Today at Silverstone, Porsche unveiled the 2015 Porsche Carrera Cup GB and proudly announced the biggest grid in the 12 year history of the Championship.
Eleven teams running 27 cars took to the hallowed Grand Prix circuit at Silverstone for the first test of the year, in preparation for the first rounds at Brands Hatch on 4/5 April. Thirty cars are anticipated to race at the Kent track next month, representing the highest number of 911 GT3 Cup race cars ever to participate.
Since 2003, three teams have been the bedrock of Carrera Cup GB, and Team Parker Racing, Redline Racing and Parr Motorsport are returning for 2015, all with multiple car entries. Each can be counted upon to mount a serious title bid with their traditionally strong pack of ‘Pro’ drivers.
Reigning Carrera Cup GB Champion Josh Webster (Stowmarket) returns to defend his title with Team Parker Racing, and is joined by Touring Car race winner and former Carrera Cup GB front-runner Stephen Jelley (Loughborough).
Steven Liquorish (Wantage) also returns to Carrera Cup GB with Team Parker Racing, and will be joined in the Pro-Am2 category by Rupert Martin.
Redline Racing lines up with former British Formula Ford Champion Dan Cammish (Leeds), who has already provided a foretaste of his Porsche pace by taking a win at the last Carrera Cup race weekend of 2014. He is joined by Channel Islander and British GT graduate Jack Falla, and also Jordan Witt (Cheshire), who returns to the Carrera Cup looking to build on his impressive performances last season. Making up a fearsome foursome for the Cleveland-based team is John McCallagh (Stokesley), who will contest the Pro-Am2 category.
The distinctive colours of the Samsung UHD TV Racing team return with two-time Carrera Cup GB Champion Michael Meadows (Oxford) alongside series newcomer Nicolas Latifi. Nineteen year-old Latifi, from Canada, is dovetailing a Carrera Cup GB campaign with a season in Formula Renault 3.5, but will be a man to watch.
Further underlining the appeal to single-seater drivers of switching to racing the 460 hp rear-engined 911 GT3 Cup is the signing of Dino Zamparelli by Parr Motorsport. Bristol-based Zamparelli (22) raced in GP3 last season and was a frequent visitor to the podium. Now, he is looking forward to the challenge of driving the Porsche, and continues to enjoy the backing of Bristol Sport.
Another driver sure to be on the pace again this year is seasoned Porsche racer Mark Cole (Berkshire) who returns to the grid with Parr Motorsport, in partnership with Nicholls & Clarke ceramics. And lining up alongside Zamparelli and Cole at Parr Motorsport is proven Carrera Cup GB race winner Paul Rees (Oxford), who finished third in the Championship last year. Parr also field Championship returnee Peter Kyle-Henney in Pro-Am2.
Long-standing Carrera Cup GB supporter IN2 Racing is also back this year. The Warwickshire-based team enjoyed a strong 2014, and aims to maintain this form this year with speedy Spaniard Victor Jimenez. In Pro-Am2, the team will field Paul McKay (Edinburgh) and David Walley. Walley is supported by Alexander Daniels and The IFA under the AD brand.
Heading the new teams is Essex-based Credit4Cars led by Iain Dockerill, which will field a multiple car line-up. Dockerill has raced in the GT Cup and British GT Championship, and the Credit4Cars team is looking forward to joining the Carrera Cup GB grid in 2015. Driving alongside Ian Dockerill are his son, Chris, and Peter Parsons.
Another new entry is G-Cat Racing, which will be running former GP3 racer Ryan Cullen (Somerset). The team will also run cars for Peter and Shamus Jennings, both from Bangor, Northern Ireland. G-Cat has extensive track experience, most recently running with Ferrari in the GT Cup Championship plus supporting a range of historic F1 and sports racing cars around Europe.
Tom Sharp makes the step up from Ginettas to race with Porsche with IDL Racing in 2015, and the Weybridge driver will be keen to make big impression among the Pro category.
These newcomers see an entry in the Carrera Cup as a logical step in their commitment to GT racing, and have been drawn to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship by the appeal of racing the ‘Type 991’ 911 GT3 Cup, and the revised calendar with the WEC race at Spa in Belgium.
Juta Racing also returns to the Championship this year, and has drawn-up exciting plans for a fresh campaign with another multiple car entry. Lithuania-based Juta Racing clinched the Pro-Am1 title in 2011, and Jonas Gelzinis finished second overall in the 2013 Carrera Cup GB. Now, younger brother Ignas steps up to the ‘Pro’ category for 2015 and will be a driver to watch. Tautvydas Barstys and Nerijus Dagilis also join the team in the Pro-Am2 field.
Another returning team is GT Marques, which enjoyed great Carrera Cup GB success in 2013. The Buckinghamshire squad is running Scott Marshall, in Pro-Am2, and Francis Galashan (London) in Pro-Am2.
Carrera Cup drivers Get Race Fit with Mark Webber
Scott Marshall, Dino Zamparelli, John McCullagh and Josh Webster each had the opportunity to ‘Get Race Fit’ with Porsche factory Works driver and F1 star Mark Webber during an exclusive fitness seminar at the Porsche Human Performance Centre at Silverstone on 21-22 February.
Each driver participated in a variety of workshops with topics covering nutrition, strength and conditioning, and mental preparation and also had the chance to quiz Mark for hints and tips on preparation to race at the highest level.
New leadership for Porsche Carrera Cup GB
“Since the end of last season, we have worked hard on developing and implementing major changes for Carrera Cup GB for 2015,” commented Ragnar Schulte, General Manager, Marketing, Porsche Cars GB. “At Porsche, our heart beats for motor sport, and we look forward to an exciting Carrera Cup season with much more new talent in the Championship.”
James MacNaughton joined Porsche Cars GB in January as Manager Motorsport, to lead the new-look Carrera Cup GB. James is committed to taking the Championship forwards into a successful future. “I am enjoying working with the teams, drivers and sponsor partners and look forward to the success of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB continuing over the coming years,” he said.
Josh Webster returns to defend title
The high-calibre of competition and high-profile rewards offered by the Carrera Cup GB were a key attraction for Josh Webster to enter the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship programme in 2013. Since becoming the first Scholar to win the overall Championship in their debut season last year, 21-year old Webster is eager to begin his title defence. His two-year Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship support extends into the 2015 season, and another action-packed year of racing combined with ambassadorial appearances on behalf of Porsche Cars GB lies ahead of him.
"I'm very happy to confirm my return to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship in 2015 to defend my championship title,” said Josh. “Thanks to Porsche Cars GB for its continued Scholarship support which makes this possible. My move to Team Parker Racing is really exciting and I'm looking forward to working with Stuart and the team, who have made me feel very welcome. It's going to be a fantastic season ahead and we can't wait to get the car out on track!"
The appeal to young drivers of racing in the Carrera Cup GB is plain to see. Experience in the 911 GT3 Cup offers a proven pathway to future careers in GT/sports prototype racing with factory teams. Graduates from the Carrera Cup include British Porsche Works 911 RSR driver Nick Tandy, and his Porsche factory team-mates, Marc Lieb and Romain Dumas, who triumphed in the final race of the 2014 WEC in the LMP1 919 Hybrid.
New partners for Carrera Cup GB
Porsche is pleased to announce Pommery as the official champagne supplier to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship, and will be a formal part of the podium ceremony at each race.
A new partnership between Porsche Carrera Cup GB and Swiss watchmaker Chopard has also been confirmed. Chopard and Porsche are united by shared values such as a constant quest for performance and excellence, and it began a relationship as official timing partner of Porsche Motorsport in LMP1 last season.