Porsche Carrera Cup GB – the fastest single-marque GT racing championship in the UK – brought the first half of its 2023 season to a close at Oulton Park. James Kellett (Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport) secured victory in the weekend's first race on Saturday while Adam Smalley (Duckhams Yuasa Racing with Team Parker) drove to glory in the weekend's second encounter – both races were interrupted by Safety Car periods. Smalley's weekend puts him 32 points ahead in the championship battle at the season midpoint.

Qualifying
Saturday afternoon's 30-minute qualifying session took place in predominantly dry conditions with light rain at times. All of the drivers took to the track at the start of the session, keen to set a quick lap time in anticipation of significant rainfall. Malin was the early pacesetter but he was soon beaten by Kellett with Smalley moving into second on the timing screen. In Pro-Am Wylie had the measure of his closest category rivals – Whiteside and Stanton. In Am, Sherwood led Stirling from Fairbrother.

In the final 10 minutes of the session de Haan mounted a challenge for pole position, his lap time of 1:20.418 setting a new benchmark. Aspin was another driver to improve, jumping up to head the Pro-Am runners. With four minutes of qualifying remaining Frazer McFadden (Toro Verde GT) left the circuit at Cascades, after a brief red flag period the session was restarted. In the dying moments Smalley, Bird and Kellett were amongst those to improve, the final top three was de Haan from Kellett and Smalley, Bird was the fastest Pro-Am – an impressive sixth overall. Sherwood was the fastest Am.

The 2023 Porsche Carrera Cup GB weekend format meant that de Haan earned two championship points for his maiden pole position, as did the top qualifiers in their respective categories: Bird (Pro-Am) and Sherwood (Am).

Race one
The weekend's first race took place in dry and sunny conditions late on Saturday afternoon. When the lights went out, de Haan was slow away from pole position, allowing Kellett to snatch the lead. Smalley was quick off the line from third – he challenged for the race lead before settling for second at Old Hall Corner. Keen to make up for his bad start, de Haan set after Smalley, closing though Island Hairpin, but when the pair reached Hislops there was contact and both drivers took to the grass before rejoining. In Pro-Am, Bird lost six places on the opening lap leaving Wylie leading Aspin from Whiteside. In Am, Sherwood was ahead of Fairbrother and Stirling. At the end of the second lap, Ryan Ratcliffe (Team Parker Racing) made a pit stop before continuing his race.

On the third lap, de Haan closed on Smalley, passing after Island Hairpin and setting after race leader Kellett, who was now 2.7 seconds clear. Matthew Graham (Redline Racing) soon received a 10 second penalty for a track limits infringement, dropping him to P19 on corrected time. When Am rivals Fairbrother and Stirling found the gravel trap at Knickerbrook, the Safety Car was deployed to allow for the recovery of the two stricken Am cars. The Safety Car period allowed Ratcliffe to catch the back of the pack, negating some of the time he had lost during his stop. When racing resumed, 15 minutes or 13 laps remained, whichever came first.

Kellett resisted pressure from an attacking de Haan as the pair built a cushion to Smalley in third. With 10 laps remaining, Hugo Ellis (JTR) produced a pass on Giddings at Old Hall Corner for P12 overall. Soon afterwards, de Haan was given a five-second penalty for track limits, dropping him to fifth on corrected time. A recovering Ratcliffe overtook Jackson for P17 at Old Hall Corner, meanwhile Graham and Bird dug deep to muster their own comeback drives. Attentions turned to de Haan as he pushed to create a gap back to Smalley and Stanton, hoping to cancel out his time penalty.

On lap 18, Stanley, Malin and Rainford intensified their fight for fourth overall. Malin locked up into Old Hall Corner giving Rainford a run at The Avenue, but their positions would remain the same. One lap later, de Haan had pushed enough to assume third on corrected time while Kellett extended his overall lead. Kellett took the chequered flag to secure the second win of his Porsche racing career, with Smalley second and de Haan third. Malin and Rainford raced through Deer Leap side by side to cross the line separated by just 0.041 seconds. Wylie secured victory in Pro-Am with Sherwood the only Am finisher.

For recording the fastest lap in each of their respective categories, Kellett (Pro), Ratcliffe (Pro-Am) and Sherwood (Am) each received one additional championship point. As part of the 2023 podium procedure, winner Kellett selected at random the number four ball, which reversed the grid positions of the top four overall finishers from the opening race.

Following the race, de Haan was deemed to have made a false start and was handed a 10-second penalty to be applied to his race time. For exceeding track limits, he was handed a further 10-second penalty. Together, they relegated him to P17 in the amended results. In addition, for making contact on the opening lap at Knickebrook, and on the third lap at Island, de Haan was given a penalty of four championship points and four category points. For leaving the circuit and gaining an advantage on lap 18, Graham was penalised with the addition of 4.75 seconds to his elapsed race time.

