign in the Rotax Max Light class in the 2021 Kartsport NZ National Sprint.
After making his car racing debut, Exton put together an impressive maiden season in the NZ Toyota 86 Championship in 2023. One year later, Exton returned to the category and claimed 11 podium finishes on his way to third place in the championship.
In recognition of his outstanding efforts both on and off-track Exton was awarded New Zealand’s Kaizen Award. The honour earned the 20-year-old a place aboard a GR Supra GT4 EVO in a round of GT4 Germany, held at the iconic Nürburgring circuit.
Exton is currently competing in the Summerset GT New Zealand Championship, after earning the Giltrap Group Scholarship, where he competed against TekworkX’s Zoe Woods in the GT4 class at Hampton Downs.
“I’m very excited to be joining TekworkX Motorsport, they’re an amazing team and Sprint Challenge is the best next step for me,” said Exton.
“My best friend recommended the team, and then over the past six months we’ve been talking and decided to give Sprint Challenge a crack. The field was pretty strong last year, I’m hoping it will be again this year with some more great drivers and I can really challenge myself.
“I’ve been to a few of the tracks, but I’ve never raced on any of them so that will be a huge challenge. There’ll be a couple other kiwi’s as well so we’ll all be in the same boat and testing our abilities to adapt.
“I know TekworkX will give me the best opportunity with the car and the data to get up to speed. I met some of the team last weekend in New Zealand, I already knew a few of the team through karting as well, so it was great to catch up and look forward to the season,” concluded Exton.
TekworkX Motorsport have established their place as a front-running organisation in the hotly contested Sprint Challenge category. Across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the team earned 12 outright race wins along with a further six wins in the Pro-Am class.
“We at TekworkX couldn’t be more happier to have Will join the TekworkX team in 2025 for Sprint Challenge. He was a driver that was identified midway through 2024, with discussion taking place from then right through to the end of 2024. I was ecstatic when I got the phone call from Will only a couple of weeks ago confirming he will join TekworkX,” said Woods.
“I finally got to meet Will in person along with his family, last weekend at the Hampton Downs round of the NZ Summerset GT Series and I couldn’t be more impressed with the maturity and professionalism he showed throughout the weekend.
“I know he has the ability and skill, and we will give him a car and the attention required to have him at the pointy end of the field from the onset of round one at Phillip Island,” concluded Woods.
The 2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge season gets underway at Phillip Island from April 4-6 – the first of a six-round calendar that also sees the category race in Sydney, Queensland, Townsville, Tailem Bend and Sandown.
Porsche Michelin Junior Program returns, expands in 2025
Key driver development program to expand, supporting young talent in one-make Porsche racing
PORSCHE MOTORSPORT Australia has announced an expanded version of its highly successful Porsche Michelin Junior Program for 2025.
Applications are now open for young drivers intending to contest either the 2025 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Championship, or Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series, to join the program.
The application form, which contains all the relevant details, can be found here.
The expanded program will continue to embrace a two-day Porsche Junior Camp at the beginning of the season, however, will also expand this year to include regular seminars, coaching, guest speakers and ongoing support for those within the Junior program.
The program will encompass not just the physical and mental growth of participants, but also deliver insight into engineering, media, sponsorship and more.
A dedicated driver mentor will also be in place throughout the year, with that appointment to be announced in due course.
An industry panel, selected by Porsche Motorsport Australia, who will at the end of the year assess all participants, with the driver that best represents the broadest range of skills required to become a professional racing driver nominated as the Porsche Michelin Junior for 2025.
That nominee will then take part in the annual Porsche Junior Shootout in Europe, where the winner receives a scholarship prize towards contesting a season of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Championship.
As part of their support of the program and both Carrera Cup and Sprint Challenge, the top three Porsche Michelin Juniors at each round will receive a free set of Michelin tyres as rewards for their efforts.
Drivers looking to participate in the program must contest a full season in either Carrera Cup or Sprint Challenge this year and nominate with Porsche Motorsport Australia by 23 January to be included.
“We are thrilled that Michelin has returned to support this important initiative driving the growth of young drivers from this part of the world, giving them opportunities they may not get elsewhere,” said Porsche Senior Motorsport Manager, Craig Nayda.
“The team has taken the time to fully review the Porsche Michelin Junior program for 2025 and expand its reach in a bid to better provide an all-round program for our young talent.
“The focus of the program previously has been on the camp at the beginning of the season and then the driver that scores the most points at the end. The new format will evolve the Junior program to something that is part of these drivers for the full season – helping them grow and develop in parallel with their on-track activities.
“The Porsche Michelin Junior program already has a sensational track record and has supported more than 100 young drivers since its inception. 2025 will be no different and give the young talent in Sprint Challenge and Carrera Cup more opportunities to progress their careers.”
