Paul Bocuse’s Miami weekend nearly unraveled before the opening lap was complete. Instead, the Kellymoss driver fought back from early damage to secure a career-best Porsche Carrera Cup North America podium at the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.
The race was thrown into disarray almost immediately after a major Lap 1, Turn 1 incident scattered several frontrunners and forced drivers into survival mode through the opening stages.
The Kellymoss racer was among those caught in the contact, with damage to the right rear of his Porsche significantly affecting the handling for the remainder of the race.
Despite the damage, Bocuse remained convinced he still had the pace to challenge near the front as incidents and penalties continued to reshape the order around him. After briefly grabbing the race lead for the first time in his Carrera Cup career, the Florida native believed victory was still possible.
“Turn 1 I got a pretty big shot to the right rear wheel,” Bocuse said. “It caused it to tow in pretty bad and the car was crab walking hard down the straight, and made it very difficult to get the car rotated.”
“But after I ended up in the lead, I remember saying on the radio, ‘All right, let’s go out here and win this thing,’” Bocuse said. “I felt pretty confident at that moment.”
Leading for the first time.
Bocuse found himself in a three-way fight for the lead with Callum Hedge (JDX Racing) and Jared Thomas (JTR Motorsport Engineering). Hedge and Thomas made contact at the Miami “Marina” corner, opening the door for the 18-year-old Kellymoss driver to take the lead.
“Right away it was more or less an ‘oh crap’ moment,” he admitted. “But as I kind of settled into my groove, I knew for me to do well in this race, I had to settle in, hit my marks and listen to my people on the radio.”
Although Callum Hedge and eventual race winner Tyler Maxson moved past him on track before post-race penalties reshuffled the order, Bocuse still secured a career-best second-place finish in the Mobil Pro class.
The podium carried extra meaning given the event’s Florida location.
“Super excited to come away with a second-place finish at Miami, which is so close to home, just like Sebring for me,” Bocuse said. “It was good to have another chance racing in Florida.”
The result also reinforced the progress Bocuse believes he is making during his second season in Porsche Carrera Cup North America.
“We qualified sixth and we knew recently in these races I’ve been shining a lot more in the race rather than just qualifying pace,” he said. “It definitely gives me a lot of confidence going into the rest of the Carrera Cup championship.”
Surprise GT4 opportunity.
That momentum now rolls directly into a surprise opportunity in Pirelli GT4 America this weekend at Sebring International Raceway, where Bocuse will make his debut in the category alongside Porsche Mobil 1 Female Driver Program racer, Erika Hoffman.
The opportunity came together quickly.
“It was really just super random,” Bocuse said. “Andy Kilcoyne (Kellymoss boss) talked to me about it as kind of an idea floating around during the Miami weekend.”
The event will mark Bocuse’s first major step into open GT competition after building his recent experience within Porsche’s one-make ladder.
“My first real open competition race,” he said. “There’s a super high level in GT4 America. You have past Carrera Cup winners competing, past Carrera Cup drivers and really, really good drivers as a whole.”
Bocuse believes the experience will accelerate his development as he continues climbing Porsche’s ladder system.
“I’m really excited to just grow and develop in my driving and hopefully be able to transfer what I learn back to Carrera Cup and vice versa.”
Returning to a familiar platform.
The GT4 machinery itself will not be entirely unfamiliar territory. Bocuse previously won the Cayman championship in Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama and expects the transition back into the platform to come naturally.
With the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport now used as Porsche’s GT4 platform – the new car features a horsepower boost from the “non-RS” version of the Cayman that Bocuse previously raced.
“It’s been almost four years since I’ve driven a Cayman,” Bocuse said. “Hopefully, I can shake the rust off quickly. It definitely helps my confidence knowing I’ve driven this car before and been fast in the Cayman previously.”
He is also looking forward to working alongside Hoffman for the first time.
“Erika has a couple of races under her belt in this championship already and I’m looking forward to working with her,” Bocuse said.“She was a race winner in Porsche Sprint Challenge, and we met during the Porsche Junior/Female workshop in Charlotte last year. So I hope I can learn a lot from her and what she knows going into this weekend.”
Balancing racing and school.
Away from the race track, Bocuse is balancing another major life transition.
The 18-year-old this week completed his final days of high school while simultaneously juggling Carrera Cup competition, college admissions, and preparations for his GT4 debut.
“My plate’s definitely been full,” Bocuse said. “College admissions, prom, homecoming, final exams, and racing all at the same time.”
Rather than moving entirely to homeschooling during his racing career, Bocuse remained in traditional school throughout his teenage years after making his Porsche debut as a 15-year-old, something he now appreciates.
“It was a super fun experience being able to actually go to high school and manage racing at the same time,” he said. “I’m super thankful to my parents for actually making me stay in school.”
