Sebastian Priaulx is taking on a new challenge in 2021, having proven himself in two strong seasons of GT4 endurance racing, he’s moving into the world’s most competitive single make, single driver, sprint racing championship. A new generation of car, and the first time the Porsche Carrera Cup has been run in North America offers a unique opportunity for Priaulx to showcase his talent, driving for the most successful team in the series. Multimatic Motorsports and Kelly-Moss Racing have enjoyed a strong relationship for over two decades and so they were the logical choice for the campaign.
When the new series gets underway at Sebring next month, Priaulx will take the wheel of the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car along with a host of other young talent looking to demonstrate their ability. The 20 year-old British driver, son of three-time World Touring Car Champion, Andy, is currently in the US, preparing to take part in a two-day test at Sebring (11-12 February), where the Kelly-Moss crew will run him in a previous generation Porsche Cup car so as to give him a taste of the rear engine configuration, a new experience for the young Guernseyman.
For Priaulx, who will race in the Rookie class, the series provides an opportunity to show off his skills. He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I cannot wait to get started. I’ve raced with a team mate for the last few years and this is like going back to single-seaters where the buck stops with me. In the past I have gone well in one-make series so I’m really looking forward to starting work with Jeff Stone, Andy Kilcoyne and the guys at Kelly-Moss. Of course, one rookie will be selected to represent the region in the Porsche Junior Shootout in Germany at the end of the year and that is my target. Thank you to Multimatic for having faith in me. I’m feeling fit, I’m raring to go and I will give it everything I’ve got!”
The Porsche Carrera Cup North America is a 16-round, eight-event, series that will showcase the best driving talent via safe, competitive and consistent racing. Every round is a 45-minute sprint race so it is important for drivers to qualify well and race fast and mistake-free to obtain the top results. The stakes are high as at the end of the season, Porsche will choose one rookie to represent the North America region in the annual Porsche Junior Shootout in Germany.
Raj Nair, Multimatic President and COO, said: “This is an indication of Multimatic’s increasing commitment to motorsports. We have chosen Seb to be a central part of our young driver development programme and after two successful seasons in our GT4 Mustangs, on both sides of the Atlantic, we felt it time for him to try something a little different.”
Larry Holt, Executive Vice President, Multimatic Special Vehicle Operations, said: “In my estimation there is no better way to showcase talent than single driver sprint racing; no strategy, no pit stops, no excuses. Kelly-Moss and Multimatic Motorsports have a number of development initiatives in the works and the relationship stretches back over twenty years, and with Jeff’s record in racing GT3 Cup cars it was a no-brainer to hook Seb up with them. I’m looking forward to watching some great racing from our young man this coming season.”
Kelly-Moss Racing is a powerhouse of the motorsport industry, with over 30 years of experience of taking top results. The team are Porsche specialists and have entered every GT3 Cup Challenge event since its creation in 2005, making over 800 starts and taking over 100 victories and six championships in that time. In short, they know how to win. Crucially, they are experts in driver development so this is a great opportunity for a driver of Priaulx’s calibre.
Andy Kilcoyne, Kelly-Moss Partner & Director of Operations, said: “Kelly-Moss is excited to be working with Sebastian in the inaugural Porsche Carrera Cup North America season. There is a tremendous depth, talent throughout the Carrera Cup entry list. Kelly-Moss is honoured that Multimatic has faith enough in our programme to entrust KMR to further develop and hone Sebastian’s skills for what lies ahead. Sebastian will undoubtedly be in the headlines throughout the season. We are ready to dig in and fight for a driver and team championship this season.”
The first race of the 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup North America series will take place at Sebring International Raceway in March.
