Ryan Ratcliffe will make the switch to Porsche Carrera Cup GB for the 2020 season after signing a deal with Team Parker Racing to remain with the team for a third year.
The 26-year-old has been racing the Bentley Continental GT3 in the British GT championship for the team, including an appearance at the 2019 Total 24 Hours of Spa.
“I’ve been looking at this championship for the past six or seven years now. I’ve had a good run in GTs but I’m looking forward to going back to single-make racing. The Carrera Cup is growing – I’ve heard confirmed numbers and the grid is already bigger than it was in 2019.” said Ratcliffe.
“The championship will be strong and if you want to progress as a driver it is where you want to put yourself. I can spend a couple of years focusing on myself – if there are any mistakes, I can learn from it and there are none of the contributing factors that you get in GT.
“I love GT racing and the team aspect of it, and the relationship you build with team-mates is great, but it will be nice to going back to being by myself again
While high-powered sports cars are not new to Ratcliffe, he did admit it has been an eye-opener switching to the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, “I’ve spent the past six years stamping on a pedal as hard as I can, and I found out in my first day in the car that I can’t do that in the 911 GT3 Cup car!
“It will take time to adapt my driving, but I have really enjoyed getting time behind the wheel. The first day was very good and I am happy with the progress we have made already. You feel really involved driving the car and you can feel every input that you make.
The Welshman has set himself realistic goals for the year, and for 2020 will compete in the Pro-Am class, “Because of the transition into this, driving now with no aids in the car, I am treating next year as a learning one. I want to be in an environment where there is no pressure and just enjoy myself.
“Everyone would agree that the time comes with experience in the Cup car – if you look at any of the top drivers they have all been doing it for several years and know the car inside out, so rather than me feeling the pressure every week against the Pros I’d rather go in to Pro-Am, learn at my own pace, and enjoy my racing.
“If I go into Pro, I will be under too much pressure every time, beating myself up every week. I am not taking anything away from Pro-Am drivers; I can imagine the challenge will be very hard and the people in it know the car, the tracks, and the format.
“I want to get conformable with the car and how the championship works. This is a long-term plan, there will be a new car in two years, but I want to be here for at least five years.”
The 2020 Porsche Carrera Cup GB season gets underway on the weekend of 28/29 March at Donington Park and will feature 16 races alongside the British Touring Car Championship.
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