With post-race penalties applied, Stanley was promoted to a maiden Pro category podium position. That made the grid order for the weekend's second race Malin and Stanley on the front row, Smalley and Kellett on row two.

Race two
Ahead of the weekend's second race on Sunday, Porsche marked 60 years of the 911 with a special anniversary track display underlining the rich motor racing heritage of the iconic and enduring model. Three historic 911s headed the British Touring Car Championship grid forming a parade around the Oulton Park circuit, led by the Porsche 911 Safety Car driven by Smalley.

The demonstration laps included an appearance by a Porsche 911 affectionately known as "GVB", the car borrowed by “Quick” Vic Elford in 1967 and driven to victory in the world's first Rallycross event at Lydden Hill. It was followed by a Porsche 911 Cup (Type 964), driven by reigning Carrera Cup GB Pro-Am category champion and overall race winner Rainford, and a 'Type 997' 911 GT3 RSR representing the formidable role that the 911 has played in endurance racing.

The weekend's second race took place in warm and dry conditions on Sunday afternoon. Malin defended his lead into the first corner as Smalley, Stanley and Kellett battled for position. Smalley snatched second while Stanley emerged ahead of Kellett in third. In Pro-Am, Wylie was initially ahead of Aspin and Whiteside, with Sherwood leading the way in Am. As the cars filed through the first corner, Giddings left the circuit making contact with the barriers at Old Hall Corner where his race ended. The incident called the Safety Car into action.

Racing resumed with eight minutes remaining on the clock. Smalley attacked Malin, flashing his headlights in an attempt to distract the race leader. From the Pro-Am category lead, Wylie found the grass at Hislops following contact with Aspin – both continued their races, with Aspin assuming the category lead, Whiteside and Bird coming next in the order. Having started in P17, de Haan was charging through the pack, and with five minutes of racing remaining he was up to P11. He swiftly moved up into P10 before overtaking Graham for ninth overall.

On lap 10, Kellett moved to the inside of Stanley at Lodge Corner, and the pair were momentarily delayed by their battle. It allowed Rainford to execute an opportunistic pass for third at Old Hall Corner, moments after Smalley had pulled the same move on Malin to snatch the lead of the race. The new order at the front was now Smalley from Malin and Rainford. Having failed in his previous bid, Kellett finally passed Stanley for fourth. However, the pair would quickly reverse their positions as Stanley got back through.

In the final two laps de Haan passed Aspin before quickly dispatching Kellett at the Island Hairpin for fifth. Smalley took the chequered flag to secure his second win of the season, Malin finished second and Rainford third. Aspin, Bird and Whiteside formed the Pro-Am category podium with Sherwood and Fairbrother standing on the Am steps. In their fight for fifth in the Pro-Am order, Wylie and Ratcliffe crossed the line absolutely together for a photo finish – Ratcliffe taking the position by just 0.044 seconds at the line.

For recording the fastest lap in each of their respective categories, Smalley (Pro), Aspin (Pro-Am) and Sherwood (Am) each received one additional championship point.

Following the race, for an incident between de Haan and Kellett at Island, de Haan was given a nine championship and nine category point deduction. He was also demoted one place in the final finishing positions, relegating him to sixth overall. For an incident with Stanley at Cascades, 4.75 seconds was added to Rainford's race time, and as a result Stanley was promoted ahead of Rainford to the final podium position. For an incident with Wylie at Island, Aspin was penalised by the addition of five positions to his finishing position, with a three championship and three category point deduction. The revised Pro-Am category podium was Bird, Whiteside and Ratcliffe.

Porsche Carrera Cup GB enters a mid-season break before arriving in Scotland at the challenging Knockhill circuit in August where the second half of the 2023 season will commence. Smalley now enjoys a healthy 32-point championship advantage over Kellett, with Rainford third and de Haan slipping to fourth. Bird is ahead in Pro-Am, with Sherwood topping the Am category points table.

Championship positions*

Overall:
Adam Smalley - Duckhams Yuasa Racing with Team Parker - 75
James Kellett - Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport - 43
Charles Rainford - CCK Motorsport - 40

Pro-Am:
Max Bird - Team Redline Racing - 77
Ross Wylie - Team Redline Racing - 51
Angus Whiteside - Century Motorsport - 43

Am:
Justin Sherwood - Parker Classic Works - 95
David Fairbrother - Toro Verde GT - 46
David Stirling - Redline Racing - 23