Eastwood elected Motorsport Ireland; Young Racing Driver for April 2017
Charlie Eastwood from Belfast has been selected as the Young Racing Driver of the Month for April. The 21 year-old won both of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB races at Donington Park, having earlier taken a pair of second places at the opening weekend at Brands Hatch. This left him leading the championship after the first four rounds.
Charlie started his racing career in karts at the age of eight, achieving great success, and has held a Motorsport Ireland licence since 2012, when he won the Rotax World Final, adding the 2013 Rotax European Champion to his achievements. He switched to car racing in 2014, driving in the UK Formula 4 series, the New Zealand Toyota championship and the Formula Renault Eurocup during the next two seasons.
He began his association with Porsche GB in late 2015, becoming the 2016/17 Porsche Carrera Cup GB scholar, which launched him into the Carrera Cup championship. Charlie won the Rookie title in 2016 as well as taking 3rd in the Pro class, and is one of the strongest contenders for outright victory this year. The next round of the Carrera Cup is as a supporting race for the world famous Le Mans 24 Hour Endurance race in June, and he will also contest the Porsche Supercup race at the British Grand Prix meeting at Silverstone.
Charlie’s principal sponsors are Porsche GB, with additional support from Nutts Corner circuit. He works as an instructor at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone, and will also be spending one week per month in Mexico, giving his expert driving advice and tips to owners of the German marque there.
Having been selected as the first Driver of the Month for the 2017 season, Charlie is now a contender for the prestigious Motorsport Ireland Young Racing Driver of the Year Award and the historic Sexton Trophy. This award is presented annually and is supported by Sport Ireland (formerly the Irish Sports Council) and Motorsport Ireland.
Photo attached: Charlie Eastwood in his Porsche Carrera.
