15 Dec 2014

Bamber signs with Porsche factory team

8:36 am on 15 December 2014

The New Zealand driver Earl Bamber will join the Porsche factory team next year, capping off a stellar year in which he won the 2014 Porsche Super Cup title.

New Zealand driver Earl Bamber celebrates winning 2014 Porsche Super Cup title.

Earl Bamber following his 2014 Porsche Super Cup title win Photo: Supplied

By securing a works drive with Porsche he joins Brendon Hartley, who competes in the global Le Mans Series, as the second New Zealander to land a full works drive with the manufacturer.

The 24-year-old will bolster Porsche Motorsport's GT squad and pilot a 911 RSR in the US Sportscar Championship next year.

Bamber won the Porsche Supercup title this year as a part of the German manufacturers scholarship programme.

Bamber has also won the Porsche Carrera Cup in Asia for the last two years.

At the season-opening 24 Hours of Daytona, 24-year-old Bamber will join forces with the seasoned specialists Frédéric Makowiecki and Jörg Bergmeister of Germany.

Frank-Steffen Walliser, head of Porsche's GT motorsport division, told Autosport signing Bamber was one of his first jobs when he took over his new role in October because he is a real talent.

Bamber says it's amazing to be Porsche factory driver.

His single-seater career petered out in 2012 after stints in A1GP, GP2 Asia and Superleague Formula.