Tom Bewley to join Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge in 2025
Continuing its support of young New Zealand race drivers, Porsche New Zealand has announced that Tom Bewley will be the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Scholarship driver for the 2025 season.
The scholarship allows Bewley to race in a 911 GT3 Cup Car, with the support of Team Porsche New Zealand (TPNZ) and Earl Bamber Motorsport in 2025 in the Australian based series.
Fresh from being crowned the New Zealand Toyota 86 Champion for the 2023/24 season Bewley says he is thrilled to take this exciting next step in his career.
“I’m honoured to receive the scholarship, next year is going to be a big year for me but I’m looking forward to doing Porsche New Zealand proud on and off track,” said Bewley.
“I’ve done some early running in a Porsche already, and it’s a big step from a Toyota 86, but I’m ready to learn and grow from the TPNZ / Earl Bamber Motorsport team and look to get some good results in our first season in Australia.”
It has been a long motorsport journey for Bewley, who started in karts when he was six years old. Since then he has won multiple titles in karts before moving into race cars where he spent two years in the Toyota 86 championship – culminating in the championship win for the 2023/24 season.
“The first year in Toyota 86 was a big learning curve but it set me up for my second year perfectly, winning the championship was a big goal of mine.”
Bewley’s Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge season will kick off at the Phillip Island circuit outside of Melbourne in April.
Established in 2019, the scholarship programme has seen young New Zealand drivers compete across Asia and Australasia.
Porsche New Zealand General Manager, Greg Clarke says he’s pleased to welcome Bewley to Team Porsche New Zealand, and thinks the young Kiwi is more than deserving of the opportunity.
“This is the sixth year we’ve run this Porsche scholarship programme for a young Kiwi drivers, and we’re thrilled to welcome Tom to the Porsche fold and to compete in Australia next year,” says Greg Clarke, General Manager, Porsche New Zealand.
“We watch the junior categories here in New Zealand closely, and Tom clearly stood out last season. We look forward to see him develop further as a driver in Australia under the Earl Bamber Motorsport / Team Porsche New Zealand banner.”
Bewley is the latest in a long line of New Zealand drivers who have used the scholarship to springboard their international careers. The most notable being Callum Hedge who won the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship in 2023, which then saw him move on to the US to compete in the Indy NXT Championship.
“The scholarship has been a massive success as we saw with Callum Hedge winning the top Porsche Championship in Australasia in 2023. But add to that it has seen young Kiwi drivers such as Matthew Payne and Ryan Wood move onto Supercars. The programme is designed to give these young drivers the opportunities to perform and hopefully move onto the next stages of their careers.”
Earl Bamber Motorsport team principal Earl Bamber says he’s excited to see the latest Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia Scholarship recipient to emerge out of the local New Zealand motorsport landscape.
“We are excited to announce Tom Bewley as the new recipient of the Team Porsche New Zealand scholarship. He is a well deserving winner and a champion at Toyota 86 which many of our previous drivers have come from. I think he has got an amazing back ground in racing and a great future in motorsport. ” says Bamber.
“We look forward to being a small part of his big future in motorsport, and hopefully can following the footsteps of Matt Payne, Ryan Wood, Callum Hedge and Brock Gilchrist.”
To learn more about the Team Porsche New Zealand scholarship program visit: porsche.co.nz/teamporschenz
2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series confirmed
Exciting 2025 calendar locks in six key events at sensational circuits across Australia
THE 2025 PORSCHE Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series calendar has been confirmed, with an exciting six-round schedule locked in for one of Australia’s most competitive series.
The 2025 schedule will feature a mixture of Supercars Championship and SRO-promoted events, offering Sprint Challenge competitors a mix of high-profile events, strong Television coverage and excellent opportunities for track time at excellent drivers’ circuits across the six-round schedule.
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge will link with SRO Motorsport for four rounds of their new 2025 calendar, running on the same program as the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia and Monochrome GT4 Australia series.
Starting at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit in April, the SRO segment of the calendar will include rounds at Sydney Motorsport Park, Queensland Raceway and Shell V-Power Motorsport Park at The Bend.
The series will also return to a pair of key Repco Supercars Championship rounds, including a second visit to North Queensland and the popular NTI Townsville 500 event in July.
Sprint Challenge made its street circuit debut at the event this year offering sensational racing, with the event serving for many as their first taste of street circuit competition.
The series will then be decided at the Penrite Sandown 500 in November, supporting the Supercars Championship at their key Finals event at the iconic suburban Melbourne venue.
Oscar Targett (Pro), Lachlan Harburg (Pro-Am) and Jacque Jarjo (Class B) claimed the 2024 titles in a compelling year of Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia competition.
