Heading in to the final race of the 2018 Porsche Carrera Cup GB season at Brands Hatch, it was all even at the top of the championship. Dino Zamparelli and Tio Ellinas tied on points following a chaotic first race of the weekend, Zamparelli would have everything to do as he started from thirteenth on the grid.
Guest driver and former championship runner up Michael Caine led the field away from the start and as they barreled in to Paddock Hill bend ran side-by-side with Tom Jackson, a move that rarely ends well on one of the UK’s most infamous corners, this occasion would be no different as the pair touched, pitching Caine in to a half spin, losing out on position but managing to continue the race.
Jackson held the lead with Tom Wrigley and Ellinas setting their sight on top position; as the field rounded Druids, Zamparelli collided with Seb Perez, pushing the 2018 Pro-Am champion off of the track and in to the barriers, bringing out a safety car while his car was recovered.
In Pro-Am Rory Collingbourne was looking to follow up his earlier victory with another as he led the class ahead of Esmee Hawkey and Jamie Orton. In Am it was Iain Dockerill, David Fairbrother and Peter Mangion.
With Perez’s car recovered racing resumed and on lap five Collingbourne lost out two places to Dan Harper and Dino Zamparelli who moved up to fifth and sixth.
Credit: Dan Bathie / Porsche
Up front Wrigley past Jackson for the lead of the race and ultimately the victory as he would hold on to the chequered flag.
Not long after, Lewis Plato and Ellinas also managed to pass Jackson as they slotted in to the final podium positions. Harper and Zamparelli would also move up with the title hopeful now in sixth, just three places behind his championship rival.
With nothing to lose Zamparelli pushed Harper for position but couldn’t manage a way around the Junior driver as he held on valiantly.
In Pro-Am Orton and Hawkey collided, putting Orton out of the race as he ended up in the gravel at Hawthorne. Collingbourne would lead the class home to secure back-to-back wins ahead of Dan Vaughan and Justin Sherwood.
With the sun low in the Kent sky, Wrigley took victory, his fourth of the 2018 season ahead of Plato and Ellinas who had done enough to secure the championship by finishing ahead of Zamparelli.
Along with championship victory Ellinas picked up the Driver of the Weekend award while his Slidesports team took Team of the Weekend.
Credit: Dan Bathie / Porsche
