Porsche Carrera Cup GB – the fastest single-marque GT racing championship in the UK – arrived at Silverstone for its penultimate weekend of the season. Two exciting races on the short National circuit saw a victory for Gus Burton (JTR) and a maiden win for 2022 Porsche Sprint Challenge GB champion Harry Foster (Duckhams Yuasa Racing with Team Parker). With his results, Porsche Carrera Cup GB 2022 / 2023 Junior Adam Smalley (Duckhams Yuasa Racing with Team Parker) was crowned provisional champion for 2023 with two races still remaining.

The first race on Sunday was conducted in damp conditions with some drivers taking to the grid on grooved wet weather Michelin tyres, others opting for slick rubber. Matty Graham (Redline Racing) led early on as Smalley – on slicks – fell backwards. However, as the dry tyres gained an advantage Burton assumed the lead while Smalley recovered to second with championship rival James Kellett (Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport) in third – that was the order at the flag. Meanwhile Angus Whiteside (Century Motorsport) emerged ahead for a maiden Pro-Am victory.

Foster started from reverse grid pole position in the second race, leading Hugo Ellis (Team Parker Racing) into the first corner while several Pro-Am runners battled for category glory behind. Later into the race there were time penalties for a handful of drivers including title challenger Kellett, putting him behind rival Smalley on corrected time. Following a brief Safety Car period, Foster became the season’s sixth different winner while a delighted Smalley was crowned provisional 2023 champion. Ross Wylie (Team Redline Racing) topped Pro-Am, strengthening his championship bid.

Practice
Friday morning’s 50-minute practice session took place in sunny weather conditions with damp patches on the circuit from earlier rain. The majority of drivers stayed in the pit lane for the first half of the session because of the slippery track conditions, but returnee Theo Edgerton (Toro Verde GT) ventured out setting a time of 58.722, later improving with a 58.361. In the second half of the session Josh Malin (Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport) went fastest, but in the end it was Smalley ahead with a time of 56.179 while Max Bird (Team Redline Racing) was the quickest in Pro-Am.

The afternoon’s dry 45-minute session saw a flurry of activity on track. Edgerton was the initial pacesetter with Graham and Smalley giving chase, Josh Stanton (JTR) ahead in Pro-Am. In the final 15 minutes of second practice Burton set a 54.722, but that lap time was soon beaten by a flying Charles Rainford (CCK Motorsport) – his 54.637 would stand as the day’s quickest lap. Jake Giddings (Parker Classic Works) ended up ahead in Pro-Am. At the flag the entire field was covered by less than one second.

Qualifying
Saturday afternoon's 30-minute qualifying session took place in dry and warm conditions. Graham was the early pacesetter with a time of 54.683, however that was soon bettered by Smalley who would close the first half of the session at the top of the timing screens on a 54.379. Meanwhile, Oliver White (Redline Racing) was the driver to beat in Pro-Am, fending off the advances of Wylie and Will Aspin (Team Parker Racing).

Following a change of slick racing tyres at the session midpoint, Graham leapt ahead with a time of 54.343 – 0.036 ahead of Smalley’s earlier effort. In the closing stages Burton and Kellett fought over third, but attentions quickly turned to Smalley as he improved again, the Junior remaining second but now just 0.022 behind pole-sitter Graham. Smalley’s title rival Kellett would start fourth while White remained the quickest in Pro-Am.

The 2023 Porsche Carrera Cup GB weekend format meant that Graham earned two Pro championship points for his pole position, as did White in Pro-Am.

Race one
The weekend's first race took place in damp conditions at midday on Sunday. Earlier rain forced all 21 cars assemble on grooved wet tyres, however moments before driving to the grid several drivers swapped to slick Michelin racing tyres. Underlining the slippery conditions for those on slicks, Ollie Jackson (JTR) spun on his way to the grid.

At the start most of the slick shod runners struggled to get away while those on wets drove off cleanly thanks to their extra grip. Graham – running on wets – led off the line while Smalley – on slicks – slipped backwards, losing 12 places in the early stages. In the tricky drying conditions Giddings spun before recovering, while a charging Rainford found his way by Aspin for third then White for second – the latter the leading Pro-Am driver early on.

Now with heat in their tyres, the drivers on slicks began to gain ground on their wet shod counterparts on a track that was almost completely dry. Smalley made a crucial pass on championship rival Kellett at Copse to snatch eighth before setting a succession of fastest laps in a bid for outright victory. At the front Rainford had assumed first place but it was not for long as Burton soon got ahead with a move at Luffield. Smalley and Kellett followed him through creating a close three car scrap for the lead.