2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series
Round 1 – SRO Phillip Island, April 4-6
Round 2 – SRO Sydney Motorsport Park, May 2-4
Round 3 – SRO Queensland Raceway, May 30 – June 1
Round 4 – NTI Townsville 500, July 11-13
Round 5 – SRO Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, September 5-6
Round 6 – Penrite Oil Sandown 500, November 13-15
John Murray – Porsche Cars Australia, Director Marketing and Motorsport
“The 2025 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia calendar delivers a great mixture of events, circuits and opportunities for our teams and competitors.
“We’re looking forward to working closely with SRO Motorsports Australia to help grow their new for 2025 platform. They have exciting plans for their take on promoting events and it makes sense for an expanded Porsche presence, given the participation of our customers in their key categories as well.
“We are also proud to continue our excellent relationship with Supercars and ensure Sprint Challenge can join Carrera Cup in representing Porsche at key Repco Supercars Championship events.
“The first visit to Townsville was a roaring success, and concluding the series at Sandown as the Supercars are in the peak of their new ‘finals’ system will be an appropriate way to end the season.”
Ben McMellan – CEO, SRO Motorsports Group Australia
“SRO Motorsports Australia is pleased to further strengthen SRO’s global relationship with Porsche by welcoming Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge to our events for the 2025 & 2026 seasons,” said McMellan.
“The Porsche Sprint Challenge class adds to Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, Monochrome GT4, and the new Ferrari Challenge Series, making our SRO events truly GT-inspired.
“The 2025 season sees us enter a new era for GT racing in Australia and this class of Porsche competition is the perfect partner for our events.”
Oscar Targett crowned Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge champion
Queensland teenager takes maiden national championship win at Sydney Motorsport Park
OSCAR TARGETT is the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series champion, sealing his maiden national racing title in style today at Sydney Motorsport Park.
At 18 years 10 months, the Queenslander is the second youngest ever one-make Porsche champion in Australia, trailing only Jordan Love – who won the 2017 Sprint Challenge title aged 18 years, 4 months.
Targett’s title came as the Sprint Challenge season was concluded at Sydney Motorsport Park today, the Grove Racing Junior also claiming the prestigious Jim Richards Endurance Trophy – decided across the longer, 45-minute enduro races held at each round of the championship.
Targett won the final round narrowly over Clay Osborne – who won the final race – and Ryan Suhle.
Ramu Farrell claimed the Pro-Am win over Lachy Harburg and Jacque Jarjo, while Daniel Quimby won Class B in Sydney.
Harburg claimed his second Porsche title, adding the Pro-Am class win to his 2022 Class B Sprint Challenge championship.
Harburg’s success ensured Earl Bamber Motorsport claimed both the Pro and Pro-Am titles, a feat they achieved in Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia last year but had yet to achieve in Sprint Challenge.
Jacque Jarjo had already claimed the Class B championship and stepped up to Pro-Am for the first time this weekend.
Driving for Earl Bamber Motorsport and backed by the Grove Racing junior program, Targett’s accomplishment is the next step on a meteoric rise since his debut in Round 2 of the 2023 championship.
His lengthy karting career saw him race professionally overseas in the FIA Karting Championship before returning to Australia, aged just 16, to commence his circuit racing career.
His maiden year of racing saw him split circuit racing campaigns between one-make Toyota GR Cup and Porsche competition as he earned his racing stripes, racing under the tutelage of Grove Racing’s experts.
His initial Porsche campaign had a setback from the outset as he missed the opening round of last year’s title on account of having open heart surgery earlier in the year – however rebounded superbly to claim third in the championship, winning two races.
That set up a second-year attack where he arguably entered the year as a title favorite, however had to work hard for his early success in a highly competitive field of young Porsche Michelin Juniors.
He opened his 2024 account by winning the series opener at Phillip Island, before the flat-out series of races to opener the year where five different drivers claimed victories.
Perhaps his most emphatic statement of title intent, however, came in the final race at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park at The Bend, where he charged to victory in a chaotic third race from 14th position on the starting grid.
That drive through the field to victory set up a dominant mid-season stanza where he claimed two of the three races in Townsville, all three races at Queensland Raceway and two of the three in Tasmania to claim all three rounds and entrench himself at the top of the standings.
The only driver remaining in contact with Targett heading into the series finale was Brock Gilchrist, who followed him home in Sydney Motorsport Park’s opener on Friday night to take the title battle into the final day – even if his hopes were more mathematical than anything else.
Targett then wrapped up the title with victory in the opening race of the final day, clinching the championship with one race to spare.
Brock Gilchrist capped off a successful debut season in Australia as the Team Porsche New Zealand-backed driver finished second overall, ensuring an EBM 1-2 in the championship.