Bocuse will attend Florida Atlantic University, where he plans to study hospitality management while continuing his racing career.
The decision also ties into his famous family name that is world-renowned in global cuisine. Bocuse is the grandson of legendary French chef Paul Bocuse, whose influence helped shape modern French gastronomy, while his father operates several restaurants in Orlando, continuing the family’s culinary legacy.
“My plan would be to take over from Dad one day, hopefully, and do what he does,” Bocuse said. “Hopefully, even when I’m his age, I can still be driving race cars.”
Despite coming from one of the world’s most famous culinary families, Bocuse admits his own cooking skills still need work.
“Oh, I’m horrible,” he laughed. “I’m a lot more interested in the business side of the restaurant rather than being in the kitchen.”
For now, though, racing remains the priority – and Miami may ultimately prove to be the weekend that changed the momentum of his Carrera Cup season.
Sunday’s Porsche Carrera Cup North America race at the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix has been cancelled after officials moved the Formula 1 race start time forward due to the threat of severe weather.
The Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome will now start at 1:00pm local time (ET) – three hours earlier than the originally scheduled 4:00pm.
The decision leaves this year’s Miami weekend as a single-race event for Porsche Carrera Cup North America following Saturday’s Race 1.
The next round of Porsche Carrera Cup North America is scheduled for Watkins Glen International from June 25 to 27.
Championship leader Tyler Maxson has been elevated to the race win after a raft of post-race penalties in Porsche Carrera Cup North America at the Miami Formula 1 Grand Prix.
In what turned out to be a single race due to incoming weather and F1 schedule changes, Maxson (TOPP Racing) initially crossed the line second behind JDX Racing’s Callum Hedge. However, after a wild, frantic, and contact-filled race – Hedge was one of five drivers to be awarded a 28-second penalty (equivalent of a drive-through) for “causing a collision.”
Maxson extends championship advantage
The win for Maxson extends his championship points advantage despite the fact he was caught up in the opening Lap 1, Turn 1 melee.
Hedge survived the initial Turn 1 class, and the JDX Racing driver endured a three-wide battle with 20 minutes remaining before ultimately climbing back to the top spot.
Maxson passed fellow Porsche Motorsport North America Junior Program racer Paul Bocuse (Kellymoss) with five minutes remaining, and the latter finished second for his best-ever finish in Porsche Carrera Cup North America.
After the penalties, Jared Thomas took the final podium spot despite facing backwards at one stage at the Miami “Harbor” after contact.
Mulcahy bounces back after sitting backwards in Turn 1
In the Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class, Patrick Mulcahy was caught up in the Lap 1 chaos while searching for his fifth consecutive win of the season.
However, the ACI Motorsports driver returned to the lead over competitor Josh Conley (Kellymoss) by the halfway mark to extend his lead in the class championship.
“I would say it was a really rough race for everybody out there,” Mulcahy described. “I’m hoping we all clean it up for tomorrow because that was kind of crazy.
“It was a lot of refocus (to fight back). I knew how to sit in the pocket and work my way down the field. There was 30 minutes left, and once the second and third yellow flags went out, it was a survival race.”
2025 Masters champ back in victory lane.
Scott Blind made significant ground in the Solairus Aviation Masters class championship with a win on Saturday at the Miami street circuit.
Blind finished tenth overall with his Ruckus Racing Porsche, marking his first win of the 2026 Porsche Carrera Cup North America season.
“It really feels good to get a win this year,” said Blind. “It was crazy out there. It was like ‘Survivor,’ but the Race Edition.
Similar to Mulcahy, Blind was also mixed in with the opening lap mayhem.
“Everything was happening so fast,” Blind added. “I’ll go back to the video, and only half of the time I’m right! We’ll have to go look at it, and it was chaos in front of me.”
Blind entered the event third in the class standings behind leader Marco Cirone (ACI Motorsports). Cirone ran second on Saturday before contact and a spin took him out of contention with 15 minutes remaining. As a result, Miami native Kevin Stadlander (JDX Racing) and series debutante Matt Smith (ACI Motorsports) finished second and third, respectively.
Full post-race penalties
Cars 68 & 74 – 28-second time penalties – Failing to serve a drive-through penalty
Cars 9, 37, 6, 40 & 45 – Drive-through converted to 28-second time penalties – Causing a collision
Car 39 – 10-second time penalty – Causing a collision
Car 78 – Required to start from the back of the starting grid – per Race Director
One more on deck.
The final Porsche Carrera Cup North America race at the Miami Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday at 11:10am ET. The Formula One race follows at 4pm.
All Porsche Carrera Cup North America races stream live – and are available to watch anytime – on the Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube channel. Stay up-to-date on all the latest news by following Porsche Motorsport North America on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and Twitter, and by subscribing to the newsletter.
RESULTS.
