Ten weeks. That is the time between the resumption of the 2016 Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Snetterton this weekend, and its conclusion at Brands Hatch. That is not much time. Not much time at all.
Still it is rare that news for the following season’s campaign should emerge so early. Even rarer that what could be anticipated as the biggest piece of off-season news comes out so soon. That is what has happened for the 2017 Porsche Carrera Cup GB.
The news that broke in Motorsport News yesterday, was massive. Le Mans winner for Porsche in 2015 Nick Tandy, was expanding his JTR team beyond single-seaters and into GT racing. A logical step, a sensible one.
A step that boosts Carrera Cup GB in several ways. Another front-running team, is positive news for any series, let alone one with massive pedigree in junior single-seater competition. The intention to run a car in Pro, Pro-Am1 and Pro-Am2 is also significant. It means the team will raise the level of competition across the spectrum, not just one portion of the series.
Tandy’s own experience in Porsche one-make racing should mean the team can hit the ground running and an early announcement should create the opportunity to test extensively over the winter. There are few greater shocks in motor racing than a new team coming straight in and playing at the sharp end. JTR can be fairly expected to.
An influx of new teams for 2015 was the start of a revival for the series. JTR’s move signals that the revival still has momentum and that the championship bosses are doing the right things to attract the right people. The World Endurance Championship support rounds, as Tandy stated, are a huge stamp of credibility for the series.
If JTR can successfully run in GB, then a move to European competition and potentially the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup is on the cards. Michael Meadows and Josh Webster, to name but two, have recently shown what success in Carrera Cup GB means for a driver’s career progression. If JTR can prove the same is true for a team, that will only encourage further prospective entries into the series.
So a plot-line emerges, a fascination for next season. Further indication that the Porsche Carrera Cup GB will be enjoying success for a while to come, with new faces, and old friends.
