THE youngest Pro field in Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia history will headline the start of an intense battle for the 2024 series at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit this weekend.

The first of six rounds set for the new season commences this weekend at Race Phillip Island with the Shannons SpeedSeries, with eleven Porsche Michelin Juniors – average age, 20 – set to headline the three-race program.

They’re part of a broader 26-strong field that includes competition throughout Pro-Am and Class B with intense battles expected throughout the field.

At an outright level returning drivers Aron Shields – last year’s runner-up to champion Marco Giltrap – 18-year-old Grove Racing junior Oscar Targett, who finished third last year, fellow teenager Hamish Fitzsimmons (fourth in 2023) and West Aussie Caleb Sumich all return looking for a title this year.

They’ll be joined by an incredible rookie pack that includes Australian Formula Ford series runner-up, 16-year-old Jake Santalucia and current New Zealand GT4 Champion, Brock Gilchrist.

Gilchrist will be joined by fellow New Zealanders Clay Osborne – who made an impressive debut in the final two rounds last year – and Speedway ace / NZ GT Porsche racer Ayrton Hodson.

Australia will be well-represented with 17-year-old Slade Orsmond, who made his debut in the Mount Panorama season finale’ last year, young Victorian Formula 3 racer Ben Taylor and Formula Ford graduate Conor Somers.

Of the 12 Pro class entrants only one is not a Michelin Junior: Tyler Greenbury to make a welcome return to full-time circuit racing this weekend aboard a 991.2 GT3 Cup Car entered by his own team.

Greenbury, a multiple Australian Karting Champion, finished runner-up in the 2016 V8 Touring Cars series before focussing on his own successful Karting team however will return to the drivers’ seat this weekend.

The Pro-Am class fight is expected to be as lively as ever with 2022 Pro-Am champion Brett Boulton leading the charge as the most successful driver in the class entered this weekend.

Competition is expected to be tight, however, with two former Class B contenders – 2022 champ Lachy Harburg and 10-time race winner Brad Carr – stepping up to the Pro-Am fight in the later 991.2 model GT3 Cup Car.

Meanwhile, Class B champion Phil Morriss will return to defend his title this year.

Six drivers will be on debut this weekend as the series’ heads to a venue noted for producing wildly competitive racing.

Phillip Island was also the scene of the 2023 season opener, with Marco Giltrap claiming two of the three races and the round win to anchor his eventual championship challenge.

Aron Shields won the other race, while Sam Shahin led home Brett Boulton to win the Pro-Am class in a clean sweep. Lachy Harburg swept Class B at the Island last year.

Of note to competitors will be the recent resurfacing efforts having given the iconic 4.46km circuit a brand new surface ahead of the 2024 season.

Phillip Island’s Michelin Sprint Challenge lap record is the oldest among active circuits on the calendar, set at 1m31.1140s by Matt Campbell back in his debut Porsche season in 2014.

Action commences on Friday with practice and qualifying, ahead of the first race in the brand-new season commencing at 2:45pm on Saturday afternoon.

The first race in the Jim Richards Endurance Trophy campaign kicks off Sunday’s program at 9:20am, followed by the finale’ at 12:55pm.

The Shannons SpeedSeries event will be shown live and free on the Seven Network this Saturday and Sunday from Phillip Island.

ROUND 1 – ENTRY LIST