Clay Osborne’s rookie season delivered him third overall for McElrea Racing in a promising season that included his maiden one-make Porsche victory.
Harburg’s Pro-Am title came via extreme consistency, the only driver in the class to finish every race he started.
In his rookie season, Andrew Georgiadis finished second while Ramu Farrell won the most races, and claimed third for the season.
All Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series awards will be presented on Saturday night in the series’ awards night in Sydney.
Targett survives wet-weather dash to take Sydney opener
Penalty denies Osborne victory as Farrell takes Pro-Am win
CLAY OSBORNE drove the race of his life, but the results will show Oscar Targett as the winner of the first Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia race at Sydney Motorsport Park this weekend.
In sultry and increasingly wet conditions, Osborne raced his way into the lead in Friday night’s sprint race that kicked off the final round of the 2024 Sprint Challenge season – however a five second penalty applied post race for a start line infringement handed the win to Targett.
Ramu Farrell claimed the Pro-Am class victory in style over Lachy Harburg – who provisionally claimed the Pro-Am title in the process – while newcomer Daniel Quimby took out the Class B win and finished an outstanding 10th outright on his Porsche debut.
The 25-minute race started with heavy skies over Sydney Motorsport Park with rain expected at some point throughout the race.
Starting from pole, Targett led the field into turn one however as the rain began to fall, Osborne began making moves and gradually worked his way to the rear of the championship leader out front.
Fourth at the end of lap one, Osborne passed Brock Gilchrist for third on lap five and Ryan Suhle for second one lap later.
He then got down the inside of Targett at turn four on the ninth lap to take the lead, however Targett remained in close company for the remainder to ensure he secured the win.
The race proved a show of skill from the 24-strong Porsche field, running the full distance without interruption despite the conditions being extremely wet by race’s end and a vast majority of the field remaining on slicks.
With penalties applied, Targett claimed the win over Gilchrist, who keeps his title hopes alive by only ceding a further 6 points to his year-long rival heading into tomorrow’s two races.
Provisionally the gap now sits at 98 points, with 120 up for grabs on Sunday.
Suhle finished third and Osborne fourth, narrowly ahead of Jake Santalucia in fifth position. Ayrton Hodson was another to cop a five second penalty but retained sixth position, while Conor Somers was a star – charging through the field following a 10 grid position penalty post-qualifying.
Aron Shields, Tyler Greenbury and Class B winner Daniel Quimby rounded out the top-10, the latter doing so on his debut race.
Ramu Farrell won Class B while Lachy Harburg’s second in class was enough to ensure he can no longer be beaten for the class title tomorrow.
Harburg’s success doubles up on his Class B title, claimed two years ago.
Farrell and Harburg battled for the lead in the class all race with the pair drag-racing to the line; Harburg narrowly missing his first race win of the year by 0.05 seconds.
Tomorrow will see the overall Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series title decided across two races.
The Jim Richards Enduro trophy will be settled first before the final race of the season on Saturday afternoon at Sydney Motorsport Park – the 2:10pm AEDT encounter to be broadcast live on 7mate and 7 Plus Sport.
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge titles to be decided in Sydney
Pro, Junior and Enduro Cup titles all on the line this weekend in Sydney
OSCAR TARGETT and Brock Gilchrist will commence a Trans-Tasman battle for the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia Series title this weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park.
The pair, split by 91 points with 181 up for grabs across three races, are the only two drivers that can win the championship this weekend.
Targett has won eight races to Gilchrist’s pair this year however the latter’s consistency aboard his Team Porsche New Zealand entry has kept him well in the hunt.
However, Gilchrist does lead the Jim Richards Enduro Trophy by twelve points, with the Sprint Challenge ‘race within a race’ to be decided on Saturday morning at Sydney Motorsport Park.
Both of those titles will be decided this weekend, while the Pro-Am and Class B battles will also draw to their conclusion in Sydney as a strong 27-car field prepares to tackle the three races – to be held on Friday and Saturday of the Shannons SpeedSeries event.
Targett’s rise to the top of the table has been well documented following his early-season debut last year.
After missing the opening round of the series, the teenager had a strong run home to finish third in the championship behind eventual champion Marco Giltrap, and Aaron Shields.
As part of the Grove Racing junior program, Targett will aim to deliver the Grove’s their first Porsche title since Stephen’s Pro-Am successes in Carrera Cup Australia.
Gilchrist came from New Zealand this year after winning the Porsche New Zealand Scholarship that has recently supported the likes of Ryan Wood, Callum Hedge and Marco Giltrap to success in Australian Porsche competition under the ‘Team Porsche New Zealand’ banner.