Race 1
Mobil Pro Class:
- Callum Hedge #9
- Tyler Maxson #77
- Paul Bocuse #71
Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class:
- Patrick Mulcahy #54
- Josh Conley #29
Solairus Aviation Masters Class:
- Scott Blind #45
- Kevin Stadtlander #60
- Matt Smith #74
German young star Janne Stiak shook up the Porsche Carrera Cup North America field, taking Race Brew pole at the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.
In his first season competing in the United States, Sitak had a best finish of eighth during the series’ first outing at Sebring International Raceway in March.
Yet the ACI Motorsports driver ran one minute, 55.721 seconds on a third set of Pirelli P Zero DHG tires – beating the previous track record to start first in Race 1 on Saturday.
“I’m super happy, for the team and for myself,” said Stiak.
“We worked really hard after Sebring and after Long Beach, it was not the result we wanted. Finally in Miami, and the team was also strong last year with two race wins and the goal is to repeat it.”
Aaron Jeansonne (Kellymoss) also used three sets of tires, and was just shy of Stiak’s time by .244 seconds. Callum Hedge (JDX Racing) placed third after leading a late into the 30-minute qualifying session.
In the Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class, Patrick Mulcahy also placed first in qualifying with ACI Motorsports. Mulcahy has been victorious in each Pro-Am class race thus far in 2026, and ran top-10 overall during both practice sessions at Miami.
“It always feels good to put down a fast lap during qualy when it counts,” said Mulcahy, whose quickest time on Friday was 1:57.037.
“It was nice to do it in the sunset here at the F1 weekend, so it felt good.
“I’m looking forward to being able to chop it up with the Pros again tomorrow, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Kellymoss driver, Josh Conley, followed in second place.
Meanwhile, the battle between Solairus Aviation Masters Class drivers Marco Cirone (ACI Motorsports) and Scott Blind continues, as the latter starts up front for Saturday’s opening race at Miami.
Blind – a longtime Porsche single-make driver and champion – finished second to Cirone during the series’ last outing at Long Beach and is eager to reclaim first place.
“I needed this to get back on top,” said Blind with his Ruckus Racing team.
“We were concerned after Practice 2, and (coach) Andrew Davis made a few changes to the car. He said, ‘Don’t ask questions, drive the hell out of it.’ That’s what I did.
“Here we are. He did a great job, the team did a great job, and whatever the changes were, they really helped. The car felt great, it feels so good.”
Blind’s time of 1:57.841 was just .123 marks ahead of Cirone in second place, with Chris Bellomo (Kellymoss) in third.
A pair of races remain for Porsche Carrera Cup North America at the Formula One Miami Grand Prix. Saturday’s green flag waves at 2:50pm ET, followed by Race 2 on Sunday at 11:10am before the Formula One race later in the day.
All Porsche Carrera Cup North America races stream live – and are available to watch anytime – on the Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube channel. Stay up-to-date on all the latest news by following Porsche Motorsport North America on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and Twitter, and by subscribing to the newsletter.
RESULTS.
Qualifying
Mobil Pro Class:
- Janne Stiak #40
- Aaron Jeansonne #24
- Callum Hedge #9
Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class:
- Patrick Mulcahy #54
- Josh Conley #29
Solairus Aviation Masters Class:
- Scott Blind #45
- Marco Cirone #88
- Chris Bellomo #68
Practice 2
Mobil Pro Class:
- Callum Hedge #9
- Tyler Maxson #77
- Janne Stiak #40
Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class:
- Patrick Mulcahy #54
- Josh Conley #29
Solairus Aviation Masters Class:
- Marco Cirone #88
- Scott Blind #45
- Chris Bellomo #68
Tyler Maxson returned to the top of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America leaderboard on Thursday, pacing the series’ first practice at the Miami Formula One Grand Prix at Hard Rock Stadium.
Maxson holds the Mobil Pro Class championship lead going into Round 3, mostly thanks to sweeping the opening round at Sebring International Raceway in March – just a short distance away from this weekend’s 3.363-mile street circuit wrapped around the famous home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.
The TOPP Racing driver finished just off the podium during Carrera Cup’s most recent visit to the Long Beach Street Course two weeks ago in Southern California. However, Maxson still is five points ahead of Aaron Jeansonne (Kellymoss) in the point standings, who ran second quickest on Thursday.
“The team did a lot of work over the weekend, and I think we learned a lot in Long Beach, which was obviously really good and we put that to work here,” said Maxson, whose fastest time came at one minute, 57.716 seconds. “All the efforts from them and at the shop getting this car fast, we have a really fast car, I think. I’m really excited for the weekend ahead. I think we have a strong platform to build from.
“Any mileage we get on this new car [Porsche 911 Cup (Type 992.2)] is more data, more information for us. We’re building on it every weekend. We think we had a really strong package at Sebring, we tried some different stuff for Long Beach, and I think we have the best of both worlds here in Miami. I’m really happy with the progress we’ve made with the team so far.”
