MySimRig Talks: Huub van Eijndhoven - From karting prodigy to Porsche specialist
How a Dutch racing driver uses cutting edge sim technology to compete at the highest levels of Porsche motorsport
About Huub van Eijndhoven
Frank Kalkman from MySimRig sat down with Huub van Eijndhoven to discuss his 2024 season, his unique approach to preparation using simulation technology, and what it takes to compete in the ultra competitive world of Porsche one make racing.
Racing pedigree
Born on November 30, 1999 in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Huub van Eijndhoven represents the new generation of Dutch racing talent making waves in international motorsport. Currently racing for Team GP Elite in both the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup (Formula 1’s premier support series) and Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, Van Eijndhoven has established himself as one of the most promising Porsche specialists in European racing.
From karts to Cup cars
Van Eijndhoven’s journey began at age eight, inspired by his father’s passion for motorsport. His karting career saw him compete against future Formula 1 stars like Lando Norris and Zhou Guanyu in Dutch, Belgian and European championships. After a brief hiatus for education, a pivotal moment came at age 17 when mentor Jaap van Lagen put him behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, an experience that would define his future career path.
Career highlights
2020-2021: the breakthrough years
- Runner up in the Dutch Supercar Challenge
- Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux experience
- Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux Rookie of the Year (2021)
- Third overall in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux championship
- Selected for the prestigious Porsche Junior Programme Shoot out (one of just 12 drivers worldwide)
2022 present: climbing the Porsche ladder
- Full season in Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland
- Debut in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup (2023)
- First overall race victory at Hockenheim (2024)
- Multiple Supercup podiums including a home podium at Zandvoort
- Sixth in the 2024 Supercup standings
- Third overall in the 2025 Carrera Cup Deutschland
Team and support
Racing with Team GP Elite and backed by innovative sponsors like Propchain and Uniserver, Van Eijndhoven has built a strong foundation for his professional career. His partnership with GP Elite has been particularly fruitful, with the team providing the framework needed to compete at the highest levels of Porsche motorsport.
Exclusive interview: the sim racing edge
The off season reset
MySimRig: Now that you are fully embedded in the Porsche program, is your season already over?
Huub van Eijndhoven: Pretty much. The Porsche Supercup signs off when Formula 1 finishes its European swing, so Monza in early September was our last outing there. Carrera Cup Deutschland (which runs with DTM) concluded at the beginning of October. That means things are calm for a moment and we can enjoy a breather before the first endurance races kick off in January.
The Orange Army effect
MySimRig: You have made big strides with GP Elite over four seasons. How do Dutch fans respond to the Porsche paddock and how much does their interest matter?
Huub van Eijndhoven: Dutch fans show up everywhere, especially at the European F1 rounds where the Supercup runs in front of all the Max Verstappen supporters. There is orange in every grandstand and you feel people branching out from Formula 1 to other series. They spot you faster, ask for photos, interviews, everything. That extra attention helps drivers and teams when it comes to sponsorship; if Dutch fans are invested, the whole program becomes healthier.
Special memories at Zandvoort
MySimRig: I read that you raced at Zandvoort in 2020 together with your father. What do you remember from that weekend?
Huub van Eijndhoven: That was during the Winter Endurance Championship, right before the circuit was rebuilt. We teamed up with Jaap van Lagen and knew we had the pace to win. Doing that with my dad, at our home track and just before the big renovation made it a special memory.
The simulation revolution
MySimRig: Everyone in Formula 1 leans on sim work. Do you rely on it throughout the Porsche season as well?
Huub van Eijndhoven: Absolutely. Tracks like Monaco or the Norisring do not allow testing, so laser scanned sims are vital: you reproduce every bump and curb so your braking points and turn in references are nailed before you arrive. In Supercup we only get a single 40 minute practice before qualifying and the field is insanely tight: in Budapest the top dozen cars were separated by roughly half a tenth, and at Monza second through eleventh were within a tenth. If you have already logged the laps in the sim, you show up 2-0 ahead because you can go straight into setup work instead of still learning the circuit.
