Parr Motorsport Team Boss Paul Robe And New Signing Chris Dymond

Chris Dymond has been confirmed as Parr Motorsport’s latest driver for the 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup GB.

A former top level international karter, Dymond began his car racing career in 2007, winning the graduate title in the Renault Clio Cup. In 2008 and 2009 he competed in the FIA GT3 Championship, before winning the Radical UK Cup title in 2010. Last season he contested selected events in the Blancpain Endurance Series.

Silverstone-based Dymond enters the Porsche Carrera Cup thanks to support from PPC Motorsport Marketing Limited. Dymond will be joining fellow young racer Ben Barker in the Parr Motorsport line-up and is hoping to challenge for consistent podium finishes.

Dymond said: “In the Carrera Cup it is purely about me with no other factors. The career path with Porsche is very good and it is the best platform for me. Le Mans is where I really want to get to. I’m really aiming to be consistently in the Carrera Cup top three by the end of the year.”

Parr Motorsport Team boss Paul Robe added: “Chris is just the type of driver we want to run in the team. I’m really excited about working with Chris and I believe he has got great potential.”

Sam Tordoff Recently Testing His Team Parker Racing Porsche

After a strong debut season in 2011, Yorkshireman Sam Tordoff has announced he will continue in the Porsche Carrera Cup with Team Parker Racing this season.
 
Former Clio Cup racer Tordoff took seventh place in the championship in his rookie year and returns looking to build on that and mount a title challenge.

BRDC Rising Star Tordoff commented “It was my dream to return to the Porsche Carrera Cup for 2012 and I strongly feel I can do so as a title contender. To return with Team Parker Racing, who showed in 2011 that their professionalism and ability is second to none, is a great pleasure and privilege. I am really looking forward to working with Stuart and all the Parker team once again.”

Tordoff joins Scholarship winner Daniel Lloyd and fellow returnee Richard Plant in Team Parker Racing’s line up so far.

Ben Barker Announcing His Porsche Move At The Autosport International Show

British driver Ben Barker has announced full assault on the 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup GB with Parr Motorsport.

BRDC Rising Star Barker competed in the Australian Carrera Cup series last year, picking up two wins, four other podium finishes and two pole positions. The former Australian F3 champion also joined the GB series for two weekends, picking up two podiums at Snetterton and Knockhill.

Barker, who will be looking to challenge at the front in 2012, said: “It’s a good direction career wise to come into the GB championship. Having worked with Parr last year I know how they work and everyone is capable and proactive. It’s good to be back racing in the UK and this will prove to be a strong stepping-stone to Supercup. I hope that, together with Parr, we can both graduate in 2013.”

Parr team boss Paul Robe added: “I’m really excited to have Ben onboard for this coming season. He’s a great talent and a really well rounded young man. Based on his performance with us last year I’m confident that he will be a frontrunner in the championship.”

Daniel Lloyd and F1 driver Mark Webber

Parker Racing driver Daniel Lloyd has kicked off 2012 with a challenging day at the annual ‘Get Race Fit’ day at the Porsche Experience Centre, hosted by FIA Formula One World Championship driver Mark Webber.

The day included physical challenges to test his race fitness along with sessions on the i-Zone Performance race simulate and advice on sports nutrition.
Red Bull Racing’s Mark Webber hosted a Q & A session offering expert advice to the drivers taking part in the day.

“The day was absolutely mega”, said Lloyd, “We started off with a nutrional talk and a chance to talk with Mark and ask him about how he prepared for an F1 weekend. After that we had a Yoga session, which was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be, but I learned some really useful things that’ll definitely help my training.

“After lunch, there was a Q&A session with Mark – it felt weird talking to such a superstar of F1, he’s a really down to earth guy though. To get that high in motor sport, to achieve so much and yet still be a ‘normal’ guy was fantastic to see. Winning the shoot-out at i-Zone was a great way to top off the day and meeting Mark really gives you the inspiration to work harder than ever to try and reach the top.”

Lloyd is now focussing his preparations on his first test of 2012 with Team Parker Racing which will take place next month. The season gets underway on 31 March/1 April at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit as support to the British Touring Car Championship.

Team Parker Racing's Stuart Parker and Daniel Lloyd - Photo Credit: Malcolm Griffiths

2012 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship winner Daniel Lloyd has confirmed he will join Team Parker Racing for the upcoming season.

Announced at the Autosport International show, the deal will see Huddersfield-based Lloyd join the Leicestershire-based squad for his maiden Porsche campaign.

19 year old Lloyd said: “The team has a great reputation. Everyone always says Team Parker is one of the very best out there so it’s an amazing opportunity for me to race with them for my first year in Porsche GB. This is such a massive opportunity, to be able to benefit from the huge experience and knowledge Stuart (Parker) and the team has is going to be so important.
 
“My goal is to try and get a podium finish as soon as possible, I really want to make a big impression on this first year. The way I look at it, winning the scholarship has given me one big shot at making that kind of impression so I’m going to work harder than ever and try and shock a few of the experienced guys along the way!”
 
Team Principal Stuart Parker added: “Daniel is an exciting prospect, he has shown well in testing with us and we’re looking forward to working with him. I think he’ll be competitive straight out of the box.”

Richard Plant Is Looking To Challenge For The 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup GB

Richard Plant will once again team up with the Team Parker Racing outfit for the 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup GB, his second season in the sportscar series.

21 year old Plant impressed during his debut Carrera Cup season in 2011, finishing as top rookie in the championship standings. Derbyshire-based Plant took one podium at Snetterton on his way to fifth in the championship standings and heads in 2012 planning a championship charge.

Plant said: “I’m delighted to be driving for Team Parking Racing for a second season. After the experience I gained last year and the relationship that I built with everyone at the team, it was the perfect fit for a title challenge in 2012. Everything about the Parker squad is first class and I believe we have what it takes to really have a go at winning the series.

“Last year included some highs and lows but it definitely exceeded my expectations. To be top rookie was a great achievement and now I know the circuits, the car and the series I am so much more prepared to go even better this time around. I am working on my fitness and preparation everyday – I can’t wait to get back in the car.”

Team principal Stuart Parker said: “I was really impressed by Richard’s talent and application last year. He is a great lad that everyone gets along with, and he has the steely determination and ability to win races. We hope to provide Richard with the environment to fight for overall honours in 2012 and I’m sure he is capable of doing the business out on track.”

James Sutton Took Victory In A Competitive Porsche Season

James Sutton came out on top in a three way championship battle in the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship, winning his second series title in a year that saw the one-make championship produce close, exciting racing from huge grids.