Now established in Queensland – and working at Queensland Raceway – Gilchrist’s strong season included a clutch Enduro Cup race win at The Bend in round two and another strong win in Tasmania amidst a weekend where he and Targett spent much of the event locked together.
After delivering five different race winners from the first five races, this year’s Sprint Challenge title battle has been dominated since by the Earl Bamber Motorsport pair who have claimed 9 of the subsequent ten races between them.
Kiwi Clay Osborne sits third in the championship, 99 points clear of teammate Caleb Sumich in fourth, while a late-season surge from Ayrton Hodson has him fifth in the standings and just 12 points behind his teammate.
In Pro-Am, Lachy Harburg holds a commanding lead in the title race with Sydneysider Andrew Georgiadis his closest contender in his rookie season.
The Queenslander will aim to secure his second Sprint Challenge title this weekend, having claimed the Class B championship in 2022 and finished runner-up last year prior to stepping up to the Pro-Am ranks in 2024.
With second-placed Danny Stutterd electing not to compete in Sydney, both Georgiadis (third) and Eric Constantinidis will aim to overhaul the TekworkX driver in the standings in a bid to score a top three championship result this weekend.
With the Class B title already claimed, New South Wales driver Jacque Jarjo will step up into the Pro-Am ranks this weekend for the first time, adding another strong contender to the mix.
The 27-car field includes the Sprint Challenge debut of Class B entrant Daniel Quimby aboard his FCL Transport / Cup Car Engineering entry.
Action commences on Friday with a 45-minute practice session at 12:55pm local time, followed by Qualifying at 3:55pm and Race 1 at 6:55pm.
Saturday will see the Enduro Cup decider battled over 45-minutes at 9:25am with the title decider to be sorted at 2:10pm on Saturday afternoon.
The final race of the year will be broadcast live and free on the Seven Network on 7mate and 7plus Sport on Saturday.
No | Car # | SPONSOR | C/L | DRIVER | SURNAME | STATE |
1 | 3 | Racing To Beat FA | Pro-Am | Jonathan | Gliksten | VIC |
2 | 4 | Grove Racing / EBM | Pro | Oscar | Targett | QLD |
3 | 5 | Jacque Fine Jewellery | Pro-Am | Jacque | Jarjo | NSW |
4 | 6 | Tyler Greenbury Racing | Pro | Tyler | Greenbury | QLD |
5 | 8 | Car Mods Australia | Class B | Bradley | Carr | QLD |
6 | 10 | Team Porsche NZ / EBM | Pro | Brock | Gilchrist | QLD |
7 | 11 | Aera Cloud & Cyber Security Group | Pro-Am | Eric | Constantinidis | NSW |
8 | 14 | McElrea Racing | Pro | Caleb | Sumich | WA |
9 | 15 | Power and Earth . Com | Pro | Clay | Osborne | QLD |
10 | 25 | auticon / Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport | Pro | Ben | Taylor | VIC |
11 | 28 | McElrea Racing | Pro | Ayrton | Hodson | QLD |
12 | 34 | Hillcrest Merimbula | Pro-Am | Caspar | Tresidder | NSW |
13 | 35 | Rentcorp Hyundai Forklift | Pro-Am | Indiran | Padayachee | NSW |
14 | 37 | Bondi Carpets / Team DNA | Pro-Am | Andrew | Georgiadis | NSW |
15 | 47 | Effect Buuilding Projects | Class B | Stephen | Moylan | NSW |
16 | 71 | Sonic / Hi Tech Field Services | Pro | Conor | Somers | VIC |
17 | 84 | Ray White North Lakes | Pro | Ryan | Suhle | VIC |
18 | 69 | Jones Motorsport | Pro | Hunter | Robb | NZ |
19 | 91 | The Cover Shop / EBM | Pro-Am | Lachlan | Harburg | QLD |
20 | 96 | Entertainment park | Pro-Am | John | Papantoniou | NSW |
21 | 99 | Westcoast Windows / Southern Star Windows | Pro-Am | Ross | McGregor | VIC |
22 | 111 | DDS Transport Solutions | Class B | Steven | McFadden | QLD |
23 | 116 | Astrontech / DNA Autosport | Pro | Aron | Shields | NSW |
24 | 272 | SPM Racing | Pro-Am | Mark | Darling | QLD |
25 | 777 | Sonic / Vision One | Pro | Jake | Santalucia | VIC |
26 | 888 | Rennauto / Jones Motorsport | Pro-Am | Ramu | Farrell | QLD |
27 | FCL Transport / Cup Car Engineering | Class B | Daniel | Quimby | NSW |
FULL RACE REPLAY: Race1, Round 1 – Phillip Island
Gerry Murphy shows support for Australia Zoo
Gerry Murphy tells us about his unique livery and support of the Australia Zoo.
