Will Martin (Eden Motorsport) from Hastings in East Sussex and Andrew Rackstraw (Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport) from Cape Town in South Africa began the new season of Porsche Carrera Cup GB in style, each taking a victory at Donington Park. Martin started from pole position in the opening round and survived a Safety Car period to win, while Rackstraw produced a lights-to-flag victory in Round Two.

In the Pro-Am battle returnee Oliver White (Eden Motorsport) from Bath in Somerset drove to two category wins, in Round Two there was a maiden podium appearance for newcomer Max Coates (Duckhams Yuasa Racing by Graves Motorsport) from Richmond in North Yorkshire. Meanwhile, former Porsche Sprint Challenge GB Am category champion Carl Cavers (Century Motorsport) from Nottingham took two category wins to mark himself out as the driver to beat in Am.

Martin and Rackstraw win in Pro

Qualifying on Saturday afternoon took place in dry and sunny conditions which would characterise the weekend at the twisting 2.5-mile National circuit. Martin emerged ahead, but just one-tenth of a second covered the top six drivers on the grid, underlining the high level of competition in 2025.

When the lights went out for the first race of the season Martin led into Redgate as there was contact between Porsche Sprint Challenge GB graduates William Jenkins (Team Parker Racing) from Stafford and Sebastian Hopkins (Team Parker Racing) from Chichester in Hampshire. A delayed Hopkins continued while Rackstraw was able to grab third place. Another to gain places was Angus Whiteside (Century Motorsport) from Guildford in Surrey who advanced from tenth on the grid to fourth. Just before the Safety Car was scrambled, RAFA Racing Club Porsche Carrera Cup GB 2024 / 2025 Junior James Wallis (JTR) from Ledbury in Herefordshire made contact with the rear of White as the pair overlapped.

Following a Safety Car period, the race restarted with Wallis pressuring Hopkins for firth overall. Wallis dived to the outside at Redgate which gave him the inside line for Hollywood, and the move was completed by Old Hairpin. In the closing stages of the race, Rackstraw was handed a five second penalty for exceeding track limits, which promoted Whiteside to the final podium place. Shortly afterwards, reigning champion George Gamble (Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport) from Nottingham was given a matching penalty dropping him down the order.

Martin took the chequered flag to secure his first win of the new season, while former Pro-Am category racers Sid Smith (Team Parker Racing) from Maldon in Essex and Whiteside joined him on the overall podium. After the race, the winner drew the number five ball, reversing the top five grid positions for the weekend’s second race. This put Rackstraw on pole position with Porsche Junior driver Wallis lining-up alongside.

At the start of the second race Wallis challenged Rackstraw into the first corner but he could not nose ahead. Martin and Smith came together at Redgate and both made their retirements from the race as a result. Following the drama at the first corner, Rackstraw was left leading Wallis from Whiteside. As the race settled, Whiteside overtook Wallis and closed on the leader. Whiteside first tried the outside line at Redgate and then closed into Coppice, but on two consecutive laps he locked his wheels and lost ground. Rackstraw absorbed the pressure to take the second win of his Porsche racing career. He was joined on the overall podium by Whiteside and Wallis.

Following the race Martin was docked four championship points and four category points for his incident with Smith on the opening lap.

White takes two victories in Pro-Am

Rookie Will Jenkins (Team Parker Racing) from Stafford qualified ahead of his Pro-Am category rivals, however, at the start of the weekend’s first race he was involved in an incident with Hopkins which saw him spin. Jenkins continued his race at the back of the pack. Meanwhile, Henry Dawes (Century Motorsport) from Glasgow made his retirement from the race with damage which led to the race being neutralised under Safety Car conditions. The new Pro-Am category order was White with Josh Stanton (JTR) from Oxford and Oliver Jackson (JTR) from Reigate in Surrey just behind – the latter having found his way by Aaron Mason (Eden Motorsport) early on.

Having incurred a penalty after qualifying for a technical infringement, Coates began his recovery drive from the back of the grid when the race restarted. A charging Coates soon found his way by Jenkins through Hollywood and Craner Curves to secure fifth in the category battle. But at the flag White took victory, joined on the first Pro-Am podium of the season by Stanton and Jackson.

White led his Pro-Am category rivals at the start of the weekend’s second race with Stanton behind, and championship newcomer Coates in third. In the early laps, Coates closed on Stanton and after a few laps he navigated his way ahead. Shortly afterwards, Coates found himself in a fight for sixth with Stanton, Jackson and Jenkins. However, White maintained his momentum to the flag, topping the category podium with Coates making his maiden appearance on the steps, and Stanton completed the picture.

Cavers tops Am category battle

Newcomer Jonathon Beeson (Duckhams Yuasa Racing by Graves Motorsport) from Crewe in Cheshire was the Am category driver to beat in qualifying, however, he took to the grass at the start of the opening race which promoted Cavers to the Am category lead. William Paul (Team Parker Racing) from Surrey was second with Beeson in third. Following the Safety Car period, Beeson overtook Paul for second in Am at Old Hairpin, however, he could not catch Cavers before the flag. Cavers, Beeson and Paul formed the first Am podium of the new season.

Cavers was ahead again at the start of the second race at Donington Park but he had Beeson for close company, and Paul occupied third in the category scrap. Cavers and Beeson closed on Pro-Am competitor Mason and as Cavers attempted to pass, Beeson was ready to attack Cavers. With only a couple of laps remaining, Beeson received a five-second time penalty, however, the order was unchanged to the flag, with Cavers, Beeson and Paul creating the final podium of the day.

With his results from the Donington Park weekend, Whiteside takes an early championship lead with race winners Rackstraw and Martin tied on points just behind. The next stop on the calendar for Porsche Carrera Cup GB is Snetterton in Norfolk on the weekend of 23-25 May 2025. Follow the latest Porsche Motorsport GB news via the dedicated Instagram and X feeds – @PorscheRaces_GB – where users can share experiences via the hashtag #CarreraCupGB, and the Porsche Motorsport Hub: https://racing.porsche.com 

Championship positions*

Overall:

Angus Whiteside - Century Motorsport - 16

Andrew Rackstraw - Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport - 15

Will Martin - Eden Motorsport - 15

Pro-Am:

Oliver White - Eden Motorsport - 21

Josh Stanton - JTR - 14

Max Coates - Duckhams Yuasa Racing by Graves Motorsport - 14

Am:

Carl Cavers - Century Motorsport - 21

Jonathon Beeson - Duckhams Yuasa Racing by Graves Motorsport - 19