Callum Hedge secures seat in global Porsche Junior Shootout
Team Porsche New Zealand (TPNZ) scholarship recipient Callum Hedge has been announced as Australia's nominee for the annual global Porsche Junior Shootout in Europe later this year.
Hedge earned the nomination after going head-to-head with nearest rival contestant Jackson Walls at the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia in Melbourne at Sandown Raceway. This round marked the cut-off for the championship nomination and the title was up for contention as just 32 points separated the pair in the Junior standings following four intense rounds previously.
There was a close battle between Hedge and Walls since Albert Park's opening round, with the championship lead only changing hands in the most recent race, held at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia.
Hedge provisionally secured the position at Sandown after race two as he stole the victory from Dylan O’Keeffe in the final corner of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia enduro cup race.
The Porsche Junior Shootout puts the top junior drivers from global Porsche one-make championships head-to-head, with the winner claiming a scholarship prize to contest the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Championship in 2024. The winner of the Porsche junior shootout is usually announced at the annual Porsche ‘Night of Champions' event at the end of the year.
The sports car manufacturer’s exemplary junior programme has been one of the most successful of its kind in motorsport. This initiative has paved the way for many talented youngsters to pursue professional careers as works drivers, producing numerous world champions and Le Mans winners in the process. Earl Bamber won the Porsche Junior Shootout in 2014 as a nominee of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and went on to race Supercup and win the 24 hours of Le Mans as a Porsche Factory driver.
Hedge is the third Kiwi from Porsche Carrera Cup Australia to earn the ticket, following the footsteps of Andre Heimgartner in 2012 as well as Jaxon Evans in 2018 who managed to win the shootout.
Hedge is competing in his third season with TPNZ and Earl Bamber Motorsport after debuting with the team in the Porsche Sprint Challenge feeder series in 2021. In 2022 he took the top Rookie honours and second place in the Michelin Junior Drivers' standings in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia - finishing in 6th place overall in the championship.
Callum Hedge:
“To win the Michelin Junior Championship, and secure the ticket to the Porsche Junior Shootout for me is huge. This has been my goal since I first drove a Porsche. To realise that goal is a testament to the hard work put in by Earl Bamber Motorsport and Team Porsche New Zealand, I really have to thank them for believing in me and knowing that I was capable of doing what we set out to do."
"I look forward to being the first Team Porsche New Zealand driver to contest in the Porsche Junior Shootout and I will be working as hard as I can to represent them and Porsche Carrera Cup Australia to the best of my ability.”
Earl Bamber Motorsport Owner, Earl Bamber:
“Congratulations to Callum and everyone at Team Porsche New Zealand. Personally, I went through the route with Porsche and that’s where I got my chance to become a factory driver, so I think it’s a dream come true for any young driver to have that shot and chance in their career.”
“As a team, we are really proud of Callum. I would like to say a huge thank you to Porsche New Zealand for making these chances possible for young drivers, as this passion isn’t seen by any other sponsor and manufacturer. It’s special for a New Zealander to have this opportunity, and hopefully, it’s the first of many who will get the chance in future years to come.”
Porsche New Zealand General Manager, Greg Clarke:
“We are proud to see Callum secure the seat in the international shootout as has proven himself over the last 3 years in the TPNZ scholarship program. He showed his potential in Carrera Cup last year, and has continued to grow to take out the top spot this season.”
“Competing in the global shootout is the ultimate achievement for our scholarship program as it opens the opportunity to climb the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid. We are really looking forward to seeing Callum represent New Zealand in Europe later this year. ”
Porsche Motorsport Australia, Motorsport Manager, Barry Hay:
“The Michelin Junior battle has been fierce all year since the season started at the Australian Grand Prix and we knew from the outset of the year that whoever we sent from Australia, would be a great candidate. Callum has put it all together across the last two rounds at Tailem Bend and Sandown and that has earned him the right to go to the Shootout. He's shown he has what it takes."
"We can't wait to see how he goes against the best young Porsche drivers in the world. We back the level of our championship alongside any in the world, so we know he will do us proud and be a real contender to win the Junior Shootout this year."
