Joining the junior contingent for the 2016 season is Norwegian Dennis Olsen (19) as well as Frenchman Mathieu Jaminet (21). Italy’s Matteo Cairoli (19) and Sven Müller (23) from Germany will continue to receive support for another year.
For the coming season, Olsen will receive a grant and comprehensive support in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland. Jaminet, Cairoli and Müller receive backing in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. “We are pleased to be able to further expand our young driver scheme and to support four talented international youngsters next year. The Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland and the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup have proved to be excellent training grounds for tomorrow’s sports car professionals. A prime example of this is Earl Bamber’s career. We selected him as a junior in 2014 and already this year he scored overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” says Head of Porsche Motorsport Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser.
Multi-level selection process
Olsen came out on top in a demanding multi-level selection process against more than 100 young pilots and displayed top form at the shoot-out on the Lausitzring in October. Amongst the drivers who have no experience as yet in GT racing, the Norwegian from the town of Valer i Ostfold put in a convincing performance in both dry and wet track conditions. At a test run in the 460 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, each of the talented youngsters had the same number of tyres at their disposal and worked together with Porsche engineers on setting up the vehicle. Olsen, who contested the Formula Renault 2.0 in the 2015 season, will receive funding of 150,000 Euro towards his Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland campaign. Like all Porsche Juniors, he will also receive training in media matters, fitness and mental preparation. Former Porsche works driver Sascha Maassen accompanies all Porsche Juniors as a permanent coach.
A second shoot-out was organised for pilots who have already gained some GT experience in Porsche’s one-make series worldwide. Among the nominated candidates from individual countries and regions was 21-year-old Jaminet. The young Frenchman from Woippy near Metz, who was put forward by Porsche Carrera Cup France, impressed the jury with his performance both on and off the racetrack. With a scholarship of 200,000 Euro, he gets the chance to compete in the 2016 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Jaminet will tackle Porsche’s flagship championship alongside the two other Porsche-supported pilots Cairoli and Müller, who also contest the series run as support to all European Formula 1 rounds.
Cairoli comes from Como in Italy and this year won the rookie classification of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Müller, from Bingen close to the German city of Mainz, secured the vice-championship.
Talent scout initiatives enjoy a long tradition at Porsche Motorsport. Using this path, many scholarship pilots have managed to climb the career ladder into international GT and prototype racing. Recently, Michael Christensen and Earl Bamber were promoted from juniors to Porsche works drivers. Bamber crowned his career last June with the historic LMP1 victory at the Le Mans 24 hour race.