Profile: Brett Boulton
Brett tells us about his life away from the track and his relationship with the McElrea Racing team
We catch-up with Porsche #Michelin Sprint Challenge Morris Finance Pro-Am, Brett Boulton, on his life away from the track and his relationship with the McElrea Racing team
Profile: Richard Cowen
We catch up with Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Pro-Am
We catch up with Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Pro-Am, Richard Cowen on his life away from the track as part of the McElrea Racing team
Profile: Jonathan Gliksten
The Morris Pro-Am tells us about his life away from the track and support of Friedreich Ataxia
Round 2 – Sydney – Race 3 Interviews
We catch up with Round 2 winners Christian Pancione (Mobil Pro) and Sam Shahin (Morris Finance Pro Am)
Round 2 – Sydney – Race 3 Highlights
Highlights of the final race from Round 2 at Sydney Motorsport Park
Round 2 – Sydney – Race 2 Highlights
Highlights of the 45-minute endurance race from Sydney Motorsport Park
Round 2 – Sydney – Race 2 Interviews
Interviews with Christian Pancione (Mobil Pro) and Sam Shahin (Morris Finance Pro Am) following Race 2
Round 2 – Sydney – Race 1 interviews
We catch up with Race 1 winners Christian Pancione and Sam Shahin
We catch up with Race 1 winners Christian Pancione (Mobil Pro / Michelin Junior) and Sam Shahin (Morris Finance Pro Am)
Round 2 – Sydney – Race 1 Highlights
Highlights of Race 1 of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge from Sydney Motorsport Park
Round 2 – Sydney – Qualifying interviews
We catch up with Ryan Suhle (Mobil Pro) and Sergio Pires (Morris Finance Pro Am) after qualifying
Round 2 – Sydney – Onboard: Bayley Hall
Onboard with Bayley Hall for a lap of the Sydney Motorsport Park circuit during Practice 1
We jump onboard with McElrea Racing’s Bayley Hall for a lap of the Sydney Motorsport Park circuit from Practice 1, Round 2, 2021
Round 2 – Sydney – Preview
Nathan Murray, David Greig and Bayley Hall share their impressions of Sydney Motorsport Park ahead of Round 2
Sydney Motorsport Park plays host to the second round of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series from 30 April to 02 May. We catch up with
Matt Belford’s journey up the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid
From track days to the top of the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge podium
Round 1 – Phillip Island – Race 3 interviews
We catch up with Ryan Suhle and Matthew Belford after Round 1
Round 1 – Phillip Island – Race 3 Highlights
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge after accident red flags Race 3
Round 1 – Phillip Island – Race 2 interviews
Callum Hedge (Mobil Pro) and Matthew Belford (Morris Finance Pro-Am) speak to us after their debut wins in the series
Round 1, 2023 – Phillip Island gallery
Image Gallery
Porsche 963 prototype
- Porsche Penske Motorsport fields two cars each in world’s greatest endurance series
- Design of the new Porsche 963 hails from the victorious 956 and 962 classics
- Experienced works drivers and accomplished sportscar champions behind the wheel
Australian driver Matt Campbell has been announced as a factory driver for the new Porsche Penske Motorsport operation, as the new Porsche 963 prototype was unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England.
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport
Image Gallery
Porsche has revealed the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The mid-engined race car from Weissach is based on the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS road car
The history of Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge in Australia
Image Gallery
Founded in the grass-roots desires of Porsche competitors simply looking for a place to race, the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia series has grown to become one of the great success stories from the last two decades of Australian Motorsport.
2019 Round 6 – The Bend Motorsport Park
Image Gallery
2019 Phillip Island – Sunday
2019 Phillip Island – Saturday
Instagram @PorscheMotorsportAU
Driver Bio
David Wall enters the 2018 Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia series with the coveted #1 on his new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
Two-time Australian GT Champion David Wall made a triumphant return to the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia in 2016, winning in Darwin, scoring 10 podium finishes and finishing an outstanding third in the championship.
Sydneysider Wall made his name in Carrera Cup between 2006-2008, before winning in Australian GT and then making the move into Supercars competition.
Wall has made eight Bathurst 1000 starts and in 2016 also scored a podium finish – his first in the sport – on the Gold Coast, sharing the No. 33 Garry Rogers Motorsport entry with Scott McLaughlin.
Wall returned to Carrera Cup full-time in 2016 with his own Wall Racing team and eventually achieved the ultimate success, claiming the 2017 Carrera Cup crown.
Driver Bio
Melbourne-based Stephen Grove is the epitome of a Porsche racer – a strong passion for motorsport and a vast appreciation of the 911 GT3 Cup race car.
