Matt Campbell Claims Porsche Scholarship
Posted on November 22, 2016 Tags: Matt Campbell Porsche scholarship
Aussie gun Matt Campbell is ready for 2017 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Image: Porsche Cars, Australia.
Rising Australian superstar Matt Campbell has won the prestigious Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme Shootout and is set to continue his ascent of the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid in next year’s Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.
The 21-year-old from Warwick, Queensland, was selected from nine young drivers from international Carrera Cup and GT3 Cup Challenge series around the world after a rigorous two-day evaluation at Lausitzring, Germany.
Campbell was deemed the best candidate and received the lucrative scholarship, which awards him 200,000 Euros towards a position on the grid of the ultra-competitive Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup championship. Porsche’s premier international one-make series competes as a support category to Formula 1 across Europe and the United States, including events at iconic circuits such as Barcelona, Monaco, Hockenheim, Spa-Francorchamps, Monza and the Circuit of the Americas. As part of his inclusion in the Junior Programme, Campbell receives training in communications, fitness and mental preparation and mentorship from the programme’s permanent driver coach and former Porsche champion, Sascha Maassen.
“This is an incredible opportunity for me and an honour to become a Porsche Junior driver in 2017,” said Campbell.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed racing Porsches for the last three seasons, firstly in GT3 Cup Challenge and then in Carrera Cup, and, amazingly, I can continue racing with the brand in 2017 in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. It’s great that Porsche provides such a strong pathway for young drivers in Australia to advance their careers, such as I did, both locally and abroad.”
Paul Ellis, Porsche Cars Australia’s Director of Public Relations and Motorsport, believes the appointment of Campbell as a Porsche Junior – the hotbed from which drivers are selected for the Porsche factory team, which this year included FIA World Endurance Champions Mark Webber and Brendon Hartley and 2015 Le Mans 24 Hour winner Earl Bamber – is the next step in a long and successful career with Porsche for the young Australian.
“Matt is a phenomenal talent, and we are thrilled, but not surprised, that he won the Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme Shootout. He has been a stand-out performer in both our GT3 Cup Challenge and Carrera Cup championships over the past three years, and we wish him all the best as he began this new challenge in 2017,” said Ellis.
“Matt’s rise through the ranks of motorsport has demonstrated how drivers can use the genuine pathway provided by Porsche to launch an international motor racing career. The Porsche Motorsport Pyramid, which locally includes our popular GT3 Cup Challenge feeder series and competitive Carrera Cup championship both nurtures and promotes young drivers. Current Supercars drivers David Reynolds, Fabian Coulthard, James Moffat, Nick Percat, Jonathon Webb and Andre Heimgartner all progressed through Carrera Cup. At the same time, Ben Barker, Nick Foster and Sam Power used the series to help launch their career overseas.
“From all of us at Porsche Cars Australia, and on behalf of our vast Porsche racing family, we wish Matt all the best for the 2017 season and beyond.”
Campbell’s maiden Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup season follows three seasons in Porsche one-make racing in Australia. Campbell entered Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia in 2014 in a 2005-spec Class B Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, cementing himself as one to watch by remaining competitive among Class A runners, who were equipped with more powerful 2011-spec 911 GT3 Cup cars.
Campbell then joined Porsche Carrera Cup Australia in 2015, initially demonstrating immense pace in a 911 GT3 Cup car before translating this into strong race results in the latter half of the season. In the final four rounds (11 races), Campbell scored 10 top two performances, including six race victories, and finished third for the season behind eventual champion Nick Foster and David Russell.
Campbell then clinched the 2016 Carrera Cup title in his second attempt. Campbell won 13 of the season’s 23 races, scored seven out of a possible eight pole positions and also claimed victory in the outright Porsche Carrera Cup Asia & Australia joint race at Sydney Motorsport Park.
