Porsche driver and team owner Earl Bamber has hailed the success of the 2023 Team Porsche New Zealand Scholarship programme.

Bamber’s call comes after Ryan Wood and Zac Stichbury were named as recipients of the 2023 Team Porsche New Zealand Scholarship.

Wood will step up to Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia in 2023 with Team Porsche New Zealand, while Stichbury will represent the team in next year’s Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Series.

The Team Porsche New Zealand Scholarship programme sets out to create a pathway for young New Zealand talent to progress their motorsport careers with Matthew Payne, who steps into a full-time Supercars seat in 2023, as well as Porsche Carrera Cup Australia driver Callum Hedge recent graduates.

Bamber said this year’s programme attracted a talented pool of participants.

“This was an amazing opportunity to see five really talented drivers from New Zealand all line up together in the same car. I think it’s the first ever time in New Zealand it’s been done,” he said.

“It was incredibly hard to judge all five and I think all of them have big careers in motorsport ahead of them. With Ryan Wood continuing with us in Carrera Cup and Zac Stichbury in the Sprint Challenge, we are super excited to have these two young men join us in the scholarship car.

“I think they are very well deserving and represent the core values of what the scholarship for Team Porsche New Zealand is all about; giving young drivers an opportunity to perform at the highest level and show their talent and skills. We’re really looking forward to the 2023 season with both drivers to see what they can achieve.

“This year Callum Hedge has achieved two round wins, and the same with Ryan in the Sprint Challenge, so I think the talent pool is massive.

“A huge thank you to Porsche New Zealand for making this possible for young drivers in this country.”

Wood and Stichbury were among the five finalists that participated in the New Zealand Scholarship Shootout at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in October.

The other finalists included Ronan Murphy, Kaleb Ngatoa, and Matthew Mccutcheon.

In addition to driving a Porsche 991.2 GT3 Cup Car around the 2.7km circuit, the participants took part in fitness tests, as well as character, and media interviews.