Behind Maxson and Jeansonne on Thursday’s time charts was Jared Thomas (JTR Motorsports Engineering).
“A lot of video, a lot of sim, studying the races we’ve had and last year’s races,” said Thomas, seeking his second podium finish of the season. “A combination of all that and I feel it prepared me pretty well.
“Practice 1 always leads to a good Practice 2 as long as you make the right adjustments. I feel like we’re going to make the right adjustments here and be good in Practice 2.”
In the Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class, Patrick Mulcahy continues his reign with ACI Motorsports. Mulcahy – the undisputed class championship leader following two weekend sweeps thus far in 2026 – finished ninth on the overall practice charts on Thursday at Miami with a time of 1:59.186. Josh Conley (Kellymoss) followed in second place.
Canadian driver Marco Cirone topped Thursday’s times in the Solairus Aviation Masters Class at 2:00.065. Cirone and his ACI Motorsports team seek a fourth Porsche Carrera Cup victory in 2026, but have 2025 Masters Chapmpion Scott Blind hot on their heels.
Blind was only .026 off his competitor’s quickest lap on Thursday.
“This weekend, we’re going to make a few changes,” said Blind. “We’re going to be ready for the second session. We’re going to try a few things, but when we get to qualifying, we’re going to be ready.
“We’re going to push, Marco is fast… I think Marco has more laps around this track than anybody in a Cup car. We’re going to get him, we’re going to make a few changes to the front end and we’ll be there.”
The Miami GP for Carrera Cup continues Friday with Practice 2 at 3:25pm ET and qualifying later in the day at 7:10pm. Race 1 is set for Saturday at 2:50pm followed by Race 2 on Sunday at 11:10am.
All Porsche Carrera Cup North America races stream live – and are available to watch anytime – on the Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube channel. Stay up-to-date on all the latest news by following Porsche Motorsport North America on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and Twitter, and by subscribing to the newsletter.
RESULTS.
Practice 1
Mobil Pro Class:
- Tyler Maxson #77
- Aaron Jeansonne #24
- Jared Thomas #96
Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class:
- Patrick Mulcahy #54
- Josh Conley #29
Solairus Aviation Masters Class:
- Marco Cirone #88
- Scott Blind #45
- Chris Bellomo #68
Porsche Carrera Cup North America again supports the Formula One Grand Prix for the fourth-consecutive season with a pair of 40-minute races. The new-for-2026 combination of the Porsche 911 Cup (Type 992.2) and Pirelli P Zero DHG tire makes its first appearance on the 3.363-mile circuit built around Hard Rock Stadium.
The Porsche 911 Cup delivers circa 520 PS from a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter boxer engine shared with the unit used in the Porsche 911 GT3 road car. The car has already proven to be quicker and more practical than the prior-generation car thanks to refined aerodynamics, cockpit ergonomics and updated electronics along with a popular air conditioning system for driver comfort. The Type 992.2 car is featured in just four championships this season: Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, and Porsche Carrera Cup North America.
Of five winners (Yves Baltas swept the Pro class) from the 2025 races, only Scott Blind in the Solairus Aviation Masters class returns in 2026. Current point leader Tyler Maxson finished second in Miami’s race 1 in 2025, while Aaron Jeansonne, second in points, earned a pair of top-five finishes in the same weekend.
Miami F1 Grand Prix fast facts.
Field.
20 Porsche 911 Cup race cars are entered for Round 3 at the Miami International Autodrome.
- Mobil Pro Class. 12
- Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class. 2
- Solairus Aviation Masters Class. 6
- Teams. Seven race teams across all three classes
Track record.
1:56.014, 2023, Riley Dickinson, Kellymoss Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (Type 992.1)
2025 Race winners.
- Mobil Pro Class.
- Race 1, Yves Baltas, ACI Motorsports
- Race 2, Yves Baltas, ACI Motorsports
- Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class.
- Race 1, James Sofronas, GMG Racing
- Race 2, Angel Benitez, FMS Motorsport
- Solairus Aviation Masters Class.
- Race 1, Todd Parriott, Kellymoss
- Race 2, Scott Blind, Ruckus Racing
2026 Championship Leaders.
- Mobil Pro Class.
- Tyler Maxson, TOPP Racing
- Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class.
- Patrick Mulcahy, ACI Motorsports
- Solairus Aviation Masters Class.
- Marco Circone, ACI Motorsports
- Rookie.
- Cole Kleck, TOPP Racing
- Team.
- TOPP Racing
Schedule.
All times Eastern
- Thursday, 30 April.5:35 – 6:05pm | Practice 1
- Friday, 1 May.3:25 – 3:55pm | Practice 2 7:10 – 7:40pm | Qualifying
- Saturday, 2 May.2:50 – 3:30pm | Race 1 (40 minutes)
- Sunday, 3 May. 11:10 – 11:50am | Race 2 (40 minutes)
Heading back East.
