Former Porsche Carrera Cup Australia champion Nick Foster will return to the series at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit next weekend for the series’ annual Pro-Am event.
Foster, now driving a Gulf Racing Porsche 911 RSR alongside fellow Carrera Cup Australia graduate Ben Barker in the FIA World Endurance Championship, will pair with series’ newcomer Graham Williams in the Pro-Am event to be held on May 26-28.
The event will mark a big return to local shores for the 2015 champion having now firmly made his mark in international Porsche competition, following an initial season in Carrera Cup Germany last year.
“I’m really looking forward to coming back and, in particular, to drive with Graham,” Foster said.
“Getting him into Carrera Cup has been a plan we set in motion a long time ago and he’s come a very long way from being a Porsche Centre Victoria ‘casual competitive’ club member to racing in Carrera Cup.
“It’s a massive learning curve for him to be driving at the pointy-end of such a competitive class but the plan is to keep our noses clean, have some fun and keep the learning process going over the course of the weekend.
“Racing full-time in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia is an enormous part of my career and I can’t wait to come back and catch up with everyone again.
“Last time I raced in the championship there was a lot of pressure as I was fighting for the championship so this will be a nice change to go and really enjoy it, work with Graham and have a great weekend.”
Williams, who graduated into Carrera Cup straight from Porsche Club competition and made his championship debut at Albert Park in March, said he was looking forward to partnering with Foster.
“Nick has been coaching me for about a year now,” Williams said.
“He’s an amazingly mature and competent driver, he’s awesome. Albert Park was a massive learning experience in every way, but it was a great event and one to tick off the bucket list.
“The whole professionalism that Porsche wrap around the event for an ‘Am’ driver is amazing and I’d love to see more of them engaged. It’s very professional.”
The Victorian is taking a long-term approach to his Carrera Cup career and sees this weekend as a big opportunity to continue to learning the championship and get up to speed against his TAG Heuer Carrera Challenge rivals.
“My goal is to continue to improve and get closer to the other guys,” Williams explained.
“This is the first in what is a five year plan for me – I see it as a long term relationship and commitment. I’m looking forward to the new car coming next year and I’m treating this year as a run-up and preparation for that.
“I know Phillip Island very well, being a Victorian, and Nick and I have done a lot of driving together on test days and I’ve learned a lot from him.
“It’s all about his ability to work with me, and our personalities gel, so that makes it pretty special.”
Porsche Carrera Cup Australia will hold a one-hour, two-driver race on both Saturday and Sunday of the Phillip Island Pro-Am event.
