Porsche Junior, Female Driver programs to continue in North America

Carson, Calif. Porsche Motorsport North America has announced the details of the popular Porsche Junior and Female Driver development programs for the 2026 seasons. The programs support eligible drivers in Porsche Carrera Cup North America, Porsche Sprint Challenge North America, and Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West. Drivers competing in a Porsche who meet eligibility criteria and are participating in open-competition championships in IMSA and SRO may also realize support from these programs.

The PMNA-supported Porsche Junior program officially began in 2021 with the launch of Porsche Carrera Cup North America but has its roots in the Porsche Young Driver Academy dating back to 2012, while the Female Driver Program took shape in 2022. From the start, the programs have grown the careers of prominent drivers as they progressed through the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid North America, with many – including Loek Hartog, Elliott Skeer, Seb Priaulx, Parker Thompson and Kay Van Berlo – earning success on the world stage.

Each program focuses on driver development, including performance-based incentives in the form of tires and entry fee support. Seminars during Porsche Carrera Cup North America race weekends cover topics ranging from performance thinking to car setup and communications between drivers and engineers, along with access to Porsche racing legends Richard Westbrook and Patrick Long.

A two-day seminar with in-depth sesisons covering sponsorship activation, social media, physical fitness and mental exercises, and media training will take place for the third year in a row at the Porsche Penske Motorsport shop in Mooresville, North Carolina.

‟All of us at Porsche Motorsport North America are proud of the drivers who make up this program year after year,” Volker Holzmeyer, President and CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America, said. ‟The Porsche Driver Development programs have continued to grow both in quantity and quality through the years and we have seen those graduates go on to success. We wish next year’s class equal success and welcome all who are developing as a driver to the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid.”

In addition to the driver training, both programs include financial assistance.

Each driver in the Porsche Female Driver program will have 50 percent of entry fees in Porsche single-make races covered by Porsche Motorsport North America. The top female driver in each Porsche Carrera Cup North America race will receive a free set of tires during the next race weekend, with an additional set awarded to the top point scorer throughout the weekend. The top scoring Sprint Challenge North America and Sprint Challenge USA West drivers each doubleheader weekend will receive a free set of race tires at the next race weekend.

Likewise, participants in the Junior Program may also earn race tires based on their performance in each championship race weekend and entry fees in Porsche Carrera Cup North America. The highest finishing drivers in each Porsche Sprint Challenge category can earn their 2027 entry fees to advance through the Porsche Motorsports Pyramid North America.

Each of last year’s Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Drivers came through the Junior Program. PMNA Selected Drivers Riley Dickinson and Loek Hartog used the awarded parts credit from PMNA to compete in GT4 America in Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport machinery. Tom Sargent competed with Wright Motorsports at the Michelin Endurance Championship rounds in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship with help from the same award, as selected prior to the season.

Others, like Zachary Vanier, parlayed his Junior Program experience into a competitive Porsche Carrera Cup North America season. Following a Porsche Sprint Challenge North America title in 2023, Vanier has captured five wins during his two Carrera Cup North America seasons and represented North America at the Porsche Junior Shootout this fall in Portugal. Paul Bocuse has used the Junior Program to follow the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid North America, winning a Cayman Pro-Am championship in Porsche Sprint Challenge and to move to the 992 Pro-Am class the next season, then progressing in the same Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car to Porsche Carrera Cup North America in 2025.

Likewise, the Female Driver Program continues to grow, beginning with one driver in the inaugural 2023 season and growing to seven in 2025. Three drivers – Sabré Cook, Madeline Stewart and Ashley Freiberg – participated full time in Porsche Carrera Cup North America in 2025. Loni Unser, Erika Hoffmann, and Anna Cecchi each won Porsche Sprint Challenge races during the recently completed season, while Therese Lahlou finished on the podium in the highly competitive 992 Pro-Am class.