2023 Team Porsche New Zealand Scholarship Drivers Announced
The top five applicants were invited by Porsche New Zealand to test their skills in the 991.2 GT3 cup car and the final shootout event at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park was featured on TVNZ’s Sunday show, Sunday 6 Novemeber. Following a rigorous testing programme, Team Porsche New Zealand have selected Ryan Wood (18) and Zac Stichbury (21) as their Driver Scholarship recipients for 2023. Founded in 2019, Team Porsche New Zealand is a collaboration between Porsche New Zealand and Earl Bamber Motorsport to provide young New Zealand driving talent the opportunity and pathway to advance their motorsport career in Australia. The scholarship programme sees drivers competing in the Carrera Cup Australia which is a key component in the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid, and the feeder series, the Porsche Sprint Challenge.
Selection of the final two drivers was based on an intense programme that mirrors the daily rigors and pressures of being a professional driver. Finalists were tested on and off the track at multiple stations including character interviews with Earl Bamber and the Porsche New Zealand team, track testing in the 991.2 GT3 Cup car with analysis with Ben Jenkins from Earl Bamber Motorsport, fitness testing (reaction, cardio, and strength-based tests) with Alastair Wooiton from Formula Fit, mental potential assessment and media interviews with TVNZ Sunday reporter Kristin Hall. The final five finalists for the TPNZ shootout were Kaleb Ngatoa (21), Matthew Mccutcheon (19), Ronan Murphy (21), Ryan Wood (18), and Zac Stichbury (21).
It’s a robust and demanding assessment regime, but one that helps shape high performers and Team Porsche New Zealand Porsche principal and two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans victor, Earl Bamber, has a deep understanding of what is needed to compete at the top echelons of global motorsport. Earl himself was identified by the Giltrap Group as a future talent worth nurturing and represented New Zealand in the A1GP series, before progressing his motorsport career via the Porsche Pyramid through Carrera Cup Asia, Porsche Super Cup, and ultimately as a factory driver for Porsche in both the World Endurance Championship and the North American International Motor Sports Association.
The programme has identified Ryan Wood as the Carrera Cup scholarship driver for the 2023 season, while Zac Stichbury is the second scholarship recipient, due to compete for Team Porsche New Zealand in 2023 in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Cup Challenge.
Ryan has graduated from competing in the 2022 Porsche Michelin Sprint Cup Challenge through the scholarship program, to the Team Porsche New Zealand main car for the 2023 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia series. In his first year with Team Porsche NZ, Ryan Wood is currently ranked second in the 2022 Michelin Sprint Challenge.
Meanwhile Zac Stichbury follows the motor racing footsteps of his late father Ashley Stichbury. Zac won the 2018 NZ Schools Championships and the New Zealand Rotax Max Challenge, before representing New Zealand in the World Grand Finals in Brazil. He has since progressed through Formula Ford and the Toyota 86 Championship. With the recent completion of his degree in Industrial Design at Auckland University of Technology, Zac is moving across the ditch to live in the Gold Coast and start preparing for his debut season with Team Porsche New Zealand in 2023.
After two successful seasons in Australia, Team Porsche New Zealand has already had success in achieving its purpose – winning & creating a pathway for young New Zealand talent to advance in motorsport.
"This was an amazing opportunity to see five really talented drivers from New Zealand all line up together in the same car. It was incredibly hard to judge all five and I think all of them have big careers in motorsport ahead of them. With Ryan Wood continuing with us in Carrera Cup and Zac Stichbury in the Sprint Challenge, we are super excited to have these two young men join us in the scholarship car.” Said Bamber.
“I think they are very well deserving and represent the core values of what the scholarship for Team Porsche New Zealand is all about; giving young drivers an opportunity to perform at the highest level and show their talent and skills. We’re really looking forward to the 2023 season with both drivers to see what they can achieve. This year Callum Hedge has achieved two round wins, and the same with Ryan in the Sprint Challenge, so I think the talent pool is massive. A huge thank you to Porsche New Zealand for making this possible for young drivers in this country.”
Porsche New Zealand General Manager, Greg Clarke is proud Porsche New Zealand can help foster future talent in this part of the world. “After two successful seasons competing in Australia, we are proud to continue offering young kiwi talent a pathway in motorsport. Ryan Wood has demonstrated himself as a competitive athlete this year and with the introduction of Zac Stichbury into the team as the Sprint Challenge driver, we are excited to see what 2023 has in store for our scholarship team”.
The scholarship recipients we’re overjoyed to be confirmed.
"I'm very excited and privileged to continue my journey with TPNZ and EBM next year in the Carrera cup. Following this year's results, I'm looking forward to achieving the same results next year with the ambition to be a title contender again.” Said Wood.
"Words struggle to describe how much this means to me, to be selected as a Porsche New Zealand driver and race for Earl Bamber Motorsport next year in the Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge. To finally get the opportunity to continue from where my late father finished up and to race under the New Zealand based team over in Australia. I am aiming to win the championship as well as improve and grow each race weekend as a driver and with the team. Can’t wait to see what unfolds and to learn and take this opportunity with both hands." Said Stichbury