Porsche Carrera Cup – Jonathan Moore

We’re back at Donington Park with Porsche race driver Jonathan Moore as he prepares for the upcoming Porsche Carrera Cup Championship. The circuit was hosting a private test day ahead of the British Touring Car Championship race weekend. The test day focuses on preparation for the BTCC support series.

Teams had arrived early to build their setups, garages, hospitality units, and tyre manufacturer stations up across the paddock. It takes days of work and large crews to assemble what feels like a temporary race city. Every inch of space is used. Everything needed to run multiple race series is put into place. In this case, there were around five different series preparing for the weekend.

So why was I there? I regularly upload photos to a social media platform dedicated to Donington Park. While not officially linked, it has strong support from the circuit. Drivers and teams often engage with photographers. They sometimes ask for permission to share images on social media or simply say thanks.

One of those interactions led to this visit. Martin Moore reached out after liking one of my photos, after a few messages, we arranged an informal meeting. His son, Jonathan, would be racing; at that point, I knew very little about him. During the day, I would find out more about Jonathan Moore and his remarkable achievements as a race car driver.

Porsche Carrera Cup

I eventually found Martin in the Porsche Haus hospitality suite. I was lucky; it was still Thursday. From Friday onwards, access required a booking costing nearly £200, and it was already sold out. We had a quick introduction and agreed to meet later at the team garage after the morning session. This wasn’t a typical test format. Usually, cars run in three groups, with each group getting multiple sessions throughout the day. For me that setup gives plenty of time to explore the circuit and find good photography spots.

This time, things were tighter. Each group had just one 45-minute session in the morning and one in the afternoon. That meant constant movement. I had to jog between locations to capture different angles. I’ve walked over five miles at events before, but that’s across a full day. Compressing that effort into shorter windows was exhausting. Still, I managed it. Between sessions, I met up with Jonathan and started to learn his story.

Jonathan Moore from Xbox to Race Winner in Three Years

Jonathan’s journey started at 13. His dad bought him an Xbox, along with some racing games. During the COVID lockdown, he spent time at a local sim racing centre. His talent quickly became clear. Martin took him to a racing scholarship event at Croft Circuit. Jonathan didn’t win, but he impressed enough to be offered a part-season drive for experience. He couldn’t race on track until he turned 14, but that opportunity set things in motion.

In 2023, he joined Westbourne Motorsport. He raced Citroën Saxos in the Junior Saloon Car Championship. Finishing an impressive third in his debut season.

In 2024, he stepped up with MRM Racing. This time, he dominated. He crossed the line as champion but lost the title due to technical penalties. Officially, he finished second. Unofficially, many saw him as the true winner.

At 16, he moved to a senior licence. Porsche had already taken notice. They offered him a test in a Cayman. He impressed again. That led to a seat in the 2025 Porsche Sprint Challenge with Toro Verde GT.

Record-Breaking Success and a Big Step Up

Jonathan’s 2025 season was remarkable. Across 18 races at six circuits, he delivered outstanding results. He took 14 wins, 15 pole positions, and 14 fastest laps. He also set three new track records becoming the youngest ever champion in the series. Porsche recognised his performance. He received a personalised gold watch for most fastest laps. They also gifted him a Porsche Cayman at just 17.

Naturally, the next step was the Porsche Carrera Cup. That’s where we are now in 2026. He races with Richardson Racing, a team owned by Nick Tandy.

Tandy’s career adds weight to the setup. He debuted in Carrera Cup in 2008. He went on to win the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland in 2011 and the Porsche Cup in 2012. That award recognises the best private Porsche driver worldwide. He later became a Porsche works driver and won Le Mans in 2015.

Jonathan now has strong support around him. He also remains part of Porsche’s Talent Pool programme. This provides structured guidance in fitness, nutrition, and media training. It’s a complete development package.

A Tough Start and a Long Road Ahead

Jonathan feels excited about the season. He also understands the challenge ahead. The Carrera Cup grid is highly competitive. Many drivers have years of experience. He knows talent alone won’t be enough. Success also depends on funding, sponsorship, and marketing. Securing corporate backing is especially tough in the current climate.

When asked about his favourite circuit, he didn’t hesitate: “Oulton Park. It’s a really fun track to drive.”

After the weekend, I spoke again with his dad. The debut races proved difficult. A tyre choice in race one didn’t work as expected reducing performance. In race two, there was contact at the Esses with the car suffered front-end damage.

Despite that, Jonathan finished fourth in both races. By his standards, that felt disappointing. Still, it gave him a clear view of the competition level.

This season will be demanding, but it will also be exciting to follow. I’ll be keeping a close eye on Jonathan Moores’ progress. My thanks go to Jonathan and Martin for their time and openness. 

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