The philosophy of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe is clear: to offer great motorsport at a time when the majority of racing in Europe is in deep winter sleep. The first green light of the new competition was given last weekend in Valencia, Spain, and everyone returned from Spain with a feeling of satisfaction, which bodes well for the future.

Series Manager Lars Plato and his team have done a lot of work in recent weeks to prepare everything for the start of the competition and he looks back on the opening weekend with satisfaction: “I would especially like to thank all crew members for their efforts to make this excellent start of the new championship possible and of course the same applies to the many drivers and their teams present. With no less than 34 cars on the starting grid of both Divisions – Sport and Club – we can only speak of a successful start. The mix of experienced drivers, young wolves, and fast gentlemen drivers is what we aim for and we will do everything we can in the coming weeks to welcome the participants even better at the next event. We are really looking forward to the races in Portimao and Barcelona because, with drivers from all over Europe and even Japan and the United States, it is clear that this competition has its place in the winter calendar of European motorsport. Those who want to discover our competition in Portugal or Spain can of course still do so, either with a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – or with a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. We have additional spots for guest entries at the last two rounds.”

Two divisions and four classes

The races themselves were also good for a beautiful spectacle and fair sport. In the Club Division, in which the AM drivers in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – compete against the various Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, American Dustin Blattner (Enrico Fulgenzi Racing) won twice. He won the first race ahead of the Estonian Thomas Kangro (Porsche Estonia) and the Belgian Nicolas Vandierendonck (Q1 Trackracing). In the second sprint over 30 minutes, the American triumphed ahead of the Dutchman Michel Arfman (Team GP Elite) and the Briton Josh Stanton (Huber Racing). Talk about an international competition! Britain's Zac Meakin (Team Parker Racing) was twice best in class for the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. His teammate Joe Warhurst and the Romanian Dragos Buriu (Q1 Trackracing) were allowed to take the podium in both the first and second race.

The Pro drivers and Pro-Am drivers also raced twice for thirty minutes in the Sport Division, proving once again that Porsche's competitions are the perfect environment for young talent to blossom. The barely 16-year-old Dutchman Robert De Haan, who comes over from karting and F4 racing, won twice in the colors of Richardson Racing and in his wake, we saw another young talent: the Belgian Benjamin Paque who is doing it for August by NGT. The bronze in the first race went to Germany's Sebastian Freymuth (Huber Racing) and Britain's Adam Smalley (Team Parker Racing) took third place in the second race.

In Pro-Am, Brit Will Aspin (Revs Motorsport) was the best in the first round ahead of Dutchman Lin Hodenius (Team GP Elite) and another Brit, Ryan Ratcliffe (Team Parker Racing). The latter took revenge in the second appointment, with a victory, ahead of his compatriot Will Aspin and another Dutchman, Alexander Goddijn (Team GP Elite).

Next appointment of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe for a full program with many test sessions in addition to the races is in Portimao, all on February 11th and 12th!