Premier events are a staple of Porsche Carrera Cup North America. Fresh off of a pair of caution-free races on the streets of Long Beach, the championship moves back across the country for the Miami F1 Grand Prix. Last season, ACI Motorsport’s Yves Baltas scored a pair of overall wins during the weekend.
Top of the points.
Last season, the Rookie of the Year battle came down to the final race of the year, with Aaron Jeansonne taking the title over Tyler Maxson. This year looks like a similar battle, but this time for the overall championship. Maxson opened the season with a pair of wins at Sebring, but runner-up finishes in both Long Beach races allowed Jeansonne to close the gap to just five points entering Miami.
Home track.
The Miami International Autodrome sees limited use, so the home track advantage is less than other permanent road courses that have more daily access. Still, JDX Racing’s Masters driver Kevin Stadtlander will be able to sleep in his own bed during the weekend, as he calls Miami home. Stadtlander is showcasing a brand new partner this weekend, Best Buddies International, where his #60 JDX machine will have the Keith Haring designed logo on his roof, frunk, and both doors. Fans and supporters can help advance Best Buddies’ mission of inclusion, friendship, employment, and leadership by contributing to this impactful cause.
Team titles.
As the Driver Championships heat up, so does the Team Championship. Currently, TOPP Racing holds a one-point advantage over Kellymoss, both thanks to the early-season success of Tyler Maxson (TOPP Racing) and Aaron Jeansonne (Kellymoss).
Formula 1.
Porsche’s crossover success with Formula One isn’t limited to Dan Gurney’s 1962 French Grand Prix victory. In 2015, current Formula One driver Nico Hülkenberg teamed with Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Porsche 919 Hybrid. Hülkenberg’s win made him the first active Formula One driver to win at Le Mans since 1991.
Analog and digital.
The Porsche Esports Carrera Cup North America is now four races deep, and everyone is chasing Coanda Esports driver Mitchell deJong. After four races, deJong remains perfect, sweeping the season to this point. The iRacing-based championship features 40 Porsche 911 Cup (Type 992.2) cars. 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup North America Rookie Champion Aaron Jeansonne has qualified for the series, however his ‘analog’ racing program means he can only race in a selected number of ‘digital’ Carrera Cup events.
Class descriptions.
Mobil Pro Class.
The highest level of competition in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America. The class is recognized through its orange color scheme. The car entry number will be delineated in orange on the doors, the windshield and rear glass. Headlight covers will be clear with orange cross-marks, with the addition of orange highlights on the front bumper splitters.
Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class.
Restricted to drivers who are 35 years old or older as of 1 January, 2026. The class is recognized through its green color scheme. The car entry number will be delineated in green on the doors, the windshield and rear glass. Headlight covers will be clear with green cross-marks, with the addition of green highlights on the front bumper splitters.
Solairus Aviation Masters Class.
This class is open to drivers who are 50 years old or older as of 1 January, 2026. The class is recognized through its yellow color scheme. The car entry number will be delineated in yellow on the doors, the windshield and rear glass. Headlight covers will be clear with yellow cross-marks, with the addition of yellow highlights on the front bumper splitters.
Entry list.
The full Porsche Carrera Cup North America entry list can be found by clicking here.
Points and results.
Event results and current points for Porsche Carrera Cup North America can be found by clicking here.
Broadcast.
All Porsche Carrera Cup North America races stream live – and are available to watch anytime – on the Porsche Motorsport North America & IMSA YouTube channels. Stay up-to-date on all the latest news by following Porsche Motorsport North America on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and Twitter, and by subscribing to the newsletter.
Porsche Esports Carrera Cup North America concluded its inaugural season at Road Atlanta with a clear statement from Coanda Esports, as champion Mitchell deJong led a 1–2–3 finish in the final round.
Already crowned champion before the green flag, deJong added a fifth win from six races with a controlled, lights-to-flag drive. From pole, he navigated a busy opening lap with teammates Michael Janney and Xander Reed slotted in behind to form a Coanda Esports train.
From there, the trio controlled the pace through the 40-minute journey
No decisive moves came at the front after the opening phase. DeJong managed the gap, Janney remained within reach without forcing an attack, and Reed held position to ensure the team maintained formation to the finish. The focus shifted from outright aggression to execution, with all three drivers avoiding mistakes as the race developed behind them.
“This is kind of what we had hoped we could accomplish. I can’t believe the pace that all three of us had.,” said deJong.
“I’m super proud of what we had there. It was a really clean race for us, just kind of getting through everything, and I’m glad we were able to get some redemption after a bit of drama last week.