Leading the way over the course of the campaign were the SAS/Redline team, consisting of 2007 series champion Sutton and Michael Meadows, one of the two winners of the 2010 Porsche Scholarship. Sutton started the year in great form, taking eight consecutive podium finishes in the first four meetings including three wins on the bounce at Thruxton and Oulton Park. Meadows stayed close though, not finishing outside the top five in the first eight races, taking a maiden series win at Donington Park.

Meadow’s consistency continued throughout the year, with him finishing every race of the season, ending up outside the top six just once and picking up a total of eleven podiums including two wins. This meant he headed into the final weekend leading the championship standings, but he was pipped on the final weekend at Silverstone by Sutton, who took two second places to end the year as champion with a tally of fourteen podiums to his name, including his three wins from early in the season. 

Also in the championship fight heading into the final rounds of the year was Stephen Jelley. A win in the second race of the year set the tone for the Parker with Juta racer, Jelley taking four wins and seven other podiums over the course of the season. Two retirements proved to be his downfall though, more than either of his championship rivals, including one in the penultimate race of the season at Silverstone.

Stephen Jelley And Michael Meadows Took The Fight To Sutton All Year - Photo Credit: Chris Gurton Photography

Also suffering from retirement woes was his team-mate Euan Hankey. The other of the 2010 Porsche Scholarship winners ended the year with three retirements to his name, leaving him fourth in the championship standings. This was despite Hankey picking up five race wins, more than any of his rivals, including a three race winning streak at Knockhill and Rockingham.

The beginning of the 2011 season saw the introduction of a new 911 GT3 Cup car and a change to the weight rules for the series. Losing out due to these were Carrera Cup veterans and long-time sparring partners Michael Caine and Tim Harvey.

2008 and 2010 series vice-champion Caine competed in the first ten races of the season before pulling out, the Nationwide/Motorbase driver’s best results being a pair of fourth places at Oulton Park. Team-mate Harvey lasted less through, the two times series champion and two times vice-champion competing in just six races before leaving prior to the Oulton Park weekend, having picked up just one podium finish on the opening weekend at Brands Hatch and a handful of sixth place finishes.

Harvey returned three weeks later for a final appearance of the year, in the biggest race of the season, the Porsche Carrera World Cup race around the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife. Harvey used all his experience to end the prestigious event as the top British series finisher, nineteenth overall in the 98 car field.

Tim Harvey Mastered The Wet Nurburgring Nordschleife

While Harvey bowed out of the championship after seven years in the one-make series, on the other end of the timeline were a group of drivers making their Porsche Carrera Cup debuts, with Richard Plant, Sam Tordoff and Benji Hetherington being the stand out rookies.

Team Parker Racing’s Plant took fifth place in the championship standings after a strong maiden season. Consistency proved the key for the Yorkshireman, Plant taking sixteen top eight finishes in nineteen races, including a maiden podium finish at Snetterton.

Both Team Parker’s Tordoff and Redline’s Hetherington also ended the year with one podium finishes to their name. Former Clio Cup racer Tordoff took his rostrum finish in style with third at the Nurburgring, the Yorkshireman also picking up three fourth place finishes. Ex-Ginetta racer Hetherington, the 2011 Porsche Scholarship winner, improved throughout the year and made his podium visit in the final race of the year at Silverstone.

With both Harvey and Caine having left Motorbase during the campaign, there seats were left vacant and ended up being filled by Kieran Vernon and Nick Tandy. Vernon, who had won the Scholarship alongside Hetherington but had to miss the start of the year with budget problems, took Harvey’s Nationwide-backed seat from Oulton onwards and after getting up to speed, showed glimpses of what may have been with three top six finishes.

Porsche superstar Tandy joined the series for the final two meetings and showed his class with some dominant displays. The Porsche Supercup regular, who went on to win the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland title this year, took three wins in four races, with the other race seeing him set to win before a puncture. Also making a brief foray into the series and impressing was Australian Porsche Carrera Cup regular Ben Barker. The British racer took two podium finishes, one apiece at Snetterton and Knockhill.

Final 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship Standings:

Jonas Gelzinis Took A Richly Deserved Pro-Am1 Title With Juta Racing

Pro-Am1

The Pro-Am1 category was dominated by Lithuanian Jonas Gelzinis. The Juta Racing driver wrapped up the class title a weekend early after a great year that saw him take twelve class wins and regularly challenge at the front of the field, taking nine top six finishes, including a best result of fourth at Donington Park

Behind, a close battle for second in class emerged between young Scotsman Rory Butcher and Omani driver Ahmad Al Harthy. Celtic Speed’s Butcher started the year well and crept over the line ahead of Redline Oman Air’s Al Harthy, thanks in part to a superb fourth overall of the British runners at the Nurburgring and three class wins. Also impressing in Pro-Am1 was Derek Pierce, the Scotsman taking a class win on home soil at Knockhill.  

Final Pro-Am1 Class Standings:

George Brewster Won A Close Fought Pro-Am2 Battle

Pro-Am2

George Brewster won a hard fought battle with Keith Webster to take the honours in Pro-Am2, capping off a strong season for his Celtic Speed team. Scotsman Brewster took eight class wins over the year, but only secured the championship honours in the final race of the season at Silverstone, fighting back from a puncture to take fourth in class and secure enough points for the title.

Redline’s Webster ended up just five points adrift after a strong year saw him take four class wins. In a competitive class, five different drivers took wins, with Richard Denny, Andrew Shelley and Yucel Ozbek also tasting success. Turkish racer Ozbek was a real revelation after joining the series for the second half of the season, taking six class podiums, including two wins, in the ten races he competed in.

Final Pro-Am2 Class Standings:

The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Will Be A Feeder Series For The Porsche Carrera Cup GB

Porsche have announced details for the 2012 GT3 Cup Challenge, which run in co-operation with the BARC and consistent of a six weekend, twelve race season, using older 911 GT3 Cup race cars.

Managed and promoted by Porsche Cars GB, the GT3 Cup Challenge will be open to any 911 GT3 Cup Car race car from the 2009 model year or earlier. It is designed to be a stepping stone for drivers aiming to move up to the Carrera Cup GB from trackdays and the season finale of the 2012 season will see it join the Porsche Carrera Cup GB in support of the BTCC at Silverstone. It will also share the annual Test and Media Day and end-of-season Awards night with the Carrera Cup GB.

Marion Barnaby, Motorsport Manager of Porsche Cars GB commented: “The GT3 Cup Challenge is the ideal series for any driver wanting to race a 911 GT3 Cup on a level playing field. It is the perfect learning platform for drivers hoping to move up to the Carrera Cup GB, but it will also suit competitors coming into racing for the first time from track days as well as those currently racing in other series. We will be aligning the GT3 Cup Challenge closely with the Carrera Cup GB.”

