Sebastian Job (East Grinstead) and Luke McKeown shared the spoils at a simulated Snetterton during the third weekend of the RAFA Racing Club Porsche Esports Carrera Cup GB championship season. The Norfolk circuit’s shorter 200 layout saw a grid of 26 sim racers entertain online spectators in two action-packed races, and a pair of new category winners emerged in McKeown (Pro) and Am contender Crofton Woodhatch (Bath).

Job maintained his unbroken record of pole positions in qualifying, setting his fastest lap time around the two-mile track in the final few minutes of the session. The Oracle Red Bull Sim Racing driver stayed ahead during the weekend’s first race as those behind battled for position, Luke Bennett (Bromsgrove) and McKeown would join Job on the virtual podium. However, one of the closest fights was in Am with Woodhatch breaking the dominance of Luke Pennington (Bideford) to secure his first category win of the season.

Alexander Davidson (Menstrie) slipped back from reverse grid pole position in round six as Josh Thompson (Isle of Man) assumed the race lead. There were a number of dramatic incidents further back, resulting in contact and a handful of unfortunate retirements. Later into the race, McKeown overtook Thompson in a decisive move for first, and the Apex Racing Team driver then absorbed mounting pressure from Job to take his maiden overall victory. Meanwhile, Pennington was back on form in Am, recording his fifth category win from six races.

Qualifying
Job’s now customary qualifying routine saw him residing down the order during the first half of the 10-minute session, but he gained speed as he methodically lapped the circuit to lighten the fuel load in his GT3 Cup – aiming for a fast run in the final moments. As anticipated, an early effort of 1:08.610 by Graham Carroll was later beaten by Job’s 1:08.514, with McKeown just 0.078 seconds adrift.

In the final few minutes of qualifying, McKeown improved only for Job to immediately usurp him, with benchmark lap time of 1:08.40 – good enough for pole position – while Bennett and Thompson also jumped McKeown before the flag. Scott Moakes (Meppershall) had been the leading Am at one stage but 2024’s established order was restored when Pennington set the fastest time in the category, underlining his speed once more.

Race one
Job made a great start when the lights went out, to lead into the first corner. However, there was drama just behind when four cars left the circuit at Riches following contact between Eric Grove (Birmingham), Moakes, Dylan Platt (Bangor) and David Williams (Rugby). Thompson and Carroll also lost out during the early phase of the race, falling down the order to leave Bennett and McKeown chasing leader Job. In Am, Pennington stayed ahead to lead Woodhatch from Daniel Cofield (Doncaster).

With 21 minutes of the race remaining, Pennington dropped back, allowing Woodhatch to assume the Am lead and putting Cofield in second. Pennington immediately came back fighting, and there was contact with Cofield, but the Am championship leader got through. Cofield soon left the circuit after a separate incident with Jack Sedgwick (Stockport). Now, a recovering Pennington set his sights on category leader Woodhatch, and he soon began to close.

At the front of the race, a stable gap of around half a second formed between Job and the chasing Bennett, with McKeown a few tenths further back. However, with 14 minutes left on the clock, all eyes returned to Pennington as he engaged in a scrap with Woodhatch, the former falling back down the order again which allowed Woodhatch to maintain his Am lead, Oliver Ettridge (Nuneaton) adopting second in the category. Pennington was soon on the attack once again, passing Moakes for third in Am at Murrays, and then set after Ettridge.

With six minutes of the race to go, Pennington was now within striking distance of Ettridge. He made a move to the inside at the hairpin but it resulted in contact, and Pennington was delayed as a result. It allowed Ettridge to retain second in Am, despite being overtaken by Pro category racer Thomas Cope (Sheffield). Pennington continued his eventful race as Moakes was promoted to the final Am category podium place.

