The 2024 season barely over, the Porsche Carrera Cup France was already looking ahead to 2025 with the Junior Programme selection. From November 9 to 11, eight drivers, selected based on their applications, gathered in the Var region to follow in the footsteps of Paul Cauhaupé, Mathys Jaubert, Alessandro Ghiretti, and many others.
At Le Castellet, the contenders were hoping to shape their destinies. Mathys Cappuccio (FEED Racing finalist), Karen Gaillard (Michelin Le Mans Cup), Paul Jouffreau (EuroNascar Pro), Joran Leneutre (Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe), Arthur Rogeon (GB3), Charles Roussanne (Alpine Elf Cup Series), Jérémy Siffert (Sprint Cup by Funyo), and Matteo Spirgel (FIA European KZ2 Championship) all arrived with the same ambition: to become the Porsche Carrera Cup France Junior of 2025!
The selection began with a day of physical and cognitive tests, media training, and individual interviews. The following day, the drivers headed to the Paul Ricard Circuit, where Porsche 991 GT3 Cup Type 992 cars awaited them for several driving sessions. After two days of intense competition, the programme officials gathered to decide between the competitors—a particularly challenging decision given the very high level of all the drivers.
In the end, Karen Gaillard was chosen as the winner.
The driver’s career began in karting. Karen Gaillard quickly transitioned to cars, testing her skills in Caterham, Cupra TCR, Vortex 1.0, Mitjet 2L, and Nova NP02 prototypes. Last winter, she joined the Iron Dames programme to compete in the Michelin Le Mans Cup season, driving a Lamborghini Huracan GT3.
Following a 2024 season filled with learning, featuring a dual Michelin Le Mans Cup/Ultimate Cup European Series programme, Karen Gaillard’s future is now set in the Porsche Carrera Cup France. The first female Junior will benefit from personalized support with the championship’s official driver coach, Patrick Pilet. She will receive a €40,000 grant (excluding VAT), a set of Michelin tires, and support from a partner Porsche Center. Her journey will begin in Barcelona during the pre-season tests on March 4 and 5, 2025.
Karen Gaillard, Porsche Carrera Cup France Junior 2025 “I’m very happy. I’d like to thank the entire Porsche Carrera Cup France team for giving me this opportunity. It’s an amazing step for my career, but it’s just the beginning of the work. I’m entering a championship filled with specialists, and now I have to give everything to have a great season. I’d like to congratulate all the other participants because the selection level was extremely high. I also want to thank all my partners who have supported me over the years. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to race in so many seasons and get to where I am today. I want to express my gratitude to the DIMAB Motorsport by ANS team, from whom I’ve learned so much, and of course, the Iron Dames.”