MATTFactor: Live and breathe the racing life

It’s hard to believe that I’ve already been in Europe for two full months. Since moving over to Germany straight after finishing the Bathurst 12 Hour in February, I’ve been flat-out preparing for my debut in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup later this month.

When I left Australia, I didn’t know where I was going to live or how everything was going to unfold – literally all I had was a boarding pass, a bag, my helmet and Stuttgart as a destination! It’s a long way from home...

Fortunately, it’s all come together and I’m staying with some great people who have made me feel at home and allowed me to dive into preparations for racing this year.

Between getting to Europe and jumping in the car at my first test, there was a lot to do. The number one job was locking in my team for the year, and I’m really pleased to be driving for Fach Auto Tech. Fach entered Supercup in 2013 and have had a lot of success, including winning the 2014 championship with Kiwi racer, Earl Bamber.

It’s nice to know that the team is used to working with drivers from ‘down under’ and they couldn’t have been more welcoming. In fact, the team has a feeling a lot like my old team McElrea Racing back in Australia, which has helped make the transition easy.

It’s a fun place to be, but at the same time you know they mean business and are driven by winning!

Working with Porsche means there has been lots of media work to do: the company is incredible at pushing its involvement in motor sport at all levels. I even managed to get a trip to New York for a media event, just before our test at Barcelona. All part of the job, you know…

I’ve been getting to know my new teammates, Josh Webster from England and Italian, Glauco Solieri. After a few test days the relationship with then -- and everyone in the crew -- is progressing really well.

In terms of testing, I’ve been lucky enough to experience some amazing tracks already. In just a few months we’ve already been to Spa Francorchamps in Belgium, Catalunya in Spain -- which is where Round 1 will be contested this weekend (May 12-14) -- and the Hungaroring. It has been important to get some laps at three very different venues before the season starts.

At a majority of Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup rounds there’s only one practice, one qualifying and one race. Running with the Formula 1 program means there isn’t much track time so any chance to learn the circuits and work with the team to understand the car and the conditions are very valuable.

I’ve been taking it all in and even though it’s too early to tell where we are placed relative to everyone else, it has felt pretty good and so far our times have been competitive. And as good as it is pounding around Queensland Raceway with the McElrea lads, it’s not quite the same as tackling Spa Francorchamps’ iconic Eau Rogue corner in a Supercup car. What an experience!

As well as Spa, I’ve also had my first experience of the Nurburgring. Wow -- it’s easy to see why it is talked about so often by so many people in the racing world. It’s an incredible place!

‘The Ring’ is such a challenge that you need to have a specific license to be allowed to race on it, which means going through a process of gaining experience and laps there. I’ll be back later this year to get some more time and go to the next license level which will allow me to compete in some of the incredible races they have there… More on that later, hopefully!

The other part of the learning process these few months has been getting up to speed in the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

The new car is really good and while I can’t say too much I can report back to my mates in Carrera Cup Australia that it has lots more low-down torque and more power than its predecessor. You guys will love it when it reaches Australian shores for next year!

It’s all been a pretty amazing experience so far, and that’s before we actually go racing.

Fortunately the serious stuff starts this week in Spain and I can’t wait to get out there and see where things stand.

It’s going to be a huge challenge. But, with all the support I’m getting from home, I’ll be doing my best to put on a show.

Matt Campbell

A Humble Beginning from Ian Dyk on Vimeo.

Who is Matt Campbell
Matt Campbell grew up around racing. Born and bred in Warwick, in country Queensland, his Grandfather Bill Campbell ran the local circuit, Morgan Park Raceway and it was there Matt learned his craft from an early age.

At the age of just 16, he was Queensland State Champion for Super Sprints and second in the Queensland Formula Ford Championship, before going on to win the open-wheel title in his home state the following year.

Moving from state to national competition, Campbell impressed in the National Formula Ford Championship racing as a privateer against the big-dollar factory teams – ultimately he finishing ninth in the championship.

Matt made his debut in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge driving a Porsche 997 GT3 for McElrea Racing in 2014. With comparatively modest support, he comfortably won the 'B' Class for older cars, sealing the title with a round to spare.

A move to Porsche Carrera Cup Australia in 2015 proved the making of the young talent, as he stormed to third in the championship on debut - winning six races on the way. In the final 11 races of the year he finished first or second 10 times.

Marked as championship favourite in 2016, Matt didn’t disappoint, winning 13 races and storming to the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship in style.

At the same time he secured a prime drive in the Supercars Pirtek Endurance Cup, teaming up with Todd Kelly in the carsales.com.au Nissan Altima, finishing seventh at the Sandown 500 and eighth in the first of two races in the Gold Coast.

At the end of 2016, Matt was selected as the Australian representative in Porsche's global young driver 'shootout'. After three days of on and off-track evaluation, Campbell was named the winner of a scholarship from the brand to contest the 2017 Porsche Supercup Championship. Thus Matt will contest the 2017 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup with FACH AutoTech.

Matt will also return to Australia in September to again take on the Pirtek Endurance Cup, signed by the factory Red Bull Holden Racing Team to co-drive with defending Supercars champion, Shane van Gisbergen.

The year started in style with an outright podium finish and class victory in the Bathurst 12 Hour endurance, driving a Porsche 911 GT3 with Porsche factory contemporaries Patrick Long, David Calvert-Jones and Marc Lieb.

At just 22, Matt's future is all ahead of him. His relaxed, down to earth and country-kid vibe hides the fact that he enters the new season as one of Australia's brightest young racing talents.

With Richard Craills