New drivers, new teams and fierce competition across all three categories are the headlines for the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, fastest one-make race series in Britain, at the opening races of the season at Brands Hatch (4/5 April).

With an excellent 19-car field, headed by defending champion Tim Harvey and his key rivals Tim Bridgman and Michael Caine along with some very significant championship newcomers, it will be a great start to the season.

Up front, the three top drivers from 2008 are back; defending champion Harvey (Red Line Racing) and Bridgman (Team Parker Racing) return with the same teams, while 2008 runner-up Michael Caine has rejoined Kent-based Motorbase Performance for the new season.

Bridgman set a stunning pace during the major pre-season test at Silverstone to underline his title ambitions, but Harvey is just as determined to retain his title and Caine started his 2008 campaign with a double win here at Brands last spring. Adding yet more interest is former BTCC and Le Mans ace Anthony Reid at the wheel of the VIP car from Porsche Motorsport, and another contender for the overall podium.

Among the drivers making their debut this weekend will be the two Carrera Cup Scholarship winners, Tom Bradshaw and Lewis Hopkins, who each won £50,000 towards their 2009 racing budget in the championship’s highly successful scholarship programme last autumn.

Enjoying better support than ever are the pro-am1 and pro-am2 categories and there is going to be plenty of competition within the overall race. The man with his eyes set firmly on the pro-am1 crown is Dartford’s Tony Gilham (Red Line Racing), who will want to get his season off to a flying start at his home track.

Gilham’s opposition is very strong, however, and includes Scottish teenager Glynn Geddie and Irish charger Michael Leonard from Team Parker Racing, Ollie Jackson (Motorbase Performance), Graeme Mundy (RSS Performance) and series newcomers Robert Lawson and Derek Pierce from JHR. Lawson, the former SEAT front-runner, is sure to be a major contender and the leading pro-am1 racers will also be chasing overall podium finishes as the season progresses.

The pro-am2 field will gather momentum as the season develops, and is headed this weekend by Karl Leonard (RSS Performance) and 17-year old George Richardson (Motorbase Performance).

After qualifying at 2pm on Saturday afternoon, the first Carrera Cup race will start at 5.40pm on Saturday. The second race will start at 3pm on Sunday.

March 27th, 2009

Porsche Carrera Cup GB