“It’s been a really good season. I would have been happy just to win one race and be near the podium the rest of the time, so to come away with five wins is pretty crazy. You just never know with this style of racing – the draft, how close the times are – so to consistently qualify well and make the most of every situation, that’s what made the difference. I’m really proud of the team.”
Behind him, Janney delivered his strongest performance outside of Road America, securing second place and completing the team’s sweep at the front.
“Definitely a good day in the office. Mitchell and Xander are great at putting in prep when I’m away, and I kind of just jump on and try to execute. They put in a lot of work, and it showed today,” said Janney.
“To come away with a one-two-three as a team is massive. It really shows the level we’re operating at. When everything comes together like that, it’s pretty special, and it’s a great way to finish the season.”
Reed followed in third, securing second in the championship standings with another composed and consistent drive to close out the year.
“It’s been a really consistent year for me, and to finish it like this with a one-two-three for the team is pretty special. We’ve been close to this result a few times, so to finally get it done is a great way to end it,” said Reed.
“At that stage of the race, it was about being smart. There was no need to force anything. Just stay in position, hit your marks and bring it home. That’s what mattered.”
While the front three remained largely unchanged after the opening laps, the rest of the field delivered a far more aggressive race. Packs of cars ran nose-to-tail across multiple groups, with constant position changes, side-by-side racing and increasing pressure as the race progressed.
Incidents and penalties played a role throughout. Early contact in the pack shuffled drivers down the order, while several competitors were caught out by incident limits. The intensity remained high into the closing laps, particularly in the fight for the final points-paying positions.
A key moment came late when Dalton Zavadil, running in contention for the final point, lost control exiting Turn 5 and hit the wall. The incident ended one of the race’s most competitive battles and opened the door for a multi-car fight to the finish.
That fight delivered one of the closest finishes of the season. Jaden Munoz edged Alex Johnson by just 0.004 seconds at the line after a drag race through the final corners, while Jordan Ehr secured 15th place to claim the final championship point.
At the front, however, the order remained unchanged. DeJong’s victory capped a dominant campaign defined by consistency in both qualifying and race conditions, while Reed’s third-place finish secured second in the standings and Sean Campbell finished fifth to lock in third overall.
The result also marked the first time this season that Coanda Esports locked out all three podium positions, providing a clear closing statement to the championship.
Five wins from six races confirmed deJong as a clear inaugural champion and set the benchmark for Porsche Esports Carrera Cup North America moving forward.
For part of his Championship winning prize, deJong was invited to the ‘in real life’ Porsche Carrera Cup North America event at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, where he was given a tour by Aaron Jeansonne.
To cap off a standout campaign, the Coanda Esports team sees two of its drivers – Mitchell deJong & Xander Reed – move on to the next rung of Porsche’s esports ladder in regional competition. They will be joined by Grid-and-Go Esports star Sean D Campbell.
The trio will set their sights on converting regional success into qualification for the Porsche Esports Supercup World Championship, where the world’s best sim racers compete on the sport’s biggest stage.
All Porsche Esports Carrera Cup North America races stream live – and are available to watch anytime – on the Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube channel. Stay up-to-date on all the latest news by following Porsche Motorsport North America on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and Twitter, and by subscribing to the newsletter.
RESULTS.
Qualifying
- Mitchell deJong #48
- Sean D Campbell #26
- Xander Reed #77
Race
- Mitchell deJong #48
- Michael Janney #23
- Xander Reed #77
With the GMG Racing team celebrating alongside in victory lane, Tom Sargent concluded a successful Porsche Carrera Cup North America one-off weekend with a Race 2 victory on Sunday morning at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Having been behind the wheel of multiple Porsche racecars throughout his career, the new-for-2026 Porsche 911 Cup (Type 992.2) has proved to be a fit for the Australian driver.
After winning the Carrera Cup Race 1 on Saturday, Sargent – filling in for GMG’s Kyle Washington at the team’s hometown circuit – crossed the finish line on Sunday by nearly a second over runner-up Aaron Jeansonne.
“It’s really good, we achieved what we came here to do,” said the Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver.
“It wasn’t easy, that’s for sure. I really had to work for that one. Aaron had some really good speed there towards the end. I’m really fortunate I was able to build a big enough of a gap that I could maintain that and keep ahead.
“It’s so hard to pass around here, but big respect to those guys. A big thanks to EBOOST, Kyle Washington and GMG.”
Jeansonne (Kellymoss) finished second on Saturday ahead of Callum Hedge (JDX Racing), mirroring the Mobil Pro Class results the day prior. And as he did in Race 1, Hedge fended off a determined Tyler Maxson (TOPP Racing) for the final podium position by only a half-second.
Maxson remains the class championship leader by five points over Jeansonne after four rounds in 2026.
Following a Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class class-winning sweep at Sebring International Raceway last month, Patrick Mulcahy delivered the same performance at Long Beach with ACI Motorsports.