Daniel Lloyd

Daniel Lloyd has seen his sporting achievements recognised by the tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire after being invited to become a ‘Patron of Yorkshire’.

The news comes just a few weeks after Lloyd was named the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholar 2012, meaning he will compete in the single-make series next year. The recognition means the Huddersfield racer will promote Yorkshire alongside celebrity patrons including Sir Michael Parkinson CBE, Michael Vaughan OBE and Sir Patrick Stewart OBE.

The 19 year old said: “Being invited to become a Patron of Yorkshire really is a fantastic honour, it’s very humbling and means a massive amount to me. I’ve always been a really proud Yorkshireman but I’ll be taking even more pride now in helping to promote the county through my racing. Yorkshire has so much to offer and I’ll be doing my very best to get that message out there!”

Looking ahead to 2012 and a return to local track Croft, Lloyd added: “After racing in Europe this year in Volkswagen Sciroccos, I’m really looking forward to being back on British soil and especially returning to Croft as it’s a great track. Next year’s visit will be bigger than ever for me now I’m a Patron of Yorkshire, hopefully we’ll have a strong weekend there and have plenty for local supporters to celebrate.”

Ahmad Al Harthy Leads In Abu Dhabi - Photo Credit: Porsche Middle East & Africa

Ahmad Al Harthy enjoyed his most successful outing yet in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, the Oman Air Racing Team driver securing a double pole position and a maiden race win at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, racing in support of the Formula One Grand Prix.

Al Harthy was on the pace right from the off, setting the fastest time in Friday’s pre-event practice, before securing his first pole position of the campaign for Round Three in qualifying, with his second best time also securing him pole for Round Four. The Porsche Carrera Cup GB regular got away well at the start of the opening race, however a small mistake proved costly, Al Harthy having to settle for second place.

Oman Air, Nawras, National Bank of Oman, Brand Oman, Oman Ministry of Sports Affairs and Oman Ministry of Tourism-supported  Al Harthy said: “It’s been an amazing weekend so far, really fantastic. We were strong right from the off in testing and to carry that level of performance through to qualifying was very satisfying, it was an incredible result to claim both pole positions for the Oman Air Racing Team.

“Unfortunately a small mistake on the first lap meant the difference between winning today and finishing in second place but I’m still delighted with the result, our best finish yet. We definitely have great pace here this weekend.”

Starting on pole position for Round Four, Al Harthy made a perfect getaway to take the early lead. Increasing his advantage over the early stages, the Omani racer was unchallenged throughout the race to win by over four seconds. Al Harthy’s maiden victory in Porsche ME has hoisted him to within just six points of the series lead, a win that marks the proudest moment of his career to date, the 30 year old seeing his Omani flag raised on the podium at an F1 event.

An ecstatic Al Harthy commented: “From start to finish this is the best race and the best win of my career. I’m so, so happy with this result. We made a great start, everything went well and we took the fastest lap again so it really couldn’t have been any more perfect. We knew we had the pace to do this here this weekend.

“To me this is a home win, the Middle East is where I’m from and this is the closest thing I have to a home race. By far the proudest moment of my career was to see the Omani flag flying high above the podium on an F1 weekend. It’s the most prestigious motorsport championship in the world, to achieve a result like this on a Grand Prix weekend is incredible…I’m almost lost for words.

“We’ve worked so hard these past six years to achieve a moment like this, I dedicate this win to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The reason we’ve been running number 41 on the car in Porsche ME is to celebrate His Majesty’s 41st year of rule in Oman. It’s amazing to celebrate the National Holiday in Oman with this success.”

Ahmad Al Harthy In Action In Dubai - Photo Credit: Porsche Middle East & Africa

Porsche Carrera Cup GB regular Ahmad Al Harthy had a highly successful outing at the Dubai Autodrome last weekend, the Omani racer making a strong start to his maiden Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East campaign, before enjoying a winning debut in the United Arab Emirates GT Championship.

Al Harthy was straight on the pace in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, setting the second fastest time in practice, before going on to qualify fifth in his Oman Air, Nawras, National Bank of Oman, Brand Oman, Oman Ministry of Sports Affairs and Oman Ministry of Tourism-backed car.

The opening race saw him sitting in a podium position before an unfortunate moment dropped him to fifth place, where he went on to finish. The next day him qualifying fifth once again, with the race seeing him running fourth and challenging for a podium throughout, ending up 0.2 seconds adrift. He was later promoted to third when a rival was given a time penalty post-race, giving him a first podium finish.

The Oman Air Racing Team star then teamed up with the current Porsche Carrera Cup GB Champion James Sutton and the duo claimed victory in the ‘Endurance Challenge’, which ran as a class in the NGK UAE GT Championship.

Ahmad commented: “It was an incredible weekend, I’m delighted the Oman Air Racing Team has made such a positive start to the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge and to win our class in the GT race was fantastic. Huge thanks to James (Sutton) for partnering me in the endurance race, he’s an unbelievably quick and talented driver.”

2012 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship Winner Daniel Lloyd - Photo Credit: Volkswagen Motorsport

Daniel Lloyd has been announced as the 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship winner. The former Ginetta, Renault and BTCC racer beat off competition from three other drivers to win the prestigious award.

Lloyd, along with Tom Ingram, Jody Fannin and Ollie Millroy, headed to the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone earlier in the week for a extensive assessment programme, testing their media skills, fitness and driving ability, the drivers getting to test the latest Porsche Carrera Cup car around a wet Silverstone National circuit. Lloyd came out on top, winning £80,000 towards his 2012 budget.

Lloyd started his car racing in the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2008, before going on to win the 2009 Renault Clio Winter Series after finishing eleventh in the main championship. 2010 saw him made a one-weekend appearance in the British Touring Car Championship before this season saw him head to Germany to compete in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, the 19 year old taking two race wins on his way to third in the championship.

http://youtu.be/PPExutQtLoM

Ahmad Al Harthy - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Porsche Carrera Cup GB regular Ahmad Al Harthy has announced he will be racing with the Oman Air Racing Team in the upcoming Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East.

The 30 year old came third in the Pro-Am1 standings in this year’s GB series and will be hoping to use this experience in the Middle East series. Competing on the most prominent tracks in the Gulf region, the championship includes races on the support bill of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November.

Al Harthy will once again race with the Oman Air Racing Team and will be given the unique opportunity to race the brand new 2012 version of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, which will be raced for the first time ever in the Middle East championship.

Al Harthy said: “This is fantastic news for the Oman Air Racing Team. We’ve had an amazing season in the UK championship and now we have a chance to race at home in the Middle East, it’s a wonderful opportunity and I’m so grateful to all of my sponsors for helping to make this happen.

