Porsche Supercup’s Harry King and three-time Carrera Cup Asia champion Chris van der Drift are heading to Bathurst to compete in Round 6 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia.
They will join EMA Motorspor and Earl Bamber Motorsport respectively for the Mount Panorama pilgrimage where King will join season regular Garnet Patterson. Van der Drift will replace current points leader Callum Hedge who will miss the event due to a clash with Formula Regional Americas round at Virginia International Raceway.
King comes well credentialed after he finished third in Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup this year. He had three race wins driving for BWT Lechner Racing, including around the streets of Monaco.
In his first GT3 Cup year, in 2020, the 22-year-old Englishman took top honours in the Carrera Cup Great Britain. Then, in 2022, he had seven wins from eight races in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux on his way to the title. He also scored four podiums in Supercup the same year.
“The prospect of racing in Australia really excites me, and to measure myself against the Carrera Cup Australia competition is something I am eager to experience,” King said.
Van der Drift is the most successful driver in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia history and will make his Carrera Cup Australia debut at Mount Panorama. However, he is no stranger to Porsche racing at Bathurst. He raced a Cup Car four times in the Bathurst 12 hour and finished second in Class B in 2019.
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“When I heard of this opportunity, I jumped at it straight away. I’ve known Earl for many years, so it’s awesome to be finally driving for his team,” said van der Drift.
“I have been driving the same 992 Cup Car in Porsche Carrera Cup Asia this season, so I know the car well, and I’m very excited to be able to drive one at one of my favourite tracks in the world. A huge thanks to Team Porsche New Zealand and everyone who made this happen.”
Meanwhile, Hedge leads both the Formula Regional Americas championship and Porsche Carrera Cup Australia, amassing 16 wins and 31 poles from 41 race starts.
The 19-year-old Kiwi was placed in a difficult position when deciding which event to compete at. The potential prizes on offer in the US-based championship an impossible lure to resist though aspires to still win both titles should the cards fall right.
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