A successful businessman away from the race track with his Grove Group company, which features on his Porsche 911 race car, Grove’s increasing experience behind the wheel has pushed him quickly towards the front of the TAG Heuer Pro-Am competition.
Grove debuted in the Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia championship mid-way through the 2012 season, when you could also you could find him competing in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia series at the time.
Grove would go on to win the 2014 TAG Heuer Carrera Challenge title, finish second in the 2015 season and third in the 2016 title race. And then, in 2017, Grove impressed by claiming his second class crown.
Driver Bio
Greg Taylor returned to the Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia full-time in 2018 having sampled the series in the 2014 season.
The Sydneysider contested the Sydney, Sandown and Gold Coast rounds of the 2014 season before moving to GT racing and, ultimately, returning to the Porsche one-make series in 2018.
Taylor joined the 2017 championship winning team, Wall Racing, for his Carrera Cup comeback.
Driver Bio
Tim Miles has made a successful ascent of the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid over the past few season, moving from the GT3 Cup Challenge series through to the ultra-competitive Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia championship.
Miles’ racing trajectory with Porsche has seen him rise through the GT3 Cup Challenge ranks to ultimately claim the 2016 Elite Class crown. His racing resume was also sprinkled with Porsche Pro-Am appearances as a co-driver for the likes of Renee Gracie, Matt Campbell and, in 2017, Jaxon Evans.
The Sydney based businessman then made his Carrera Cup debut as a single driver entry at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway in 2017, placing second in the TAG Heuer Carrera Challenge for the round, before a successful run to the end of the season, which included a class clean sweep at Bathurst.
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
Nick McBride joined Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia in the hunt for a career in Supercars and has since forged a reputation as one of the series’ most competitive drivers.
The Victorian returned to Australia after a two and a half year campaign in the United Kingdom, competing in British Formula Ford and Formula 3. He finished 10th in the prestigious F3 title this year, but shifted his desire for an open wheel ambitions to one which would focus on a tin-top career in Australia.
McBride won his first Carrera Cup Australia race on home turf at Albert Park in 2015, and backed that up with his first ever round win at the Clipsal 500 in March 2016 and an eventual Sandown round victory in 2017.
McBride races a new-look Porsche entry in 2018 after joining Porsche Centre Melbourne’s Carrera Cup outfit.
Driver Bio
Seasoned Porsche racer Marc Cini has more experience in the Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia championship than any other, sitting at 95 round starts at the start of the 2018 season.
A successful businessman away from the track with his company Hallmarc Developments, this Porsche enthusiast scores one of his highlight achievements in 2017, claiming the inaugural 2017 TAG Heuer Pro-Am Endurance Cup title.
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
Sam Shahin is a product of the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid, entering Porsche one-make racing in the entry-level GT3 Cup Challenge series before making his Carrera Cup debut at the 2017 Pro-Am event at Phillip Island, where he teamed with Dan Gaunt to place third on the TAG Heuer Carrera Challenge class podium.
Shahin’s continued improvement in Porsche one-make series has seen the South Australian businessman develop into a hugely competitive Porsche racer among the Pro-Am ranks, though he shocked even the overall competition when taking the outright victory at the opening 2017 GT3 Cup Challenge round at Sandown.
Shahin then made his Carrera Cup debut as a single driver entry at Carrera Cup’s fourth round of 2017 in Darwin, where he claimed round honours in the Challenge class.
Racing with the Adelaide based Buik Motorworks, Shahin enters 2018 for his maiden full-time Carrera Cup season.
Driver Bio
Peter Major entered Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia with experience in both Porsche’s second-tier GT3 Cup Challenge series and the Australian GT Championship, where he is a dual race winner.
Major’s sole GT3 Cup Challenge saw the West Australian take second outright and second in the Professional Class at his Winton debut behind eventual champion and 2018 teammate Jordan Love.
Driver Bio
Josh Hunt joins Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia with a broad range of motor racing experience.
Hunt moved to Europe aged 16 to pursue his professional driving career. From karting in Italy, Hunt moved to USF2000 in the USA before a stint in Toyota Atlantic Championship. Since then, Hunt had a range of open wheel, sports car and prototype experience that saw him well-placed for the 2018 Porsche season.
Driver Bio
James Moffat joined an expanded Wall Racing outfit for the 2018 Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia championship following a decade out of the Porsche series.
Moffat placed third in the 2008 Carrera Cup Australia series before a two-year stint in Super2 and seven years in the top-flight Supercars Championship.
Driver Bio
While Adrian Flack has limited Porsche experience, the ‘Flack’ name is well known in Carrera Cup circles.
Damien Flack was a regular in the 2011 and 2013 Carrera Cup seasons and since returned for several Pro-Am appearances.
