Ace driver chasing double racing prize

From Asia, to Germany, to the American south-west, Wanganui-born racer Earl Bamber has had a stunning season with Porsche. PHOTO/FILE

Expat Wanganui driver Earl Bamber is gearing up for a massive month of racing as he has his eyes on two Porsche titles in the space of a fortnight.

Bamber has just competed at the final round of the new Tudor United SportsCar Championship series in the United States, the annual Petit Le Mans endurance race at Road Atlanta, where he contributed significantly to Porsche winning the GTLM manufacturers' title.

That call-up for the 24-year-old who received the Porsche Motorsport International Cup Scholarship last year, will now be followed by the final rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia on October 18-19 in Shanghai, of which he is the defending champion.

That will be followed by the double-header final round of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup on November 1-2, a support event for this year's US Formula 1 Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

Bamber currently leads the Supercup with 123 points, five points ahead of Poland's Kuba Giermaziak, having earned six podium placings over the eight rounds so far.

The Petit Le Mans event in Georgia last weekend was the first time the former New Zealand Grand Prix winner had been at the wheel of a specifically-prepared Porsche 911 RSR, and his first 10-hour classic.

"To get the chance to contest this race with the 911 RSR then climb the podium was a fantastic experience," said Bamber.

He scored second with works drivers Michael Christensen (Denmark) and Patrick Long (USA) at Porsche's double victory.

"The days spent on this track were like a crash course in long distance racing for me. I've learned a great deal from the whole team."

While Bamber came into the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup with a bit of a reputation as the Asian champion and scholarship recipient, everyone had their heads turned immediately when he won the opening round at Circuit de Catalunya, near Barcelona.

He then won the second on the ultra-demanding Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.

"Porsche's support has given me the chance of a lifetime as a race driver.

"I felt I was in good hands right from the start, and this gave me a lot of confidence," he said.

"I've met some great people and I've reached new levels in every aspect as a race driver this season."

Bamber also made a big - winning - impact on a brief foray into Germany's Carrera Cup series, earning praise from fellow Porsche driver Timo Bernhard, who is amazed by his progress.

"It's incredible how quickly Earl familiarises himself with new tracks and how he brought our team forward together with the engineers.

"It's a pity he couldn't finish the [Deutschland] season. Earl was the guy to beat in the Carrera Cup Deutschland."