At half distance Smalley was putting Burton under increasing pressure while Kellett kept a watching brief in third. The Pro-Am category fight was equally intense, Whiteside emerging ahead in seventh overall but with Jackson in close very company. Henry Dawes (Century Motorsport) was an impressive third in category. In the closing stages of the race Bird overtook a struggling Wylie for fifth in Pro-Am, but attentions soon turned to the battle for the race lead. There was little to choose between the trio of Burton, Smalley and Kellett as the front runners encountered traffic. Several drivers began to receive warnings and five second time penalties for track limits offences, Kellett amongst them.

In the final laps Burton was able to pull a small gap as he navigated lapped traffic, enough to see him cross the finish line ahead of Smalley with Kellett hanging on to third. Whiteside secured a maiden Pro-Am win, joined on the category podium by Jackson and Dawes – the latter’s first podium appearance this season. Smalley would enter the weekend’s final race needing to outscore title rival Kellett by three points to be crowned provisional Pro category champion.

For recording the fastest lap in each of their respective categories, Smalley (Pro) and Ryan Ratcliffe (Team Parker Racing) (Pro-Am) each received one additional championship point. As part of the 2023 podium procedure, winner Burton selected at random the number six ball, which reversed the grid positions of the top six overall finishers from the opening race. The grid for the second race would be Foster and Ellis on the front row, Malin and Kellett on row two, with Smalley and Burton forming row three.

Following the race, Jackson was given a 10 second penalty for not starting at the back of the grid following his spin on the formation lap.

Race two
Conditions were dry on Sunday afternoon for the weekend's second race. Foster launched away from pole position to lead into the first corner with Ellis second after fending off the advances of Malin and Kellett, Smalley running sixth. At Brooklands Malin overtook Ellis to adopt second spot, while in Pro-Am Dawes was ahead of Whiteside and Wylie after the opening lap. As Graham and Rainford each moved up the order, Whiteside passed Dawes for the lead in Pro-Am.

On lap six Burton found a way by Kellett for fourth on the run out of Copse. He then set after Ellis, but his first attempted pass failed to net him the position which allowed Ellis to keep third place. The Pro-Am category battle ignited again with Jackson attacking Dawes, the latter running wide out of Copse and losing several spots. Now third in category, Jackson came under immediate attack from White with Giddings and Aspin also in the mix. Aspin moved to the inside of Giddings in an opportunistic pass to gain a position.

On lap 11 Kellett received a five second time penalty for exceeding track limits, moving him from fifth on the road to eighth on corrected time and damaging his championship hopes. Whiteside was the next track limits offender, his identical time penalty made the Pro-Am order Wylie from White and Jackson on corrected time. Burton soon mounted a fresh attack on Ellis, but this allowed Kellett to undercut him out of the last corner, Kellett completing the pass at Copse to take fourth on the road. At the same time Smalley slipped backwards after succumbing to the advances of Graham and then Rainford, though he quickly managed to get back ahead of the latter.

With Smalley now running sixth and Kellett eighth on corrected time, the Junior looked on course to take the championship, but when Malin received his own five second time penalty for track limits Smalley’s position was made even more comfortable. With debris on the track the Safety Car was deployed on lap 22, bunching the pack up. A worst case scenario for Kellett with his penalty now dropping him more places and all but confirming Smalley’s victorious championship result. Racing resumed with just three laps remaining and on the last corner of the last lap Burton ran wide which allowed Smalley to take fourth at the line, cementing his position as provisional 2023 Pro category champion. Foster took the chequered flag to record his maiden championship victory with Ellis second and Graham third. Wylie stayed ahead in Pro-Am, joined on the category podium by White and Aspin.

For recording the fastest lap in each of their respective categories, Graham (Pro) and Aspin (Pro-Am) each received one additional championship point. Following the race, Graham was demoted two places for running wide on the opening lap and gaining a lasting advantage, promoting Smalley to third and Rainford to fourth with Graham now fifth. White was handed a four-place demotion for contact with Jackson at Brooklands, promoting Aspin to second and Jackson to third in the Pro-Am category finishing order.

The final weekend of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB season takes place at Brands Hatch on 7 and 8 October on the longer Grand Prix circuit, once again racing alongside Porsche Sprint Challenge GB. Smalley will travel to Kent as provisional champion, but there are several battles still to be resolved at the championship finale, where the Pro-Am, Rookie and Teams champions will all be decided.

Championship positions*

Overall:
Adam Smalley - Duckhams Yuasa Racing with Team Parker - 124
James Kellett - Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport - 84
Matty Graham - Redline Racing - 61

Pro-Am:
Max Bird - Team Redline Racing - 106
Ross Wylie - Team Redline Racing - 88
Ryan Ratcliffe - Team Parker Racing - 67

Am:
Justin Sherwood - Parker Classic Works - 143
David Fairbrother - Toro Verde GT - 52
David Stirling - Redline Racing - 31