Porsche Club Motorsport’s four races were a clear highlight of Oulton Park’s Supercar Pageant, with some superb race action in each and hundreds of spectators on the grids with the Boxster Cup cars during the lunchtime grid walk. Simon Clark and Jake McAleer took a tightly fought Porsche Club Motorsport Championship with Pirelli win apiece, while Andrew Porter and Darren Labbett took Porsche Club Motorsport AM Championship with Pirelli wins. Max Watt won two thrilling Porsche Club Motorsport Boxster Cup wins, Bertie Bream storming though from the back of the grid in both races to claim podium finishes.
Porsche Club Motorsport Championship with Pirelli &
Porsche Club Motorsport AM Championship with Pirelli
Race One
Simon Clark had his 997 on pole position for race one and that gave him the inside line at the first corner, and he held off the challenge of fellow front row started Mark McAleer. A big twitch for Jake McAleer saw him lose ground exiting Old Hall and he came round seventh at the end of lap one, Jim Bryan third from the Cayman of Ed Hayes.
The lead pair ran close only for Mark McAleer to retire with his car trailing smoke after three laps, Jake McAleer already up to third and keen to reduce the deficit to the flying Clark. A series of fastest race laps to date saw Jake McAleer close to under five seconds on the leader, Hayes now third having got past Bryan on lap three.
A safety car ten laps in closed the field up, and briefly offered the hope of a one lap show down at the end of the race, but the race finished behind the safety car and Clark took his third win in a row from Jake McAleer and Hayes.
“I was really thinking we might get a one lap sprint at the end,” said Clark. “I had a good gap then suddenly it was all out of my control. I would have liked to have had a race at the end for everyone here today, but I’ll take the win.”
“I got loose coming out the first corner,” said Jake McAleer. “I got back through and then was just hoping we would get one more racing lap to have a go, but I think he may have still had a bit in hand.”
Richard Forber was on pole at the front of the Porsche Club Motorsport AM Championship with Pirelli grid and led away with Andrew Porter second and Jamie Callender, returning on a one-off guest drive, running third. Darren Labbett got past Callender on lap three, and the lead group closed up, running together for the next few laps.
Callender started to close back up on Labbett, while climbing up the order was Shiraz Khan who had started from the pit lane but was up to sixth in class by the end of lap seven. Callender was right with Labbett as they went into lap nine and passed by the end of the lap.
Forber had held off Porter race long but into Druids on lap nine skated off with a brake issue, his car stranded deep in a gravel trap and bringing out the safety car. This saw Porter take his first win of the 2025 season with Callender second on the road but ineligible for championship points, Wayne Gregory who had closed on the lead group third with Khan fourth, the latter two scoring points for one place higher.
“That was a really good fun race,” said Porter, “we all had very similar pace and were stuck together, delighted to finish first. I was pleased to be second then saw Richard go off.”
“I wasn’t expecting to get up the front,” said Callender. “I got swamped at the start which is just lack of practice, and Wayne kept me very honest for lap after lap, and I was just really trying to keep it on the black stuff!”
Race Two
Again, Clark led the Club Championship field away, this time with Jake McAleer right with him on the opening lap, the lead pair pushing hard from the start despite the high temperatures and two seconds clear of the rest at the end of the first lap, Jonathan Evans third from Bryan. The gap extended as Clark and Jake McAleer traded fastest laps, Evans secure in third clear of Bryan, Richard Bayston next up and battling with Chris Dyer.
The lead battle was superb, and it took a slight mistake from Clark exiting the final corner to cause him to lose a little momentum down the pit straight and Jake McAleer dived down the inside into the first corner as they headed onto lap six to take the lead. With two laps to go the lead gap was up over a second, but Clark closed in again and the cars were together heading into the last lap, Jake McAleer surviving a slide at Druids corner to take his fourth win of the season.
Evans look set for third until he retired on lap seven, Bryan taking his first podium finish to come home third. Bayston took fourth after holding off Dyer for much of the race.
“I was determined to get a better start this time so I could stay with him,” said Jake McAleer. “We were pushing each other hard, and it is hard to overtake round here so I had to take the chance when I got it. The rear tyres fell off a cliff in the last lap and I was clinging on but chuffed to get the result.”