Mulcahy finished two-and-a-half seconds over the rest of the field en route to his fourth consecutive victory in 2026, albeit after a brief touch with the narrow Long Beach street circuit walls.
“That was pretty brutal,” Mulcahy described. “I clipped the inside wall out of (Turn) 8 and pretty much the last two-thirds of the race was just me trying to survive. It was rough.
“I was holding on for dear life, but hey, I finished with a win, and I’ll take it.”
Steve Wetterau and Josh Conley – both running with Kellymoss – finished second and third, respectively, in the class.
The Solairus Aviation Masters Class is destined for a season-long rivalry, as Rob Walker (JTR Motorsports Engineering) halted Marco Cirone’s winning streak on Sunday.
After Cirone (ACI Motorsports) won the first three rounds of the season, Walker started and finished first in class at the 1.968-mile circuit on Sunday.
“It feels really good, especially at a local track in front of my buddies,” said Walker, another California native in the field.
“I spent a lot of time thinking about how not to get into the wall, and I guess if you think about that enough, maybe you set some good laps.”
Cirone ultimately finished third, but only after a valiant attempt at passing Scott Blind (Ruckus Racing) in the final 10 minutes of the race.
Another street course awaits Porsche Carrera Cup North America, with Rounds 5 and 6 taking place at Miami International Autodrome on May 1 – 3 in conjunction with the Formula One Miami Grand Prix.
All Porsche Carrera Cup North America races stream live – and are available to watch anytime – on the Porsche Motorsport North America & IMSA YouTube channels. Stay up-to-date on all the latest news by following Porsche Motorsport North America on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and Twitter, and by subscribing to the newsletter.
RESULTS.
Race 2
Mobil Pro Class:
- Tom Sargent #32
- Aaron Jeansonne #24
- Callum Hedge #9
Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class:
- Patrick Mulcahy #54
- Steve Wetterau #58
- Josh Conley #29
Solairus Aviation Masters Class:
- Rob Walker #53
- Scott Blind #45
- Marco Cirone #88
From coast-to-coast, Tom Sargent’s success in Porsche machinery keeps rolling, as he finished first during the Porsche Carrera Cup North America opening race at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Running in the Mobil Pro class, Sargent led flag-to-flag en route to the win with hometown team GMG Racing – continuing his recent successes which included a Sebring IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship podium, a GT World Challenge by AWS class win at Sonoma and a European Le Mans Series victory in Barcelona.
The Australian admitted Saturday’s victory aboard the new Porsche 911 Cup (Type 992.2) was particularly sweet after his last trip to the 1.968-mile circuit just a few years ago.
“I had a little bit of redemption after coming here in 2023,” said Sargent.
“Unfortunately, I was leading and hit the wall, and lost the lead. It feels good to overcome that now because that’s been three years.”
“Big to do it for EBOOST and GMG in their home territory, and at one of the greatest street circuits,” said the Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver. “It’s super cool, the team did an amazing job and I’m very happy.”
Finishing second was Aaron Jeansonne (Kellymoss) after gaining the spot on Lap 1 over Callum Hedge (JDX Racing). The latter narrowly survived a last-minute battle with Tyler Maxson (TOPP Racing) by .338 seconds for the final podium position.
In the Solairus Aviation Pro-Am category, Patrick Mulcahy sailed to his third consecutive win of the season, although it did not come easily.
With ACI Motorsports, Mulcahy wound up as the sixth fastest driver overall on the circuit and built a substantial lead over the remaining cars in his class. That lead was beneficial when Mulcahy had a slight mishap with 17 minutes remaining and ran off course in Turn 1 before continuing on.
“That feels amazing for sure,” said Mulcahy of his pace, finishing with a nearly 16-second lead.
“The guys are incredible competitors up front and that’s a goal of mine to chop it up with the Pros and see what happens. Today, I made a little mistake when my foot slipped off the brake into Turn 1, but we still took home the W.”
Behind Mulcahy was the Kellymoss duo of Steve Wetterau and Josh Conley in second and third, respectively, similarly to how they ran on Friday during practice and qualifying.
The fight was a bit closer in the Solairus Aviation Masters Class, but Marco Cirone mirrored his ACI Motorsports teammate’s winning run by starting and finishing first for the third time this season.
Cirone nipped the pole position over multi-time Porsche single-make champion Scott Blind (Ruckus Racing) on Friday, and maintained the spot over his competitor during Saturday’s 40-minute dash.
“Oh yes, a few times he got really, really close and I started to get worried,” said Cirone, referencing Blind’s looming presence.
“My coach just said, ‘Eyes forward, don’t worry about what’s behind you and don’t make any mistakes.’ I managed to keep him off, but he was coming.”
Cirone ultimately held on to the win by 2.677 seconds over Blind, and Chris Bellomo (Kellymoss) finished third for his first podium in 2026.
