Tom Bradshaw (Toro Verde GT) from Bolton in Greater Manchester won the first race of the new Porsche Sprint Challenge GB season at Donington Park, however, Toby Trice (Clean Racing) from Deal in Kent took Rounds Two and Three. Trice leaves Leicestershire leading the overall championship following a close and exciting weekend of Porsche racing on the shorter 2.5-mile National circuit.

The weekend also saw a trio of wins for three drivers in three different categories. Returnee Matthew Kyle-Henney (Clean Racing) from Winchester in Hampshire drove to three wins in the RS Am category. Racing in the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport used since the championship’s inception came a roster of newcomers. Among them was Jonathan Moore (Toro Verde GT) from Barnsley in South Yorkshire who enjoyed three Clubsport Am wins, while Hannah Chapman (Xentek Motorsport) from Dunfirmline in Fife also made a memorable first impression, racing to three Clubsport Am victories.

Trice takes two wins in RS Pro

Bradshaw took the first pole position of the season in a qualifying session interrupted by two red flag periods. Jacob Tofts (Duckhams Yuasa Racing by Graves Motorsport) from Hatfield Heath in Essex was close behind and would start the second race from the top spot. Bradshaw led at the start of the weekend’s opening encounter while Tofts was slow away from second, allowing Trice to snatch the place and relegating Tofts to third. Following a lengthy red flag period, the cars lined up on the grid for a restart with 15 minutes on the clock.

Bradshaw led when the lights went out for the second time, and Tofts attacked Trice at the Craner Curves for second. On the following lap Joe Marshall (Team Parker Racing) from Crewe in Cheshire overtook Tofts for third, to then close on Trice for second overall. Following a disappointing qualifying session, a recovering Ben Mulryan (Toro Verde GT) from London began looking for a way by Samuel Harvey (Xentek Motorsport) from Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands for fifth. However, attention soon turned to the intensifying battle between Trice and Marshall, and the former lost two places as Marshall and Tofts got ahead. Mulryan also made his move, finding a route by Harvey to secure fifth.

In the final minutes of the race, Dan Zelos (Graves Motorsport) from Dereham in Norfolk received a five-second time penalty for exceeding track limits, dropping him down the order to twelfth. However, at the front of the race Bradshaw took the chequered flag to take the fifth win of his Porsche Sprint Challenge GB career. Marshall finished in second with Tofts completing the overall podium in third.

Tofts was slow away at the start of the weekend’s second race, allowing Bradshaw to adopt the lead at Redgate, while Trice and Marshall slotted in behind. With the car of Tofts stranded with an issue, the Safety Car was called into action. After the restart, Trice began to pressure Bradshaw for the lead, and with eight minutes remaining he made a move at Coppice, hanging onto the position in the run down to the final chicane. An intensifying category battle involving Oliver Cottam (Duckhams Yuasa Racing by Graves Motorsport) from Bridgnorth in Shropshire, Harvey, and Mulryan saw the latter pass Harvey at Redgate for sixth but there was contact sending Harvey across the grass.

In the dying moments of the race, Trice made an error on the approach to Old Hairpin which allowed Bradshaw into the lead, however, at McLeans on the same lap it was Bradshaw’s turn to make a mistake – he ran wide on the exit and Trice was able to repass. A jubilant Trice took the flag for the third win of his Porsche racing career, and he was joined on the overall podium by Bradshaw and Marshall.

Trice got away cleanly from pole position at the start of the third race of the weekend, however, Bradshaw found the gravel trap at Redgate where his race ended. Zelos was another driver to exit the circuit at the first corner though he continued, as did Tofts after he was delayed in launching off the start line. Bradshaw’s stricken car called the Safety Car into action, and the race would restart with 13 minutes remaining on the clock. Trice led Ethan Hammerton (Graves Motorsport) from Northallerton in North Yorkshire and Mulryan. The latter looked for a way by Hammerton for second but to no avail.

Marshall soon began to pressure Mulryan for third but the outside line at Coppice was not fruitful, forcing him to drop back. Marshall tried again at Schwantz Curve but he could not gain an overlap until he found the inside line at the chicane where Kyle-Henney also got involved. The trio raced out of the final corner together and Mulryan was able to repass Kyle-Henney before Redgate to regain fourth. Their battle continued down to Old Hairpin but the order remained the same. Trice took the chequered flag to enjoy his second win of the weekend, while Hammerton finished second with Marshall coming home in third.

