Two locations will host the Porsche Junior shootout this year. This Saturday, interviews, tests, and various assessments will be held at the Porsche Esports Performance Center (PEPC) in Cologne-Ossendorf — home of the Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team. On Monday and Tuesday, the candidates will showcase their driving skills at the former Portuguese Formula 1 circuit in Estoril, driving the ca. 375 kW (510 PS) 911 GT3 Cup (Generation 992.1) – the same car used in most of Porsche’s 35 worldwide one-make series in 2025.
The new Porsche Junior will receive up to 225,000 Euros for their 2026 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup campaign. The international series sits at the top of the sports car manufacturer’s one-make ecosystem and runs as part of selected Formula 1 events. Candidates also benefit from Porsche Motorsport’s extensive mentorship, covering every key aspect of a professional racing career – support that has helped numerous Porsche Juniors earn a factory driver seat.
This list of standout alumni is long: Timo Bernhard, Porsche Junior from 1999 to 2001 and now Porsche brand ambassador, and Marc Lieb (2000 to 2002), won the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans at the helm of the Porsche 919 Hybrid, claimed titles in the FIA World Endurance Championship and notched countless other individual victories, including the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and championships around the globe. In 2023, Thomas Preining (2017 to 2018) was crowned the first DTM champion in Porsche history with the 911 GT3 R, followed this year by Ayhancan Güven (2020 to 2021). Laurin Heinrich (2022) clinched the 2024 GTD Pro title in the North American IMSA series and delivered a standout Hypercar debut in the FIA WEC last weekend. Porsche 963 factory drivers and former Porsche Juniors Mathieu Jaminet (2016) and Matt Campbell (2017) were crowned overall IMSA champions this year.
Twelve candidates from ten countries across four continents
For this year’s Porsche Junior selection process, each of the twelve Porsche Carrera Cup series worldwide could nominate one young driver aged up to 23. Alongside the eleven direct nominations, 20-year-old Paul Cauhaupé completes the dozen as a wildcard. The Frenchman finished third overall in the Carrera Cup France and has also turned heads with strong drives in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.
The youngest contender, 18-year-old Janne Stiak from northern Germany, represents Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East as overall champion and has also drawn attention to himself as a race winner in the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland.
Similarly, Alexander Tauscher from Germany wrapped up the Carrera Cup Italia season in third place and has been a regular front-runner in the German one-make series since 2022, scoring two race wins. At 23, Tauscher is the oldest contender in the field. Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux sends 20-year-old Dutch driver Sam Jongejan, the reigning runner-up, while Carrera Cup France puts forward its newly crowned champion, 19-year-old Marcus Amand, who took home the title in just his second season.
Representing Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain is 22-year-old vice champion William Martin, who brings six years of experience behind the wheel of the 911 GT3 Cup. William Siverholm has successfully advanced through the Porsche Motorsport pyramid: the 20-year-old Swede won the 2023 Porsche Sprint Challenge Scandinavia and went on to finish second overall in the Carrera Cup Scandinavia this season.
The Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland nominates race winner Flynt Schuring, a familiar name in the series: the 19-year-old Dutchman is the younger brother of Porsche DTM driver Morris Schuring (20), who won the LMGT3 class at last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 911 GT3 R. Flynt himself also secured three victories in the German one-make series last season and finished third overall in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.
Italian Enzo Trulli earned his spot in the Junior shootout via the Carrera Cup Asia: the 20-year-old son of former Formula 1 driver Jarno Trulli finished second overall and secured the series’ talent-pool support. Carrera Cup Brazil sends Matheus de Barros Comparatto to Europe; the 18-year-old Formula 4 graduate is the second-youngest contender and wrapped up his national Porsche one-make series as vice champion.
Representing the North American Carrera Cup is 23-year-old Zachary Vanier, who won the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and twice finished third overall in the series with the 911 GT3 Cup. The award for the longest journey goes to Bayley Hall from Australia, who placed fourth overall in his home Carrera Cup and won the Junior classification.
