Charles Rainford (Cognition Land & Water with CCK Motorsport) from Uckfield, East Sussex, passed pole-sitter Hugo Ellis (Team Parker Racing) from Bournemouth, Dorset, to win the first Porsche Carrera Cup GB race at Knockhill in Fife. With his victory in Round 10, Nottingham’s George Gamble (Rosland Gold By Century Motorsport) became the seventh different overall winner this season. Just ten points now separate the top four drivers in the championship standings with only three weekends to go.

Pro category championship battle intensifies
Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session called for precision as drivers negotiated the limits of the twisting 1.3-mile circuit. Rainford made an early bid for pole position, with Will Martin (Eden Race Drive) and Hugo Ellis (Team Parker Racing) also showing their speed. In the closing stages of the session, Ellis posted a 48.666-second lap to take his second pole position of the season.

Ellis led into the first corner of the opening race as Rainford tucked in close behind. There was drama when Andrew Rackstraw (JTR) and Martin made contact – the former spun out before continuing his race. Rainford quickly went on the attack, snatching the lead and leaving Ellis in second. When Martin made an error, he lost third place to the chasing Matthew Rees (Team Parker Racing). On lap 14, the scrap between the leaders escalated – Rainford was forced to defend which created a four-car train with Ellis, Rees and Martin giving chase.

In the closing stages of the race, Ellis continued to pressure leader, Rainford. He almost gained a run as the pair lapped back markers, but Ellis couldn’t make a move stick. On lap 31, Ellis forced Rainford to the inside line on the approach to the hairpin – he dummied from one side to the other, but the order stayed the same. Rainford took the chequered flag for his first win of the 2024 season, Ellis came home in a close second with Rees in third.

George Gamble (Rosland Gold By Century Motorsport) started on reverse grid pole position for the weekend’s second encounter. Gamble got away cleanly into the first corner, while Pro-Am driver Sid Smith (Parker Classic Works) followed with Rees slotting into third. On lap three, Martin and Stephen Jelley (Parker Classic Works) made contact, stopping in the gravel trap at McIntyres. Jelley recovered to the pit lane where he retired, and Martin continued one lap down as the Safety Car was scrambled.

At the restart, Gamble resisted mounting pressure from the chasing Smith. And with 10 minutes of racing remaining, Ellis began to gain on Rees for third overall. The pair circulated in close formation for a handful of laps before Ellis began to slip backwards, giving Smith much needed breathing space. In the final two laps of the race, Rainford looked for a way ahead of Wallis, but he could not find a route through. Gamble crossed the finish line to become the seventh different overall winner of the season, joined on the overall podium by Smith and Rees, with Ellis finishing just behind in fourth overall.

Smith accelerates into Pro-Am contention
Smith was the fastest Pro-Am driver in qualifying, finishing the session in an impressive sixth overall. The Rookie led his category rivals at the start of the first race in Scotland, with Josh Stanton (JTR) in second, and Angus Whiteside (Century Motorsport) sitting third – despite running wide at Hislops. A flying Smith soon attacked Porsche Carrera Cup GB 2024 / 2025 Junior, James Wallis (JTR), for fifth place overall, but after the pair lightly touched he settled behind the Junior.

A close battle between local hero Ross Wylie (Toro Verde GT) and Oliver White (Eden Race Drive) for fourth in the category developed on lap 13 – White maintained the advantage, though, as the Scotsman’s attack faded. When Ollie Jackson (JTR) made an error at the hairpin, Henry Dawes (Century Motorsport) capitalised on the opportunity by overtaking – that left Will Aspin (Eden Race Drive) searching for a way by a wrong-footed Jackson. Despite strict track limit enforcement, Smith kept things clean to record his third Pro-Am category win of the season.

Smith – the highest placed Pro-Am driver – started on the front row of the reverse grid for the weekend’s second race. He stayed ahead at the start, with White sitting second in the category, and Whiteside in third. Jackson spun at Duffus Dip but continued his race. Following the Safety Car period, Smith pressured leader Gamble for the overall lead, but he could not create an opportunity.

On lap 19, Aspin and Eaton ignited a scrap for sixth in category, Aspin moved to the inside at Duffus Dip where there was contact forcing Eaton to run wide, and she rejoined ahead of the closing Dawes. At the flag, Smith took his second category win of the Knockhill weekend, with White and Whiteside completing the Pro-Am podium.

Mowle delivers another perfect weekend in Am
Am category driver Lee Mowle (Team Parker Racing) would start the weekend’s first race on Row 11. He produced a clean run in the weekend’s first race, and crossed the line to secure his sixth Am category win of the season. And Mowle repeated his success in Round 10, taking a seventh category win.

The championship travels to Donington Park on the weekend of 24-25 August, where it rejoins Porsche Sprint Challenge GB for a bumper weekend of racing. Follow the latest Carrera Cup GB news directly from Porsche Motorsport via Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) – @PorscheRaces_GB – where users can share experiences via the hashtags #CarreraCupGB.

Championship positions*

Overall:
Will Martin - Eden Race Drive - 70
Charles Rainford - Cognition Land & Water with CCK Motorsport - 67
George Gamble - Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport - 61

Pro-Am:
Sid Smith - Parker Classic Works - 73
Angus Whiteside - Century Motorsport - 71
Ollie Jackson - JTR - 57

Am:
Lee Mowle - Team Parker Racing - 83
Justin Sherwood - Team Parker Racing - 35
Richard Hosking - Cognition Land & Water with CCK Motorsport - 28