Sunday concludes Porsche Carrera Cup North America activity at the Grand Prix of Long Beach with Race 2 at 11:20am PT.
All Porsche Carrera Cup North America races stream live – and are available to watch anytime – on the Porsche Motorsport North America & IMSA YouTube channels. Stay up-to-date on all the latest news by following Porsche Motorsport North America on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and Twitter, and by subscribing to the newsletter.
RESULTS.
Race 1
Mobil Pro Class:
- Tom Sargent #32
- Aaron Jeansonne #24
- Callum Hedge #9
Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class:
- Patrick Mulcahy #54
- Steve Wetterau #58
- Josh Conley #29
Solairus Aviation Masters Class:
- Marco Cirone #88
- Scott Blind #45
- Chris Bellomo #68
Tom Sargent qualified first in Porsche Carrera Cup North America Race Brew qualifying at the Grand Prix of Long Beach on Friday – continuing his amazing recent run of success across the globe in Porsche machinery.
The Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver’s recent successes include a podium finish in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Sebring with Wright Motorsport, a GT World Challenge by AWS class win with GMG Racing at Sonoma Raceway and a European Le Mans Series victory at Barcelona with Proton Competition – all aboard the new 2026-spec Porsche GT3 R.
In his first event with the Porsche 911 Cup (Type 992.2), Sargent posted the fastest time of one minute, 19.679 seconds – topping his fastest practice time earlier in the afternoon by .148 seconds.
It’s the Australian’s first appearance in the Porsche single-make series since finishing runner-up in the Pro class standings in 2023, the same year the series last visited southern California.
“There is always pressure,” said Sargent who was drafted into the GMG Racing machine for the weekend.
“To be honest, once I moved on from Carrera Cup, I didn’t think I was going to be back here. but it’s nice to be back…at one of the greatest street circuits there is.
“It was quite tight there in the end. I’m really happy with the laps, but a little bit of traffic hindered maybe some more performance we had. But, I think our racecar is really good and that is exciting.”
Starting behind Sargent will be Callum Hedge (JDX Racing) in second and Aaron Jeansonne (Kellymoss) in third.
Patrick Mulcahy ran atop all Solairus Aviation Pro-Am class charts on Friday, culminating in the pole position. The ACI Motorsports driver finished first in both practice sessions earlier in the day, and was more than a second ahead of the rest of his field.
“This is my home track, my office is just right across the street,” said Mulcahy, the Pro-Am class championship leader.
“I have my whole entire family, friends, and customers here celebrating an amazing race here at Long Beach. It feels amazing.
“They’re doing a tough job there at ACI. Adam is an awesome engineer, Ryan Yardley is an amazing coach, and we’ve got an amazing program there. Big kudos to them, the team did great and it’s my job to deliver.”
Making his season debut and starting second at Long Beach is Steve Wetterau (Kellymoss), followed by Josh Conley (Kellymoss) in third.
In the Solairus Aviation Masters class, Marco Cirone followed his recent pair of Sebring victories to score the pole for this weekend at Long Beach for ACI Motorsports.
Cirone followed Scott Blind in second place during both practices, but ran quicker by .528 seconds at the checkered flag.
“Everything went well, the team gave me such an amazing car,” said Cirone.
“The track got better and better, and we just learned. My coach, Dan Clarke, is doing a wonderful job telling me what to do and it seems to be working.”
The Carrera Cup races at Long Beach are scheduled for Saturday at 9:05am PT and Sunday at 11:20am.
All Porsche Carrera Cup North America races stream live – and are available to watch anytime – on the Porsche Motorsport North America & IMSA YouTube channels. Stay up-to-date on all the latest news by following Porsche Motorsport North America on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and Twitter, and by subscribing to the newsletter.
RESULTS.
Qualifying
Mobil Pro Class:
- Tom Sargent #32
- Callum Hedge #9
- Aaron Jeansonne #24
Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class:
- Patrick Mulcahy #54
- Steve Wetterau #58
- Josh Conley #29
Solairus Aviation Masters Class:
- Marco Cirone #88
- Scott Blind #45
- Chris Bellomo #68
Practice 1
Mobil Pro Class:
- Tyler Maxson #77
- Tom Sargent #32
- Cole Kleck #78
Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class:
- Patrick Mulcahy #54
- Steve Wetterau #58
- Josh Conley #29
Solairus Aviation Masters Class:
- Scott Blind #45
- Marco Cirone #88
- Chris Bellomo #68
Practice 2
Mobil Pro Class:
- Tom Sargent #32
- Callum Hedge #9
- Tyler Maxson #77
Solairus Aviation Pro-Am Class:
- Patrick Mulcahy #54
- Steve Wetterau #58
- Josh Conley #29
Solairus Aviation Masters Class:
- Scott Blind #45
- Marco Cirone #88
- Chris Bellomo #68
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