In the last few minutes of the race Peter Berryman (Corby) attacked William Chadwick (Wigan) for seventh overall but there was a coming together, with Chadwick staying ahead. At the flag, Job took his third win of 2024, and his third of the weekend, having driven to two TAG Heuer Esports Supercup by iRacing victories the day before. Job was joined by Bennet and McKeown on the Pro category podium, while Woodhatch secured his maiden Am category win with Ettridge second and Moakes third. Davidson came home in sixth giving him reverse grid pole position for the day’s second race.

Following the race, for an incident between Scott Moakes and Daniel Cofield on the opening lap, 10 seconds was added to the race time of Cofield. For an incident involving Eric Grove, Dylan Platt, David Williams and Thomas Cope on the first lap, 10 seconds was added to the race time of Cope. For an incident between Jacob Tufts and Thomas Cope on the second lap, five seconds was added to the race time of Cope. For an incident between Jack Sedgwick and Daniel Cofield on lap five, 10 seconds was added to the race time of Sedgwick. For an incident between Eric Grove and Daniel Martin on lap eight, 10 seconds was added to the race time of Grove. Finally, for an incident between Dylan Platt and Nathan Tague on lap 15, 10 seconds was added to the race time of Tague.

Race two
The grid for the second race was determined by reversing the top six finishing positions from race one. Davidson started on pole position with Thompson alongside, Carroll and McKeown on the second row, and Bennett and Job forming row three. At the start of the race, Davidson got bogged down by wheelspin, allowing Thompson to accelerate into the lead followed by McKeown and Job – up from sixth. Just behind, there were a number of incidents in the early part of the lap with contact between several drivers leading to a handful of retirements.

As the order settled, Pennington was another driver to gain – he now led Am, with Moakes and Ettridge giving chase. Meanwhile there was further contact, this time between Matt Emery (Nutfield) and Chadwick for fifth though both would continue their races. This allowed Bennett, who was just behind, to fight Chadwick through several corners though Chadwick emerged ahead as Bennett soon left the circuit. On lap eight, leader Thompson was coming under increasing pressure from a train of cars behind; McKeown, Job and Carroll all covered by less than one second and keen to pass.

With 10 minutes still to go, the stalemate at the front appeared to be broken when McKeown looked to pass Thompson, but his move didn’t stick and this gave Job a run up the inside of McKeown. However, Job couldn’t gain a sufficient overlap either, so then switched back to the outside, also to no avail, and the order remained the same for the time being. McKeown quickly regrouped and drove to the outside of Thompson at Brundle, giving him the inside line at Nelson to snatch the race lead. Keen to follow McKeown through, Job mounted his own pass on Thompson at the hairpin to grab second.

With less than five minutes remaining, Job attacked McKeown. When his first attempt was denied he tried again at the Brundle and Nelson complex but he lost ground. This allowed Thompson to briefly get ahead of Job, however, Job managed to recover the place and Thompson lost a place to Carroll. That left the order as McKeown from Job, with Carroll now third and Thompson fourth.

Job made a final attempt to win the race on the last lap. He moved to the inside at the hairpin but he was not close enough to McKeown, the latter then defending his lead along the Bentley Straight denying a move during the last part of the lap. McKeown took the flag to secure a maiden win of the season, with Job second and Carroll third. Pennington was back on top in Am with Moakes second and Daniel Martin (Weymouth) third.

Following the race, for an incident between Alexander Davidson and Thomas Cope on the third lap, 10 seconds was added to the race time of Davidson. Following the Snetterton weekend, Daniel Cofield has accumulated a total of 30 seconds worth of time penalties and will not be permitted to participate in the qualifying session for the following event.

Rounds seven and eight of the championship take place on 25 February at Oulton Park on the Island circuit. Keep up to date with RAFA Racing Club Porsche Esports Carrera Cup GB news via the dedicated Instagram and Twitter feeds: @PorscheRaces_GB

Championship positions:

Pro

1st - Sebastian Job - 59
2nd - Luke McKeown - 44
3rd - Josh Thompson - 31

Am

1st - Luke Pennington - 61
2nd - Scott Moakes - 39
3rd - Daniel Martin - 30