Qualifying mind games
MySimRig: I watched qualifying in Austria and noticed the train of cars. Is that purely about slipstreaming?
Huub van Eijndhoven: At the Red Bull Ring it really is. From Turn 1 to Turn 4 you have three long straights, so a tow can be worth a tenth or more each time. On twistier tracks like Budapest it is the opposite: you want clean air because the Porsche Cup cars do not have much aero help like DRS, so dirty air really hurts. There we purposely leave bigger gaps.
The factory dream
MySimRig: Many Porsche racers dream about becoming factory drivers. Is that the path you are targeting or are you content where you are?
Huub van Eijndhoven: Being a factory driver is not an obsession, but it is something you ultimately hope to earn. To get noticed you need to be consistently in the top five of the Supercup or Carrera Cups and then step into GT3 machinery where manufacturers really watch. The guys who lead the Cups usually transfer that pace to GT3. If you distinguish yourself there, maybe a brand picks you up, and that would be incredible.
Brand loyalty vs opportunity
MySimRig: Has Porsche always been the target brand for you, or did it just happen?
Huub van Eijndhoven: I have always had a soft spot for Porsche, but in the end any manufacturer program that gives you a shot is welcome. The goal is to grab whatever opportunity you can convert into a professional seat.
The home simulator setup
MySimRig: Do you run a simulator at home?
Huub van Eijndhoven: Yes, it is the Motorsport in Motion rig from Kevin Abbring. Because he builds the hardware and software himself, we can tweak things quickly: stiffening the pedals, changing steering feedback, matching the Cup car exactly. When tracks change, like Spa getting new asphalt or curbs, we update the sim and go straight into that spec, which makes event prep far more accurate.
Training partnership
MySimRig: Do you only drive the sim at home, or do you also work with the team?
Huub van Eijndhoven: I log plenty of online mileage at home, but I also spend countless hours at the professional Motorsport in Motion simulator. Wouter Boerenkamps and I have trained together there for years. We alternate five lap runs chasing outright pace, push each other to improve, then jump into race stints to rehearse defending, overtaking and risk management. By the end of a session you know exactly how to execute a qualifying lap or the first lap of a race.
Mental performance
MySimRig: Does the sim help with concentration for endurance races, and how do you keep the mental side sharp?
Huub van Eijndhoven: The sim miles definitely help for races like the 24 Hours of Dubai on 4 January, where I will share the car with Wouter and Carrera Cup rival Robert de Haan. Beyond that I work closely with a mental coach. We focus on staying in the moment, not worrying about what already happened or what might come. The question is always “What do I need to do right now to perform?” Approaching weekends that way brings a lot of calm.
Life on the road
MySimRig: Constant travel sounds draining. How do you usually get to events?
Huub van Eijndhoven: Mostly by plane. When the race is closer to home, like in Germany, we will just drive. It depends on the distance, but you try to keep logistics as simple as possible.
Virtual vs reality
MySimRig: How close is sim racing to the real car, and what still feels different?
Huub van Eijndhoven: The fidelity is impressive. You feel the same bumps, cambers and curbs, you can match steering weight, brake pressure, shift feel, even see similar changes when you tweak the setup. The two things a sim cannot fully replicate are G forces and the way tires wear with real track evolution. Those nuances will always be a bit different. But for fundamentals, how you build brake pressure, place the car, manage load transfer, the sim is spot on and it remains a core training tool for me.
Looking ahead
With the 2024 season wrapped up and endurance racing on the horizon, Huub van Eijndhoven continues to demonstrate why he is one of the most exciting Dutch talents in sports car racing. His meticulous approach to preparation, combining cutting edge simulation technology with mental coaching and relentless dedication, exemplifies the modern racing driver’s toolkit.
As he prepares for the 24 Hours of Dubai in January and another full season of Porsche competition in 2025, Van Eijndhoven’s trajectory points toward an eventual factory driver role. For now, though, he remains focused on what matters most: extracting maximum performance from every session, whether virtual or real.
This interview was conducted by Frank Kalkman for MySimRig.nl. Follow our website for more exclusive interviews with racing drivers and insights into how simulation technology is revolutionizing motorsport preparation.