Porsche at Autosport International

Porsche will showcase its British motorsport programme for 2009 at the Autosport International show at the Birmingham NEC (January 8 – 11), and introduce the two young drivers who will be co-representing Porsche Cars GB in the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship.

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship offers the fastest single-marque racing in the UK, and visitors to the show will be able to meet Tom Bradshaw and Lewis Hopkins, who each won the inaugural Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship Programme and received £50,000 towards their racing season. Tom and Lewis will be available to meet race fans on the Porsche stand and talk about their experiences as they prepare for the most exciting step yet in their motorsport careers.

In a new initiative for the 2009 season, all registered competitors in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship will receive fitness assessments at the new Porsche Human Performance Centre at Silverstone. Autosport International presents the first opportunity to gain further insight to Porsche Human Performance and the innovative approach it brings to race driver fitness, as well as overall health for all motorists.

Beat the Batak
Visitors to the show will get the chance to experience first-hand the technology deployed by Porsche Human Performance, for the Porsche stand will feature a Batak device. This intriguing machine is designed to test peripheral vision and reaction times – you have to push as many flashing, randomly illuminated buttons as possible in 60 seconds; it is a proven exercise regime for many Grand Prix drivers. An informal competition will be running during the show with prizes for the highest scores, so it is worthwhile having a go!

Open Day at the Porsche Driving Experience Centre
The Porsche Human Performance Centre, based at the world-class Porsche Driving Experience Centre at Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire, is staffed by a team of three sports scientists who offer a rare combination of academic qualifications, exercise science and coaching. They have broad experience of working at the highest level in motorsport and have competitive backgrounds as elite athletes. Each is trained to provide expert assessments of health and fitness levels and how this relates to driving performance and technique.

Porsche Human Performance offers a wide variety of programmes tailored to individual ambitions. These can prescribe bespoke consultation, exercise and nutritional plans, offer advice on posture in the driver’s seat, check eyesight strength and peripheral vision performance, or include more formal health analysis such as body composition and fat:muscle ratio, or a Pro-Am Motorsport fitness programme.

The facility includes a sports science laboratory, fitted out with state of the art equipment from Technogym and Optical Express as well as a specialist heat chamber for acclimation training for racing drivers prior to competing in hot climates.

If you are interested in learning more about the Porsche Human Performance Centre, whether from a motor sport, road driving or general wellness perspective, there is an Open Day at the Silverstone venue on January 24. For further information regarding a fitness assessment and wellness package, or to book your place on the Open Day, please contact Porsche Human Performance, Telephone 08443 575911 or 01327 855 074; E-mail php@porsche.co.uk.

Meet the winners of the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship
Last November, Tom Bradshaw and Lewis Hopkins were announced as the winners of the inaugural Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship Programme for 2009. Nineteen year-olds Bradshaw (Blackburn) and Hopkins (Winchester) were selected from six finalists after two days of intensive evaluation at Silverstone in the programme designed to find two drivers to follow the path to becoming a professional sports car racer.

While only two drivers could be selected for the Scholarship, the other four finalists each get the chance to participate in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB. Aaron Steele (Chatham), Andrew Herron (Co Down), Tom Sharp (Camberley) and Richard Singleton (Conwy) have each been given the chance to show their ability in the 420bhp 911 GT3 Cup car over a race weekend.

2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship
Now entering its seventh season, the 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship comprises a superb 20-race programme alongside the MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). Using the Carrera Cup format that is established in many countries around the world, the Championship sees drivers racing identical versions of the 420bhp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. And, with minimal modifications permitted to the cars, it is only the drivers’ skill, talent and experience that makes the decisive difference in the fight for victory, points and prize money. Spectacular action is always a feature of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB and with high calibre drivers taking part, close racing between the cars is guaranteed.

The prize fund of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB is one of the largest in national motorsport and a purse in excess of £150,000 will be shared across the grid. In addition, the overall 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup Champion will also be presented with a new Porsche 911 Carrera, on loan for twelve months following their victory.

The Championship will also continue to operate its innovative triple-tier drivers’ Championship structure, allowing competitors to compete in either a professional (Pro) category, or one of two professional-amateur categories, depending upon their profile and past performance. The Pro-Am1 programme offers non-professional racing drivers and those with less experience the chance to compete for a points and awards package, whilst still competing within the overall Carrera Cup. With different tyre regulations intended to lower costs, Pro-Am2 is designed with the ‘gentleman’ racer in mind, as well as young drivers aiming to make the step up from single-seater race cars or other one-make series.

Catch up with the action around Great Britain
The 2009 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship visits all the major UK regions, with races at famous venues such as Silverstone (Northants), Oulton Park (Cheshire) and Donington Park (Leicestershire), plus Knockhill (Scotland). Further rounds are held at Snetterton (Norfolk), Croft (North Yorkshire), Thruxton (Hampshire) and Brands Hatch (Kent), where the action begins on April 4/5.

Up to 200,000 race fans are expected to see the action first hand in 2009, while an extensive TV package - subject to confirmation - will take the Porsche Carrera Cup GB to millions of ‘armchair’ enthusiasts.

Porsche Supports Private Customer Teams Around the World
In addition to the Carrera Cup, in 2009 Porsche will also be continuing its support of private customer teams running near-standard GT cars. With the 911 GT3 RSR, Porsche provides customers with a proven consistent winner in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), the FIA GT Championship, and endurance racing events such as Le Mans and Daytona 24 Hours.

GT3 Cup Challenge set for 2010 in Britain
An all-new Porsche racing championship will launch in Britain for the 2010 season with the introduction of the GT3 Cup Challenge. The new series will be open to any 911 GT3 Cup car from 2008 or earlier and will be administered by the Porsche Club GB with official backing from Porsche Cars GB. The new series will replace the existing Porsche Open and will sit comfortably beneath the Carrera Cup GB, which will, as usual, be open to the current model 911 GT3 Cup car. There will be close links between the Carrera Cup GB and the new GT3 Cup Challenge. The GT3 Cup Challenge is an established concept across the world, with race series in New Zealand, Australia, Brazil and the USA.