“Continuing to race over the next few months will help to keep me sharp, something that will be really important ahead of the 2012 championship in Britain – if we have the chance to go back next year of course! Porsche GT3 Cup Middle East has grown rapidly over the last couple of years, it’s very well organised and I’m delighted to be part of it. We intend to proudly fly the flag for Oman.

 “It’s certainly a great honour to be one of the first drivers in the world to sample the brand new 2012 model of the Porsche 911. The car I’ve raced in the UK this year has been incredible to drive, any improvement on that will be just sensational. I can’t wait for the first test.”

(L-R) Scholarship Finalists Millroy, Lloyd, Ingram and Fannin

Budding sportscar racers Ollie Millroy, Daniel Lloyd, Tom Ingram and Jody Fannin battled it out on Monday (31 October) to win the 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship.

The four racers headed to the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone for a rigorous evaluation process. After a series of panel interviews, media assessments and fitness testing, the drivers got a test in the latest 450bhp 911 GT3 Cup car on the Silverstone National circuit.

Now there is the anxious wait to find out the winner, which will be announced this Friday (4 November) at 10am. For the first time ever, the announcement will be made online on the Porsche Origin website, which carries extensive coverage of the Carrera Cup GB. The announcement can be seen live at http://origin.porsche.com/uk

After the assessment, the drivers tweeted:

Daniel Lloyd – “The porsche assessment day went well. Although I think it was the hardest day of my life! Results on friday so fingers crossed! ”

Jody Fannin – “Really hard work today for the Porsche Scholarship! Great experience and all went well – hope I’ve done enough!”

Tom Ingram – “This sofa has never felt so comfortable!! What a day, I am broken!! Great day all in all tho’ . Such an honor to be one of the finalists.”

Ollie Millroy – “Had a good time up at #Porsche today! just waiting for the results now! #fingerscrossed #toughday”

David Pittard Receiving Some Advice During His Porsche Test

Saloon car racer David Pittard enjoyed a successful test in a Porsche Carrera Cup Car at Silverstone this week with frontrunning Porsche Carrera Cup GB outfit Team Parker Racing.

Pittard, a frontrunner in the 2011 Red Dragon Toyota MR2 Championship, hadn’t driven anything like the 450bhp 911 GT3 Cup Car prior to the test, for which he used the car driven by rookie Sam Tordoff in 2011. Pittard couldn’t wait for the opportunity, having worked hard all year to get it.

Pittard said: “I had been buzzing for this day for weeks and weeks. A chance to drive something with more than double the horse power I have ever driven, and with such a prestigious name as Porsche was a dream come true. I was nervous at the beginning as all week the day had been predicted dry, but it was damp when we arrived.”

The damp track meant the team decided to put him out on wets at the start, with the Hertfordshire-based youngster relishing the chance to get to grips with the car for the first time, commenting: “It was a spine tingling moment. I was glad the car didn’t have the pit to car radio fitted as I’m sure they would only have heard me screaming with joy! The car was awesome. The power was incredible, absolutely relentless in its acceleration.”

After a quick change of tyres as the track dried, the Letchworth born driver started to set some impressive lap times out on track, lapping up to a second faster than more experienced drivers also testing. There was to be disappointment for Pittard though, as when he was out of the car to review the data and video from his first two runs, the car suffered a terminal mechanical failure when in the hands of the drivers Pittard was sharing the car with for the day, prematurely ending his test.

Looking back at the day, Pittard reflected: “It didn’t take me long to get familiar with the car and after a short spell on wets the team pulled me in as the track started to dry and it was neither wets or slicks. After waiting 10 minutes or so we went out on slick tyres. There were damp patches on the way into Copse, on the exit of Becketts and apex on Brooklands and Luffield. I just slowly built up heat in the tyres and confidence in the car to brake later, and get on the power earlier, and the times quickly came down.

“I returned out on a slightly drier track and a couple of seconds behind another car which gave me extra incentive to push on! Over the next 10 lap run I slowly caught him and managed to pass him after he made a mistake! This was my best run of the day and I felt completely calm with the car and just worked on my braking technique and lines as the Porsche requires such a different driving style.

“Jumping out of the car I felt very pleased with how the session had gone. I knew there were still area’s for improvement and was looking forward to reviewing the data. After a quick chat with the team boss I then returned to the truck for an in depth debrief with Jules my engineer. After analysis of the video and data there was defiantly room for improvement on my lines and throttle. I was pumped to get back out there!

“I was frustrated to not have a second run after looking at all the analysis. But unfortunately these things happen. And it was nice to end on a high with my driving impressing team boss Stuart Parker.  A massive thanks to Stuart, Jules for being excellent help, Podium PR for arranging the test and Roy Powell for taking some photos. Finally, thanks must go to Herts Business support Scheme who have made this year possible. It would be a dream come true to be out on the Porsche Carrera Cup grid next year, I will be working hard this winter to make that happen.”

2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship Winner Benji Hetherington

On the eve of the 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship evaluation, the 2011 Scholarship winner Benji Hetherington has spoken out about the importance of the scheme and reflected on his first season in the Carrera Cup.

The Scholarship scheme sees drivers fight it out to win an £80,000 grant towards their budget to compete in the following years Carrera Cup GB season. Hetherington says that winning last year’s Scholarship was a massive boost in his bid to make a career in sports and GT racing.
 
Hetherington said: “It’s a superb scheme that is bringing young talent through into a very professional and competitive championship. I’ve learnt so much this year and the podium at Silverstone shows just how much I’ve learnt.”

The 19 year old has enjoyed a strong maiden season in the championship, taking thirteen top ten finishes in the nineteen races, including four top six finishes in the competitive series. The former Ginetta G50 Cup racer’s season culminated with a superb maiden podium finish in the final race of the year. 

Hetherington, from Hulme Walfield in Cheshire, said: “It’s been a very tough year and a bit of a roller coaster. The Carrera Cup is so competitive that you can’t afford to be off the mark at all. To finish the final race at Silverstone on the podium was just amazing.”

Hetherington is planning to return to the seres in 2012 and hopes to follow in the footsteps of 2010 Scholarship winner Michael Meadows, who was a race winner and title contender in his second season. Hetherington commented:  “Michael has demonstrated the benefit of winning the Scholarship and then doing a second year in the Carrera Cup. This is definitely a two-year programme for me. I look forward to putting all that I’ve learnt into practice next year. You’ll now arrive at a circuit in your second year and know just what to do.”

The 2012 Carrera Cup GB Scholarship will be fought out between Jody Fannin, Tom Ingram, Daniel Lloyd and Ollie Millroy. They will undergo evaluation on Monday 31^st October at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone, the process including a test in the current 911GT3 Cup car.