Adrian also has Pro-Am experience, entering the 2016 two-driver event alongside David Wall before his full-time debut in the 2018 season.
Driver Bio
One of Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia’s ‘originals’, Dean Cook returned to the championship in 2017 after a more than a 13-year absence.
Cook competed in the first two season of Carrera Cup Australia, finishing a strong 10th outright in the inaugural 2003 championship – in front of serious names like Andrew Miedecke, Rodney Jane, Peter Hill and Geoff Morgan.
That was despite a limited racing CV prior to his Carrera Cup campaign, that included several starts over two years racing in the popular GT Nations Cup series, also racing a Porsche 996 GT3 Cup.
He returned for several races in the 2004 Carrera Cup season however did not contest the full series and had not raced in a major championship until his successful return in 2017, when he claimed a class victory in the final round of the season in the Gold Coast.
Driver Bio
Roger Lago is highly credentialed in Porsche one-make series. The Queenslander is one of two former GT3 Cup Challenge champions in the Carrera Cup series and was a TAG Heuer Pro-Am front-runner in the 2015 series until a qualifying accident in Townsville ended his season campaign.
Lago returned to the series in 2018, coinciding with the introduction of the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.
Driver Bio
Indiran Padayachee is one of the many GT3 Cup Challenge graduates to compete in the 2018 Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia season.
The TAG Heuer Pro-Am ranked driver also entered the 2018 Carrera Cup season having 15 rounds of experience in the GT3 Cup Challenge category and a single round of Carrera Cup after partnering his son and former Carrera Cup driver, Duvashen Padayachee, in the 2015 Pro-Am event at Phillip Island.
Driver Bio
Michael Almond burst on to the Porsche scene in 2010, when he qualified on pole on his debut in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia – and he has since to go on and forge a strong career with the brand.
A race winner in GT3 Cup Challenge, Almond also won races in the classic Touring Car Masters series, racing a 1973 Porsche RS against much larger and more powerful cars – and drivers like Jim Richards, John Bowe and Glenn Seton.
A move to Carrera Cup in late 2012 has seen his career climb towards a breakout season in 2016 that netted his first career win. Appropriately for this Adelaide born and bread driver, it came in front of his home town fans and friends on the streets of Adelaide at the Adelaide 500.
Almond this season joins Sonic Motor Racing Services as one of the two Bob Jane T-Marts entries.
Driver Bio
Max Twigg returned to the Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia series full-time in 2018 as the championship’s most successful TAG Heuer Pro-Am driver.
The Melbourne based driver was untouchable in the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons, taking the TAG Heuer Pro-Am class title in each.
Twigg’s unprecedented Pro-Am record achievements include the most title wins (3), most round wins (13) and most race wins (46).
Driver Bio
Dylan O’Keeffe is a young Victorian driver going places in a hurry, as shown by his rapid rise through the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid to be a contender for victories in just his second year of the Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia.
Graduating from success in the Porsche 944 series in his native Victoria, O’Keeffe burst onto the scene in 2015 by finishing second to Ryan Simpson in the GT3 Cup Challenge Australia series.
His elevation to Carrera Cup in 2016 saw him steadily progress until a breakout round in Darwin saw him achieve personal best results in Qualifying (4th), racing (4th) and the round result – 4th.
O’Keeffe’s impressive rise continued in 2017, ultimate becoming Carrera Cup Australia’s nominee for the Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme Shootout in Europe before lining up full-time for the 2018 Carrera Cup season.
Driver Bio
Dale Wood enters Porsche one-make racing after a lengthy stint in Supercars.
Wood entered Supercars in 2007, racing in the Super2 Series and ultimately graduated to the Supercars Championship full-time in 2009. Wood would return to the Super2 Series and claim the series title in 2013 before securing a full-time Supercars drive from 2014 to 2017 and, ultimately, making his way to the Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia series in 2018.
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
Graham Williams made his Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia debut in 2017 – but he’s also no stranger to Porsche competition.
He’s raced his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car to strong results in Victorian State Production Sports Car competition, including a top-10 finish in the 2016 championship. He’s also competed in several Porsche Club sprint and driving events, building a wealth of experience behind the wheel of his 911 GT3 Cup.
Williams had a strong debut season in the Porsche series and returns in 2018, set to capitalise on the experience gained, with #131 – the number he raced in Motorcross during his teenage years in South Australia.
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.
Driver Bio
John Steffensen’s pathway to the Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia season was far different than most.
Before his stint in the driver’s seat, Steffensen was an Olympic sprinter and Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist.
Upon his athletics retirement, Steffensen raced in GT3 Cup Challenge in 2017 before moving to Carrera Cup the following season.