Cooper Murray has been announced as the winner of the 2021 Porsche Michelin Junior Australia Programme and will be heading overseas to contest the Porsche Junior Shootout later this year.
 
In what has been a close battle between Murray and 2019 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia winner Harri Jones in the Michelin Junior Competition, Murray secured the class lead after winning the most recent Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia round in Townsville.
 
With the cancellation of the Bass Coast Festival of Motorsport at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, which was the final point scoring round, it means Murray has done enough to get the nod.
 
As a result, Murray will now have the opportunity to attend the Porsche Junior Shootout in November and go up against the best junior drivers from Porsche Carrera Cup series from around the world.
 
The Victorian joins a long line of accomplished drivers who have attended the Porsche Junior Shootout including Matt Campbell and Jaxon Evans – both of whom went on to win the shootout and forge a career internationally.
 
Campbell is currently a Porsche factory driver and has raced at many of the iconic races around the world, including a class victory at the famous 24 Hour of Le Mans, while Evans has been a serious title contender in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup for multiple years.
 
Other names to tackle the Porsche Junior Shootout in recent years include TCR Australia star Dylan O’Keefe, GT World Challenge Asia driver Nick Foster and Jordan Love, who is currently competing in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Endurance series.
 
“I’m very excited and grateful to have been nominated as Porsche Carrera Cup Australia’s representative with the opportunity to attend the Porsche Junior Global Shootout event,” Murray said.
 
“I hope to follow in the footsteps of fellow McElrea drivers Matt Campbell and Jaxon Evans and replicate their success.
 
“I wouldn’t have been able to get to this point in my career if it wasn’t for the amazing support of my family, McElrea Racing and everyone who has helped me along the way.”  
 
Porsche’s Head of Motorsport Troy Bundy was pleased with Murray’s performances in 2021 and believed he was a deserving recipient.
 
“Like all the Juniors that have come through our Programme, it’s been personally rewarding to see Cooper’s development and outright pace mature in both our series, ever since his first season with us in 2018 - which was then GT3 Cup Challenge (Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge),” Bundy explained.
 
“Despite his young age, he has been a force within Carrera Cup Australia the last two years, against arguably the strongest Pro drivers in the series history.”
 
Murray will head to Europe later this year for the three-day Shootout which takes place on 23-25 November.