Kyle-Henney enjoys the perfect weekend in RS Am

Kyle-Henney qualified in category pole position for the weekend’s first encounter, and initially maintained his advantage at the start of the race. However, Reece Somerfield (Breakell Racing) from Pelsall, Walsall in the West Midlands was soon ahead, but the race was stopped when Aimee Watts (Clean Racing) from Marden in Kent made contact with the barriers leading to her retirement. Somerfield led Kyle-Henney and Oliver Meadows (Team Parker Racing) from Marston in Warwickshire at the restart, and Kyle-Henney began to pressure Somerfield for the category lead. On lap 11, Kyle-Henney passed to secure ninth overall and that’s how the order stayed to the flag, Kyle-Henney, Somerfield and Meadows forming the category podium.

Meadows led Somerfield from Kyle-Henney in the early laps of the second race, which was quickly paused by the arrival of the Safety Car. At the restart, Somerfield and Kyle-Henney engaged in a close fight which saw Kyle-Henney find his way ahead. He then attacked Meadows for the category lead which was secured with four minutes of racing remaining on the clock. Kyle-Henney crossed the line to secure his second win of the Donington Park weekend. Meadows finished in second with Somerfield completing the category podium.

The third race of the Donington Park weekend fell under Safety Car conditions almost immediately after it began, with Kyle-Henney leading Meadows and Somerfield in the RS Am category order. After the restart, Kyle-Henney found himself battling with drivers in the RS Pro category while also maintaining his RS Am category advantage. He drove home to a fifth place finish overall and added to his tally of category wins at the same time. Kyle-Henney was joined on the final RS Am podium of the weekend by Meadows and Somerfield.

Moore gets the perfect start in Clubsport Pro

Moore was the pacesetting driver in the Clubsport Pro category during qualifying – he would start Rounds One and Two ahead of his rivals. Moore lost out to Jason Baker (Tuthill UK) from Bristol at the start of the opening race, with Moore now running in second and Lydia Walmsley (Graves Motorsport) from Kesgrave in Suffolk in third. Following the red flag period, the race restarted and with eight minutes remaining. Baker slipped backwards, while Moore took the category lead with Walmsley now second and Baker in third. That order remained unchanged to the flag, with Moore enjoying a category win on debut.

In the weekend’s second race, Walmsley found herself ahead early on with Moore running in second and Baker in third. Following the Safety Car period, Moore overtook Walmsley, though there was contact between the pair. The category order remained unchanged to the flag, with Moore, Walmsley and Baker repeating their podium order from the first race of the season. The third race at Donington Park was led by Moore before and, after a Safety Car period early in the race, Walmsley was second with Baker in third. Baker pressured Walmsley in the second half of the race but her defence could not be broken, The final podium saw Moore on the top step again, flanked by Walmsley and Baker.

Chapman arrives in style with three wins in Clubsport Am

Paul Porter (Team Parker Racing) from Bothamsall in Nottinghamshire was the leading Clubsport Am driver in qualifying. At the start of the weekend’s first race, Porter slipped backwards with Chapman taking the race lead and Katia Loggie (Toro Verde GT) from Aberdeen moving up to second. Following the restart, the order remained the same. There was drama when Porter took a trip through the gravel trap before continuing his race. In the second half of the race Porter was able to leap ahead of Loggie, but Chapman was clear to take the first category win of her Porsche racing career, with Porter second and Loggie finishing third.

Chapman was the driver to beat again at the start of the weekend’s first race, with Porter giving chase and Loggie in third. Following the Safety Car period, the order remained unchanged, however, there was drama when Alistair Weston (Graves Motorsport) from Medway in Kent found the gravel trap at Coppice in the dying moments of the race. Chapman, Porter and Loggie repeated their podium results from the weekend’s earlier race. Weston drove into the pits before the start of Round Three and would start the race from the pit lane. When the race got underway Chapman found herself leading Porter and Loggie once more, and their order remained the same to the flag. Chapman made it a trio of wins on her debut, joined on the final category podium by Porter and Loggie.

Porsche Sprint Challenge GB travels to Brands Hatch in Kent on the weekend of 9-11 May 2025 where it will make its debut on the shorter Indy circuit. Follow the latest Porsche Sprint Challenge GB news directly from Porsche Motorsport via Instagram – @PorscheRaces_GB – where users can share experiences via the hashtag #SprintChallengeGB, and the Porsche Motorsport Hub: https://racing.porsche.com 

Championship positions*

RS Pro:

Toby Trice - Clean Racing - 23

Tom Bradshaw - Toro Verde GT - 22

Joe Marshall - Team Parker Racing - 21

RS Am:

Matthew Kyle-Henney - Clean Racing - 29

Oliver Meadows - Team Parker Racing - 25

Reece Somerfield - Breakell Racing - 22

Clubsport Pro:

Jonathan Moore - Toro Verde GT - 32

Lydia Walmsley - Graves Motorsport- 26