Porsche Carrera Cup Scholarship finalists complete evaluation

The six young racing drivers selected for the final of the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship Programme have just completed an intense two-day evaluation programme and now await the decision from the eight-strong judging panel.

The two drivers selected for the Scholarship Programme will be announced at Silverstone on Thursday 30 October.

During the demanding evaluation process, the finalists took part in fitness assessments, panel interviews, media interviews and a very challenging assault course at the new Porsche Driving Experience Centre at Silverstone. Among the judges was Richard Westbrook, former Carrera Cup GB and Porsche Supercup champion and now factory Porsche racer. Westbrook joined the finalists in the fitness evaluation at the Porsche Human Performance facility and around the assault course.

Next, each of the finalists drove up to 20 laps of the Silverstone National circuit in a 911 GT3 Cup car to enable the judges to see how they handled the 420bhp race car and then study the data from their lapping sessions.

Created and run by Porsche Cars GB, the Carrera Cup GB Scholarship Programme will provide £50,000 to each of two drivers to use as a significant element of their budget for the 2009 Carrera Cup GB season. The six finalists, selected from over 50 applicants, were:

Tom Bradshaw; age 19 from Blackburn, Lancashire
2008 season: Formula Palmer Audi Championship

Andrew Herron; aged 20 from Co Down, Northern Ireland
2008 season: SEAT Cupra Championship

Lewis Hopkins; aged 19 from Winchester, Hampshire
2008 season: Caterham Roadsports Championship

Tom Sharp; aged 17 from Camberley, Surrey
2008 season: Ginetta G50 Cup

Richard Singleton; aged 19 from Conwy, North Wales
2008 season: Formula Renault Eurocup

Aaron Steele; aged 19 from Chatham, Kent
2008 season: Club F3