Team Porsche New Zealand will make its Spa 24 Hour debut this weekend with Kiwi drivers Will Bamber and Reid Harker at the helm.
Bamber and Harker will join international drivers Adrian Henry D’Silva and Carlos Rivas for the hallowed endurance event.
The entry is run by Earl Bamber Motorsport, which Will and his older brother Earl co-own.
Earl Bamber will also be on the grid this weekend, aiming to defend his victory last year with GPX Racing.
The event marks Will’s first return to a race car after what he described as an ‘agonisingly’ long absence.
“It’s amazing to be back in the seat after such a long time,” Bamber said.
“It’s been agonising, but to return to racing with EBM and Team Porsche New Zealand is an amazing feeling.
“Spa is no joke. We have a huge challenge ahead but our team has put in a massive amount of work and we have the crew and drivers to do the job.”
Harker has been linked with EBM for a while now.
The youngster was set to race in the Asia Porsche Carrera Cup with the squad before Covid-19 stalled his plans.
This weekend will be Harker’s first international GT3 race start and in one of the most gruelling endurance races, no less.
“I’m super excited to be making my international GT3 debut with EBM and Porsche New Zealand at the 24 Hours of Spa,” Harker said.
“This is an amazing opportunity to race alongside the best in the world, and I can’t wait.
“We have all the ingredients to challenge for the Pro-Am win so we will be pushing for a strong result.”
It is not just the team and drivers that have the Kiwi flavour too.
New Zealander Jeff Docherty sketched up the livery on the Porsche 911 GT3 R the crew are running.
Docherty says the livery was inspired by the Porsche 906 that raced in the Sebring 12 Hour in 1967.
“We bounced designs back and forth, but we kept coming back to two of the proposed designs,” he said.
“They both utilised iconic Porsche DNA, with subtle nods to historic Porsche race cars and colours: Miami Blue and Fashion Grey.”
The Spa 24 Hour begins at 2.30 am NZT on August 1.