What a challenge!
Courtney Prince’s debut season in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge is back on track
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acing has been a major casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic, with half the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge races struck off the calendar due to lockdowns. It’s has been a difficult start for young racer Courtney Prince in her first year in the series. 'It's really frustrating, but everyone is in the same boat,' she says. 'We’ve done only two rounds so far. It’s a six-round Championship, and we’ve done one at Phillip Island and one at Sydney. The Bend will host a double header event from 11–13 December.' In order for the series to be declared a Championship, at least four rounds must be completed.
At the start of the season, it looked like it would be a splendid year for Courtney after her debut race at a wet Phillip Island.
That’s been the case for the year, though, as just after Sydney in April there were no more races until December's scheduled event at South Australia’s The Bend Motorsport Park.
'The first round was Phillip Island, and we came home third overall which is excellent,' Courtney said. 'I actually led my first race in a Porsche. I led race two for basically all of it, which was really exciting in the wet. It was also my first time driving the car in those conditions.
'Again, being out of the car for three or four months – I’ve never been out of the car for so long before,' Courtney explains.
'It was a great start and a solid round, not to mention a privilege to get on the podium in my first Sprint Challenge race.' Sydney Motorsport Park was the second race, with Courtney placed fifth overall. As it was her first time on the track with the Porsche, she didn't have as much time in the car as she needed.
'We’re in Victoria, so it's hard; the only place we can test is Winton because it’s regional and they’re open, but you need to get a permit to go there.' Even more exasperatingly, Courtney had just signed a new sponsor. Her Sonic Motor Racing Porsche attracted the backing of Local Legends Beef Jerky, and the new livery was done in time for the next event at Sandown. Unfortunately, it was cancelled. 'I’ve just secured a new sponsor, but haven’t been able to race with the new livery yet. I got it just after the Sydney round,' Courtney explained. When we went into lockdown just after I signed with them, I said: "Are you kidding?"' Now her car is unmissable with its new fluoro yellow, orange and black colours, it’s probably the brightest in the field. Courtney hopes to finish well at The Bend in December and finish what was a chaotic year on a high note.
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'I’m super happy with how we’re going, as we’re fourth in the Championship,' she says. For the future, all Courtney's looking forward to is getting a full season under her belt and doing really well in the Championship. •
Double delight for young Porsche Junior star Two sensational overseas opportunities have arrived for talented young Australian Cooper Murray
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espite all the racing disruptions of 2021 Cooper Murray has had one of the best years of his young life – first as the winner of the 2021 Porsche Michelin Junior Australia program, which will see him contest the Porsche Junior Shootout later in the year; second, being chosen to test new 911 GT3 Cup (Type 992) prior to the Global Shootout. After taking the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia round win in Townsville early this year, Cooper held a 25-point lead in the junior competition over McElrea Racing teammate Harri Jones. The cancellation of the Bass Coast Festival of Motorsport at Phillip Island meant that as the Points Leader he earned the nomination from Carrera Cup Australia to enter the Porsche Junior Global Shootout.
Cooper will have the opportunity to contest the Porsche Junior Shootout against the best junior drivers from Porsche Carrera Cup Championships around the world. The Shootout plays a crucial role in the development of the best emerging talent, and is seen as a proven pathway for talented drivers to progress to the highest level abroad. When you're from Australia, so far from the international motorsport scene, it's a prime opportunity to showcase your abilities. This exact opportunity helped launch the international motorsport careers of Australians Matt Campbell (2016 winner) and Jaxon Evans (2018 winner). Matt is now a Porsche factory driver with victories in Bathurst 12 Hour and
Le Mans 24 Hour to his name, while Evans is a two-time Carrera Cup Champion with regular appearances in top-level GT competition globally including the Le Mans 24 Hour, World Endurance Championship, and Porsche Mobil1 Supercup, where he finished second this season. A European racetrack has been booked for the three-day Junior Shootout, which starts early on Tuesday 23 November and ends Thursday 25 November 2021. 'I’m very excited and grateful to have been nominated,' Cooper says. 'I hope to follow in the footsteps of fellow McElrea drivers Matt Campbell and Jaxon Evans.' Just prior to the Global Shootout, Cooper will be enjoying a two-day test session at the Paul
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