The Australian is one of two drivers to be confirmed for the Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme; 18-year-old Austrian Thomas Preining is the new Porsche Junior to race in Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, run as support to the DTM, and given 150,000 Euros towards his campaign. Preining was selected ahead of over 100 drivers that applied for the entry-level Porsche Junior position after a strong maiden season in single-seaters, placing fourth in the 2016 ADAC Formula 4 Championship.
About Matt Campbell
Matt Campbell is one of the stand-out young drivers in Australian motor racing, underpinned by a tremendous story of his rise in the sport.
Campbell is from humble beginnings; he grew up around motor racing in the small country town of Warwick, Queensland. His grandfather, Bill Campbell, ran the local race track, Morgan Park Raceway, which was where Bill and ‘TC’, Campbell’s Auntie, taught Campbell how to drive… and how to race.
Campbell’s natural ability was soon apparent.
At 16, Campbell was Queensland Super Sprints State Champion and second in the Queensland Formula Ford Championship. The following season, he won the Queensland Formula Ford title before taking another Super Sprints title in 2013 – a season where he contested the national Formula Ford championship, placing ninth.
Campbell then started his ascent of the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid – a key step in his short racing career. Campbell raced in the 2014 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia season, quickly turning heads for his speed in the 2005-spec Class B entry against a field mostly consisting of the 2011-spec Porsche. Campbell wrapped up the Class B title with one round remaining and was handed the opportunity to race a Class A Porsche for the season finale. Campbell claimed pole position and dominated all three races (with a total winning margin of 27 seconds).
Campbell continued his ascent of the Motorsport Pyramid in 2015, moving to the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia championship. Again, he quickly gained attention by qualifying second at Albert Park – his second-ever Carrera Cup event. His true ability was then demonstrated at the tail end of the season.
Campbell finished in the top two positions in the final 11 races of the season, including six race wins.
Entering his second Carrera Cup season in 2016, Campbell’s momentum continued, taking 13 wins from the season’s 23 races and winning the series title with two races remaining.
Such is Campbell’s talent, renowned Supercars Championship team, Nissan Motorsport, recruited the 21-year-old to co-drive in the touring car series’ three endurance events at Sandown, Bathurst and Gold Coast. True to form, Campbell, impressed in all three events.
This is a snippet of a tremendous motorsport story – one that will take Campbell to Europe in 2017 to compete the world’s premier one-make sportscar championship, the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.
Matt Campbell – Racing History
2016
Champion – Porsche Carrera Cup Australia
– Won 13 out of 23 races, in addition to the outright joint Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Asia & Australia race
– New record: Most consecutive pole positions (seven)
– New record: Most pole positions gained in a season (seven)
– New Qualifying Lap Record: Hidden Valley Raceway
– New Qualifying Lap Record: Sandown Raceway
2015
3rd – Porsche Carrera Cup Australia
– Best Rookie
– Finished either 1st or 2nd in the final 11 races of the season
– Six race wins
– New Race Lap Record: Mount Panorama Circuit (Bathurst)
– New Qualifying Lap Record: Mount Panorama Circuit (Bathurst)
– New Qualifying Lap Record: Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
– New Qualifying Lap Record: Sandown Raceway
2014
Champion (Class B), 4th Outright – Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia
– Consistently competing amongst the newer Class A cars
– Contested the final round in a Class A car, winning all three races by a combined margin of 27 seconds
– New Lap Record: Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
2014
Champion – Queensland Super Sprint State Championship
Recipient of the Will Power Young Achiever of the Year Award
2013
Champion – Queensland Super Sprint State Championship
9th – Australian Formula Ford Championship
New Lap Record: Morgan Park Raceway, Historic Group R Sports
2012
Champion – Queensland Formula Ford Championship
New Lap Record: Morgan Park Raceway, Historic Group Q Racing
2011
Champion – Queensland Super Sprint State Championship
2nd – Queensland Formula Ford Championship
New Lap Record: Sydney Motorsport Park, Historic Group Q Racing
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