Two Kiwis selected for Porsche Junior Shootout
Words: Kyle Cassidy
Marco Giltrap and Clay Osborne have secured places at November’s Porsche Junior Shootout in Portugal, putting two New Zealanders among the 12 drivers chasing support for a move into the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.
Held at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimão, the shootout assesses candidates both on and off the track. Drivers are nominated by Porsche’s one-make championships around the world, with the winner receiving Porsche support to progress to Supercup.
Giltrap will represent Porsche ARbox Carrera Cup Asia after winning the series’ 2026 championship. Driving the Team Porsche New Zealand entry run by Earl Bamber Motorsport, he sealed the title with a double win at the Singapore season finale.
“This is a huge opportunity. Every young driver in a Carrera Cup series around the world is working towards a shot at the shootout, so to be nominated this year is really special,” said Giltrap.
Osborne, originally from the Waikato, has been nominated by Porsche Motorsport Australia following his second full season in Porsche Equity-One Carrera Cup Australia with TekworkX. His campaign included his first round win in Darwin.
“It’s also incredible to have two Kiwis in the shootout this year, with Clay Osborne representing Australia,” said Giltrap. “That says a lot about the depth of talent coming out of New Zealand.”
Giltrap won’t have to look far for an example of where the opportunity can lead. Earl Bamber, whose team runs his Carrera Cup Asia car, earned the same series’ nomination and won Porsche’s international scholarship shootout in 2013.
Bamber then claimed the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup title in his debut season in 2014, before becoming a Porsche works driver and a two-time overall winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“Earl showed what’s possible when you take your chance, so I’m heading to Portugal to give it everything,” said Giltrap.
The shootout is the first of two significant November opportunities for Giltrap. Afterwards, he will return to Asia to test a Porsche 911 GT3 R at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit from 22–24 November.
He will be joined by Rodrigo Almeida, a fellow member of the Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Talent Pool.