Kieran Vernon In His Nationwide/Motorbase Porsche - Photo Credit: Chris Gurton Photography

Kieran Vernon has enjoyed a competitive run in the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB, the Guildford-based racer improving throughout the year to become a regular top six finisher in the competitive one-make series. The Checkered Flag spoke with Kieran at the final rounds of the year at Silverstone to hear his thoughts on his six meeting spell in the Carrera Cup.

Vernon headed into the 2011 season as one of the winners of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship, the prize being £50,000 towards a campaign in the series. However Vernon was unable to raise the rest of the budget to join the series, meaning he returned to single seaters to compete in the Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship with Fortec Motorsport.

The BRDC  Rising Star enjoyed a strong start to the year, picking up one win and two other podiums in the opening eight races. However prior to the Oulton Park rounds of the Carrera Cup, Tim Harvey announced he was leaving the series and gave his Nationwide-backed drive with Motorbase Performance to Vernon. He jumped at the opportunity and aimed to compete in both series for the remainder of the year, but with budget tight, he had to pull out the BARC series.

Vernon said: “Obviously I wanted to start the year in Porsche but I didn’t have the budget to go through with it. I went back into the single seater route and it started off really well, a win at Brands and a few podiums. Unfortunately after Croft we just didn’t have the budget to carry on and the Porsche drive was there available, so I had to take it.

“Coming into this round I was still sixth in the BARC standings, which shows how well it was going, so it was a shame to drop it as we were in contention for the championship. At the end of the day though, the Porsche is a great series and I’m really enjoying it.”

The move into the Porsche series left Vernon with the difficult task of joining a new championship in the middle of the season. Not only that, but Vernon had to learn a totally new car with a new team to him, with his only previous Porsche experience being a brief run in the older specification car during the Scholarship, meaning it would be a difficult learning experience for the youngster.  

Vernon explained: “It’s very difficult because it was a new car to me, completely different to anything I’d driven before. It weighs three times as much as a single seater, with the engine right over the rear wheels, so it’s a big thing to learn. We have made good progress every single race we’ve done so far and I’ve been gradually learning the car more and more, as the more time you spend in the car, the more you understand it and the more comfortable you feel in it. When I was at Oulton Park, I felt like the car was driving me, but now I’m starting to get on top of it.”

Vernon has improved as the season’s gone on and the Rockingham meeting in September saw him move into the front pack. The former Formula Ford race qualified fifth and then raced wheel to wheel with far more experienced Porsche racers to take his first top six finish. The next round at Brands Hatch saw him improve further, taking fifth and sixth place finishes on his most competitive weekend to date, confirming his status as one to watch in the one-make series.

Vernon commented: “Fifth and sixth at Brands was a really good result, pushing the front guys fighting for the championship. It’s looking good to be in there position next year and hopefully that’s where we can be. It’s a very competitive championship so it’s good to be able to mix it up with them so soon.”

The last two meetings of the year at Brands Hatch and Silverstone has seen Vernon joined in the Nationwide/Motorbase camp by Porsche Carrera Cup superstar Nick Tandy, the Porsche Supercup and Deutschland series regular taking the seat vacated by Michael Caine earlier in the year.

Having Tandy alongside him is something that can only be beneficial to a rookie like Vernon, as he explains: “For me learning, having a guy that’s faster than you is always brilliant. At Rockingham I didn’t have that, the data I had was my own, so it was tough to improve from where I was, but we were still quick there. It is very helpful though to see what he’s doing and with him on pole, it’s ideal for us to have the fastest time to look at. For me, it’s all a good learning experience.”

With his foot now firmly in the door in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Vernon is hoping to remain in the championship next year and believes a full title charge wouldn’t be out the question if he returned. It all boils down to budget once again though and Vernon hopes he has done enough to impress Nationwide and secure their backing for 2012.

Vernon concluded: “A full campaign is what I want to do, but it’s what Tim [Harvey] wants me to do and how Nationwide, the sponsors, feel about my performance this year and whether they want to back me next year. Hopefully they will, I’ve really enjoyed working with Nationwide and Loctite this year, the supports been fantastic. Hopefully we can do it next year, but obviously it depends on a lot of things, as it always does in motorsport. Fingers crossed.”

Richard Plant In His Distinctive Team Parker Racing Car

Richard Plant confirmed his status as the top rookie in the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship with a strong performance in the final rounds of the season at Silverstone, the 21 year old taking a fourth place finish in the last race of the year.

Plant sat fifth in the championships standings heading into the weekend, but had two drivers behind within touching distance, meaning a big performance was needed at Silverstone. Starting tenth for the opener, McDonalds-backed Plant got away well and gained a place on lap two, before settling into ninth.

Gaining another place just after mid-distance, Plant sat eighth when team-mate Stephen Jelley split his radiator in front, spraying Plant’s car in fluid. With his windscreen covered and Plant left unsighted for the remaining laps, Plant backed off but still crossed the line in seventh place.

The result left the 2009 Formula Palmer Audi champion with a smaller gap in the fight for fifth in the points, meaning another strong race was required. Starting tenth again, Plant got into ninth In the early running, before passing team-mates Jelley, Sam Tordoff and Euan Hankey in quick succession, getting himself into the top six.

Championship contender Michael Meadows was next up and when he ran wide, Plant nipped by for fifth, before he blasted around the outside of chief rival for fifth in the standings Jonas Gelzinis for fourth. With a few laps remaining, Plant sniffed a podium and challenged fellow rookie Benji Hetherington, the pair went side by side across the start/finish line on the penultimate lap, but Plant was unable to make the move stick, crossing the line 0,244s in fourth, a result that secured the Derbyshire racer fifth in the championship standings and status as the top rookie.

Multiplex-backed Plant said: “It was a really good performance to end the season at Silverstone and it has been a great year. I really wanted a podium today so I wasn’t holding back. I have shown people what I can do this year and when the line-up was announced ahead of the first round, I wouldn’t have dreamed about doing this well. I didn’t know what to expect in truth but I have got my head down and hopefully shown that I can be a real contender in the future.

“I just want to thank everyone at Team Parker Racing and of course all my sponsors, family and friends for supporting me. I can’t wait for 2012 already but I will reflect on this achievement over the coming weeks. I am going to work extremely hard over the winter and not leave a single stone unturned in trying to improve even further, but first I am going to enjoy this result.”

Ahmad Al Harthy Took Another Pro-Am1 Class Podium At Silverstone - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Ahmad Al Harthy concluded his 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB season at Silverstone with his twelfth Pro-Am1 class podium of the year, ensuring the Oman Air Racing Team star finished the year third in the class driver standings.

