Two drivers that previously competed in Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge Australia, Jaxon Evans and Dylan O’Keeffe, have taken part in the Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme Shootout in France.
Evans and O’Keeffe, who finished first and third respectively in this year’s Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia, joined nine other Porsche drivers from around the world for the challenge at Circuit Paul Ricard.
Evans, this year’s champion, was nominated by Porsche in Australia to try out for the Shootout.
“Overall it was an amazing experience from the first day meeting the other drivers from different countries and all different accents … seeing it all roll out was unreal – from the transporters, engineers, mechanics and the amount of people on the ground to make it all work – it was like nothing I had ever experienced” Evans said.
“For me to represent the Porsche brand as a Porsche Junior would be a massive honour.
“I have been working towards this for four years through GT3 Cup Challenge and Carrera Cup, so to win the Shootout and become a Porsche Junior would be a dream come true.”
O’Keeffe was selected as a wildcard for the programme, returning to the Shootout for the second time following his experience last year.
“This year’s Shootout was amazing and it was everything I thought it would be from attending last year,” O’Keeffe said.
“Having been before, it was beneficial in the sense that I knew everyone and I knew what to expect, we were just at a different circuit.
“I had a great time again this year and certainly left nothing on the table, so we’ll have to wait and see who Porsche selects as the new Porsche Junior in the coming weeks.”
The new Porsche Junior will receive 250,000 Euro towards next season’s Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, which is run as a support series to the Formula 1.
If selected, Evans and O’Keeffe would be the second Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge graduate to be selected as a Porsche Junior, following in the footsteps of the very talented Matt Campbell.
Since becoming a Porsche Junior, Campbell has been promoted to a Porsche Young Professional and is currently racing in the 2018/19 FIA World Endurance Championship Super Season, where he currently leads the GTE-Am class.
Evans and O’Keeffe will find out in a couple of weeks if they have been successful in the programme.
