Wanganui's Earl Bamber, right, is having a dream run in his rookie Porsche season.
Former Wanganui driver Earl Bamber has won a valuable factory scholarship hard on the heels of claiming the 2013 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia championship in the Far East last month.
The 23-year-old was named winner of the Porsche Motorsport International Cup Scholarship challenge at the weekend, receiving funding of 200,000 Euro ($327,000) for his 2014 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup campaign.
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia nominated Bamber for the shootout in Oschersleben, Germany, where he managed to beat seven other top pilots from Porsche one-make cup series around the world.
Bamber has had a dream rookie season, winning the Asian championship with a round still to run, and now this coveted prize.
Over two days, the successful one-make cup pilots had to set not only the fastest possible lap times on the 3.7km Motorsportarena Oschersleben race track, but also demonstrate their technical understanding and analytical skills in setting up the 460hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup vehicle. Part of the selection process included the simulation of a qualifying session as well as an entire race.
"After evaluating all the data and an extensive analysis of lap times, Earl Bamber gave the most convincing performances of all candidates," Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup manager Jonas Krauss said.
"He is both quick and experienced as a pilot and his personality also impressed us. I'm thrilled to welcome him to the world's fastest international one-make series for the 2014 season."
"We are proud that a driver from the Carrera Cup Asia was able to win this international competition and that he will represent us in the coming Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup season," said Oliver Schwab, Motorsport manager at Porsche China. "In his first season with Porsche, Bamber adapted very quickly to the unfamiliar vehicle and has become the man to beat."
"It's a dream come true," said a delighted Bamber.
"When I first entered the Carrera Cup Asia it was my goal right from the beginning to be nominated for the Cup Scholarship. But when I got the call from Germany I couldn't quite believe that I'd won. In the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, which is contested alongside Formula 1, I'll be up against some of the world's best GT drivers. I'm really looking forward to pitting myself against them."
Bamber began carving out his racing career at the wheel of a kart. At the young age of eight he won his first national title in New Zealand. As a 15-year-old he switched to the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship before heading off to Asia two years later. Success quickly followed.
He promptly won the Asian Formula BMW title. The young Kiwi turned heads at his other career stages as well, achieving pole positions, fastest race laps and podium results in the Formula Renault V6 and Australian Formula 3, despite a tight budget. In 2008 he notched up two vice-championship trophies - in the Formula Renault V6 Asia and the Toyota Racing Series New Zealand.
In 2009 Bamber contested several rounds of the international A1 GP Formula Series for the New Zealand team, and finished on the podium three times. He also climbed the podium in the GP2 Asia - at the age of just 19. In 2010 he repeated his 2008 success and was again crowned runner-up in the New Zealand Toyota Racing Series. He made his debut in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia in 2013 and convincingly won the championship after scoring a total of seven victories.
This year marks the second time that the International Porsche Motorsport Cup Scholarship is awarded. Already at a club sport level, talented youngsters have the chance to impress and advance into the GT3 Cup Challenges or the Porsche Carrera Cups contested around the globe, where they learn everything they need for a career as a racing professional.