The 30 year old had a slow start the opening race, getting bundled down to sixth in class at the start, but he fought back to take fourth in class. The second race saw Ahmad start third and hold the position comfortably, before a multi-car incident ahead promoted him to second. He yielded the place soon after, but held on to take third in class. This means he ends his second season driving a Porsche third in the standings, with two class wins under his belt.

Ahmad said: “The races today were challenging. In the first one, fourth wasn’t what we deserved at all but finishing third in the last race was more like it. Unfortunately we got stuck behind Derek (Pierce) for too long in race one but I’m happy overall, a great end to a great season.

“We started the season on the podium and wanted to end it on the podium and we have, I’m absolutely delighted for the whole Oman Air Racing Team. All the hard work has paid off, thank you so much to all of my incredible sponsors – Oman Air, Nawras, National Bank of Oman, Brand Oman, Oman Ministry of Sports Affairs and Oman Ministry of Tourism.

“I also want to say a special thank you to His Excellency Eng. Ali Al Sunaidy from the Ministry of Sports Affairs, he has believed in my programme from the outset. His incredibly strong support has been instrumental in the success we’ve enjoyed so far. It’s such an honour for me.

“At the beginning of the year we talked about the need to be consistent, to keep finishing on the podium as much as possible, and I’ve delivered on that. It’s been an amazing season from start to end – I really don’t know where to begin thanking people, my family, my supporters from Oman who flew in to be here at Silverstone this weekend. I’m so grateful to everyone.”

SAS/Redline Celebrate Their 2011 Teams Championship Success

The SAS/Redline team has won the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB team championship after a remarkable season, which saw James Sutton and Michael Meadows secure a one-two finish for the team in the driver’s standings.

Heading into the final weekend, three drivers could take the drivers crown, but with rival Stephen Jelley falling away in the first race at Silverstone, SAS/Redline  were confirmed to win the drivers crown. Sutton eventually edged out Meadows in the final race to become Redline Racing’s fifth drivers champion.

The Cleveland-based team has contested the championship since it started in 2003 and has always finished in the top three of the teams battle, winning it in 2004, 2007, 2009 and now 2011. The fourth success confirms their status as the most successful team in the series history, having now taken 66 wins in 179 races.

This season, the SAS-backed cars took 37 finishes in 38 starts, scoring five wins and twenty podiums. Team boss Simon Leonard paid tribute to his entire team, saying: “It’s a fantastic achievement for the whole team. It is what we’ve worked for all year and the boys have done a fantastic job. It’s all about the whole team. The boys have put together very good cars and James and Michael have driven superbly. Without the support and backing of SAS none of this would be possible. We wanted to win both the drivers’ and teams’ championships and it all came together very well.”

Newly crowned 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Pro-Am2 Champion George Brewster

After a dramatic final race of the season at Silverstone, George Brewster emerged as the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Pro-Am2 class champion, the Celtic Speed driver fighting back from an unscheduled pitstop to secure another points for the title.

The Scottish racer was took eight wins from nineteen races in the class, but was unable to secure the title before the final race. In the deciding race, contact on the opening lap caused Brewster to spin, before he had to pit to change a rear puncture. Returning to the action a lap down, Brewster fought back to take fourth in class and with it the title.
 
Brewster, who finished second in Pro-Am2 in 2010, said: “There have been so many highs and lows this season. We started on a high with a double win at Brands Hatch and kept up the momentum from there. Then we hit a mid-season blip and we went to the Nurburgring and got taken out after 20 seconds. We had small problems at Thruxton and Snetterton and all these little things cost you.
 
“I’m very pleased how it has all turned out. It’s been well worth it after a disappointing 2010. The competition is absolutely intense but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. The championship is very well organised; there is a great bunch of guys and the racing is very hard and very competitive. I don’t know what you have to do to get to the front of this championship and so I’ll settle for Pro-Am2!”

James Sutton Celebrates With SAS/Redline Team Boss Simon Leonard

James Sutton has described winning the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB title the greatest achievement of his racing career to date, after the SAS/Redline driver securing his second series tirle during the championships final rounds at Silverstone.

Sutton, who turns 26 this week, won the crown after overcoming team-mate Michael Meadows and fellow rival Stephen Jelley at the final meeting, after a season long battle between the three. Sutton took three wins and eleven other podiums over the year, adding the 2011 crown to his 2007 success and 2009 vice-champion achievement.

Sutton believes that this has been the toughest season in the Carrera Cup GB yet, commenting: “It was a very tough season and I consider this the biggest achievement of my career so far, based purely on the people I’ve had to compete against. To finally come away with the title feels fantastic. We had to work hard to make this year happen in the first place.
 
“I’ve struggled to keep pace with Michael Meadows; he’s been driving so well. Stephen Jelley, Euan Hankey, Sam Tordoff, Richard Plant, Ben Hetherington and Jonas Gelzinis; those are the people I’ve had to try and beat week in, week out, and it’s not easy. It’s a very good feeling.”
 
Immediately after the race on Sunday, Sutton said: “I was waiting for the phone alarm to go off and wake up again in a Travelodge on Sunday morning all over again. After the race I felt numb. Over the last couple of laps it felt like someone else was driving the car!”

2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Champion James Sutton

James Sutton is the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Champion after taking second place in the final round of the season at Silverstone, a race dominated by Nick Tandy, who brought to an end his brief foray into the GB series with his third victory in four races. Also tasting success was George Brewster, securing the Pro-Am2 crown.

Tandy started from pole after dominating qualifying and burst into the lead, while behind Sutton beat his SAS/Redline team-mate and chief championship rival Michael Meadows into Copse for the first time. Knowing he needed to beat Meadows to claim his second Carrera Cup crown. Sutton defended hard over the opening few laps, allowing Tandy to pull away at the front. 

The first five laps saw Meadows pressuring Sutton hard, but his title chances were to end when he suffered a slow front puncture. Forced to enter the pits, Meadows dropped to the rear of the field, leaving him relying on Sutton to retire to have any chance of securing the crown.

Sutton didn’t have any problems though and crossed the line to secure a hard fought championship win, adding to his success in 2007. Ahead, taking the race win was Tandy though, the Nationwide/Motorbase driver taking his third win in four races, which would have been a 100% record had he not suffered a puncture at Brands.

With Meadows vacating third, the final podium place went to Benji Hetherington, the 2011 Porsche Scholarship winner ending his maiden season with a first podium finish, which saw him earn the ‘driver of the weekend award’. Fellow first year driver Richard Plant took a great fourth, ahead of Pro-Am1 class champion Jonas Gelzinis, the Lithuanian taking his thirteenth class win of the year.

Stephen Jelley took sixth, a disappointing end to a weekend which he started in the championship fight. The Parker with Juta race was challenging for third early on, but spun after hitting the rear of Meadow’s car. Seventh overall and second in Pro-Am1 was George Richardson, the Motorbase Performance driver enjoying a hard race with class rival Ahmad Al Harthy, who took eighth. Fellow Pro-Am1 contender Michael Leonard took ninth, with Sam Tordoff completing the top ten.

In Pro-Am2, it all started badly for Brewster when contact with Richard Denny sent him spinning, causing a rear puncture which he had to pit to chance. Emerging a lap behind, Brewster fought back to take fourth in class, which was enough to give him the title, despite main rival Keith Webster taking a commanding class win. Steve Parish and Denny finished the Pro-Am2 podium.

Despite Meadows’ woes, the SAS/Redline squad earned the ‘team of the weekend award’.

Nick Tandy Leading The Porsche Carrera Cup GB Field Into Copse

Nick Tandy oozed class as he cruised to a comfortable victory in Round 18 of the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Silverstone, the Porsche Supercup regular leading home championship rivals James Sutton and Michael Meadows for his second win in his third race in the series.

Tandy started from pole after a dominant performance in qualifying, where he topped the timesheets for both sessions, and a great getaway saw him take the lead, while behind Sutton jumped his team-mate Meadows at the start to take second. Sam Tordoff sat in fourth, while a move at Brooklands on the opening lap saw Stephen Jelley move past Jonas Gelzinis for fifth, the former BTCC racer looking to make early progress after a disappointing qualifying performance.

The race turned out to be a dull affair, with the cars running in formation for the majority, but the excitement started again on lap twenty. Jelley had started closing on the SAS/Redline cars and got within striking distance when there was disaster for him, slight contact a lap earlier causing a broken radiator, causing his Parker with Juta-prepared car to drop fluid. Jelley spun on his own fluid, before running back to the pitlane and retiring, ending his championship hopes. Jelley’s demise caused loads of fluid left on the racing line at both Becketts and Brooklands, causing many cars behind to spin.

Coping well in the tricky conditions though was Tandy, the Motorbase/Nationwide racer taking his second win in three races. Sutton took a comfortable second, with Meadows just holding onto third to maintain a one point championship lead heading into the day’s final race. Tordoff continued his strong run of form with fourth, ahead of Pro-Am1 winner Gelzinis, Euan Hankey and Richard Plant.

Completing the top ten were the remaining Pro-Am1 runners, with Rory Butcher taking eighth and with it second in class. The Celtic Speed driver finished a comfortable ten seconds ahead of his next rivals, with George Richardson taking the final class podium spot ahead of Ahmad Al Harthy.

The fluid left behind by Jelley particularly affected the Pro-Am2 class. Keith Webster led the class as he looked to keep his championship hopes alive, but he spun, allowing Yucel Ozbek into the class lead, but he was passed by George Brewster, who went on to take the class win. Ozbek went on to spin himself, allowing Webster to get back into second ahead of Steve Parish and Ozbek.

Nick Tandy (Photo Credit: Porsche)

After topping the series testing the day before Nick Tandy continued his strong run on his visit to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB by setting the fastest time in qualifying for the deciding meeting at Silverstone.

Tandy set the lap early on in the half hour session, putting the no.27 Porsche top of the times with an offering of 55.939.

Unlike the Touring Cars before them Porsche times immediately fell below the 60 second mark, Tandy and the SAS/Redline teammates leading the way. The Redline run pair will line up second and third on the grid for the series’ first race (scheduled for 12:25 tomorrow).

Michael Meadows, who enjoys a tiny advantage in the championship points will start second after beating teammate James Sutton by just 0.004 seconds. The pair are reversed for the grid for the second race, set by second fastest qualifying times, Sutton sharing the front row with Tandy.

Sam Tordoff will start the first race from fourth. The Clio Cup graduate was one of only a handful of drivers to improve in the second half of qualifying after coming in for a second set of tyres from his Team Parker Racing crew. While most of the top order opted to stay in the pits and hope their early times would withstand scruting Tordoff left the pits to try and improve on ninth. He initially beat Pro-Am 1 driver Rory Butcher to move to eighth before another lap pushed him up to fourth, one place ahead of Pro-Am 1 pace setter, predictably Jonas Gelzinis – already crowned class champion.

Tordoff will only start the second race from seventh place, fourth spot instead going to Ben Hetherington, Gelzinis again in fifth at the head of Pro-Am 1.

Former Touring Car driver Stephen Jelley – who is fighting Sutton and Meadows for the title had endure a relatively dismal session. After reportedly being held up by a slower car he will start the first race from seventh place, the later race from ninth. His Parker with Juta teammate Euan Hankey will start eighth and sixth in the two races. Richard Plant will line up tenth for both races.

The Pro Am 2 class is also to be decided with weekend. Celtic Speed driver George Brewster leads from Redline Racing’s Keith Webster. However, it was Webster who scored the class pole by just five-hundredths, after being another of the few drivers to improve upon his time once new tyres had been fitted to his Porsche.

The first race of the final Porsche Carrera Cup GB weekend of the year is scheduled to start at 12:25pm Sunday, the second at 3:45pm.

Current Championship Leader, SAS/Redline's Michael Meadows

Michael Meadows, Stephen Jelley and James Sutton are getting set to fight it out this weekend for the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship, the three drivers heading into the final rounds at Silverstone split by just twelve points, setting the series up for an electrifying finale.

SAS/Redline’s Meadows currently leads the way after a consistently strong season in which he has taken top six finishes in every race, including two wins and eight other podiums. Parker with Juta’s Jelley is hot on his heels though after winning last time out at Brands Hatch, his fifth win of the year, while Meadow’s team-mate Sutton is also in the fight after twelve podiums so far, including three wins. All three will be desperate to secure the title, so are sure to provide two enthralling encounters.  

Looking set to miss out on a chance of challenging for the title after a mixed season is Euan Hankey,  despite the Parker with Juta star matching team-mate Jelley’s win count of five. The former Porsche Scholarship winner will be hoping to take more wins at the final rounds and end the year with the most victories of any driver.

Also looking to end their season’s on a high will be four Carrera Cup rookies who have all impressed during their maiden campaigns. Team Parker Racing duo Richard Plant and Sam Tordoff sit fifth and seventh in the points respectively after both establishing themselves as comfortable top six finishers, taking one podium each so far.

Also impressing are the most recent Porsche Scholarship victors Benji Hetherington and Kieran Vernon. Hetherington has had a consistent first season, with a best result of fourth, while Vernon has impressed since joining the series at the fourth meeting of the year Oulton Park, taking three top six finishes in the last four races.

2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Standings:

1. Michael Meadows – 282 points
2. Stephen Jelley – 272 points
3. James Sutton – 270 points
4. Euan Hankey – 231 points
5. Richard Plant – 160 points

The Pro-Am1 class champion has already been confirmed as Jonas Gelzinis, the Lithuanian securing the title for Juta Racing last time out at Brands Hatch after a dominant season, meaning he’s now focused on trying to snatch fifth away from Plant in the overall standings.

The fight for second is still very much on though, with Rory Butcher currently holding the advantage, though the young Scot is only 14 points ahead of Ahmad Al Harthy, who in turn is under pressure from Derek Pierce for third in the standings.

Pro-Am 1 Standings:

1. Jonas Gelzinis – 168 points
2. Rory Butcher – 97 points
3. Ahmad Al Harthy – 83 points
4. Derek Pierce – 71 points
5. George Richardson – 52 points

The battle for Pro-Am2 is still raging though, with just three points separating George Brewster and Keith Webster at the top of the class standings. Behind, third place is still being hotly contested between Richard Denny, Tommy Dreelan and Steve Parish, meaning its all to play for in Pro-Am2 at Silverstone.

Pro-Am 2 Standings:

1. George Brewster  – 121 points
2. Keith Webster – 118 points
3. Richard Denny – 99 points
4. Tommy Dreelan – 85 points
5. Steve Parish – 81 points

The winner will follow in the footsteps of 2010 Scholarship Winner Euan Hankey

Porsche have named the four drivers that are in contention for the 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship, with Jody Fannin, Daniel Lloyd, Tom Ingram and Ollie Millroy up for the accolade.

Ginetta GT Supercup ‘G50’ class top two Ingram and Fannin , Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup race-winner Lloyd and Formula Renault UK race-winner Millroy will battle it out for the Scholarship prize, the winner receiving £80,000 towards their racing budget for the 2012 Carrera Cup GB season.

The four finalists will be now go to the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone for assessment, which will include a chance to drive the latest 911 GT3 Cup car. The winner, selected by an expert judging panel, will be the driver showing the best mix of natural talent, potential, drive and commitment.

The winner of the scholarship will follow in the footsteps of 2010 winners Michael Meadows and Euan Hankey, and this year’s recipient Benji Hetherington. Both Meadows and Hankey used their Scholarship year as a platform for a title charge this season, while Hetherington has put in strong performances during his maiden Porsche campaign.

The winner will be announced in early November.

Ahmad Al Harthy On The Brands Hatch Podium - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Ahmad Al Harthy took his second Pro-Am1 race win of the season during the latest rounds of the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Brands Hatch, with the Oman Air Racing Team driver’s performances earning him the ‘Driver of the Weekend’ accolade.

The 30 year old started third in class on the opening race and although initially edging into second place, he slipped back again on the opening lap. He regained the place a lap later though and edged clear to take a comfortably second in class, his tenth podium of the season.

An excellent start in race two saw Al Harthy move into second in class on the opening lap and from there he soaked up huge pressure to retain the place. When Pro-Am1 leader and newly crowned class champion Jonas Gelzinis suffered a puncture, Al Harthy swept past into the lead and held on for his second win of 2011.

Oman Air, Nawras, National Bank of Oman, Brand Oman, Oman Ministry of Sports Affairs and Oman Ministry of Tourism-backed Al Harthy said: “The heat today was so difficult to contend with. It affected the car worse than it did yesterday but we put together a textbook race – I’m extremely delighted for everybody involved in making this possible.

“It’s so important to get these wins, it lifts the confidence and I’m really happy we were able to do it in such a hot and difficult race. It really has been a fantastic couple of days for the Oman Air Racing Team and being named the Driver of the Weekend is the icing on the cake.”

There are just two races remaining this season, with Ahmad heading into the season finale at Silverstone in a great position to achieve his aim of a top three class finish in the points, while also having a chance of taking runner up spot. As he did at Brands, Ahmad will compete at Silverstone in support of the Omani National Association for Cancer Awareness.

Prospective Drivers Can Run With Top Porsche Teams Including Team Parker Racing, Who Run Stephen Jelley

Drivers interested in joining the 2012 Porsche Carrera Cup GB have the chance to sample the latest 450bhp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup after the championship organised an exclusive Sampler Day at Silverstone on Monday 31 October.

From 1.30pm onwards, the Silverstone National circuit will be available exclusively for the Carrera Cup GB teams, allowing them to offer test sessions to prospective new drivers. All of the leading teams will be on hand and drivers interested in testing a car should contact the teams directly. 
 
Celtic Speed
Contact: Alan Keith; phone: 07712 821224
E-mail: alan@wilsonsgarage.net
           
Motorbase Performance
Contact: David Bartrum; phone: 01732 822266
E-mail: bartman@motorbase.org.uk
 
Parr Motorsport
Contact: Paul Robe; phone: 01293 537911
E-mail: motorsport@parr-uk.co.uk
 
Red Line Racing
Contact: Simon Leonard; phone 01642 751911
E-mail: rlr@talk21.com
 
Team Parker Racing
Contact: Stuart Parker; phone: 01455 822686
E-mail: stuart@teamparkerracing.com

Richard Plant - Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

Richard Plant endured a tough weekend during the Porsche Carrera Cup GB rounds at Brands Hatch, the 21 year old suffering an unfortunate puncture in the opening race, before bouncing back for a points scoring finish.

Plant headed into the weekend in positive mood having enjoyed a great weekend at the circuit in 2009, when he took three pole positions and three wins on his way to the Formula Palmer Audi title. His weekend started badly in qualifying though, when he was held up by a backmarker on his fastest laps, leaving him ninth and tenth on the grid for the two races.

The Multiplex-backed racer started well in the opening race though, shooting up to eighth at the start, before diving past two rivals at the same time around mid-distance to take sixth, before getting promoted to fifth when a rival went off. His race was to be ruined though when a puncture forced him to pit, Plant emerging to claim sixteenth at the finish.

Keen to make up for it in the second race, Plant soon got embroiled in a battle for eighth, which soon became a battle for sixth when two drivers pulled off with mechanical woes.  Sitting in eighth, the GWPrice-backed driver starting suffering from a lack of grip towards the end of the race and rather than push too hard and risk another puncture, he settled for eighth and some valuable points.

Plant, who sits at the top Carrera Cup rookie in fifth in the championship, said: “It was just one of those weekends to forget I suppose. It was all looking quite good early on Friday but then things went against us in qualifying. I managed to put that out of my mind to produce one of my best drives in race one, only for the result to be taken away from us with a puncture. It can knock your confidence a little so I was keen to bring home some points on Sunday, which thankfully we did. It’s all set up for an exciting final weekend at Silverstone.”