“It was hard to tell how much pace a car has when it is following you, but he pulled off a really clean move on me,” said Clark. “His car seemed to be getting better right until the last lap when I could see him slide, he had a big one at Druids, but I had to back off and bogged down! A great race though, and he drove well.”
Labbett took the lead at the head of the AM Championship field, and that proved a great move as behind an entertaining battle for position raged for much of the race. Porter ran second from Callender and Khan, Gregory fifth, this group trading places throughout the race.
At the end of lap three Labbett was almost two seconds clear, Porter crossing the line with Gregory right with him, while less than a second back, Khan had Callender right with him. Into lap five Porter and Gregory were side by side through the first corner and the first part of the lap, which brought the four cars together again.
Labbett stayed clear to make it two wins in 2025 for the reigning champion, Porter second having finally found some breathing space over Gregory in the final laps. Callender had retired with two laps to go and Khan slipped behind Tom Andrew who duly claimed fourth.
“I felt I was doing a qualifying lap every lap,” said Labbett. “I could see the two behind fighting but they just wanted get away and I was having to push hard every lap. Enjoyed that race, a nice end to the day.”
“That was a hard race but such good fun,” said Porter. “Wayne Gregory never gave me a moment to breathe, and to be able to side by side round two of the fastest corners on this circuit was a real buzz, that’s what racing is all about.”
Porsche Club Motorsport Championship with Pirelli
Race One:
1 Simon Clark (997 C2S) 10 Laps
2 Jake McAleer (997 C2S) +1.331s
3 Ed Hayes (Cayman S)
4 Jim Bryan (997 C2S).
Fastest Lap: Jake McAleer 1m47.703s (88.34mph).
Race Two:
1 Jake McAleer (997 C2S). 12 Laps
2 Simon Clark (997 C2S). +0.231s
3 Jim Bryan (997 C2S).
4 Richard Bayston (996 C2)
Fastest Lap: Jake McAleer 1m55.123s (88.70mph).
Porsche Club Motorsport AM Championship with Pirelli
Race One:
1 Andrew Porter (Boxster S) 10 Laps
2 Jamie Callender (Boxster S) +3.230s
3 Wayne Gregory (Boxster S)
4 Shiraz Khan (Boxster S)
Fastest Lap: Jamie Callender 1m54.776s (84.43mph).
Race Two:
1 Darren Labbett (Boxster S) 12 Laps
2 Andrew Porter (Boxster S) +3.716s
3 Wayne Gregory (Boxster S)
4 Tom Andrew (Boxster S)
Fastest Lap: Labbett 1m55.123s (84.18mph).
Porsche Club Motorsport Boxster Cup
Race One
Brands Hatch race winner Max Watt was at the front of the Porsche Club Motorsport Boxster Cup grid with Faye Noble-Evans alongside, but it was to be an exciting race with a number of quick drivers staring from the back of the grid. Watt came round a second clear at the end of the opening lap with Noble-Evans second, championship points leader Mike Thompson already up to 14th with double race winner Bertie Bream right behind him.
A safety car after three laps played into the hands of the cars climbing through the order as it closed up the order, and on the first lap of racing again Thompson and Bream gained more places to come round in sixth and seventh. A great move from Bream into the Shell Hairpin saw him gain two places, outside one car and inside another, to be third at the end of lap eight.
Watt knew they were coming out the order and had again pushed hard to open a gap, and with Bream past Barrington Darcy then Noble-Evans to take second, the leader had enough in hand to take win number two for 2025. Bream was second with Darcy third from Thompson, Noble-Evans slipping to fifth late on.
“I could see them coming back as the race went on,” said Watt. “I wanted to get a gap early on and save my tyres, then the safety car came out which was not to plan! After the restart I opened a gap and was worried I was pushing too hard, backed off, then got a move on again when they got a little too close for comfort.”
“That was nice and clean coming through the order, both on my part and everyone else’s,” said Bream. “It is not easy to overtake here so I had to make move after move lap after lap – that was really enjoyable.”
“That was good fun, hectic!” said Darcy. “We were watching the guys coming through from the back, so I knew I had to keep the pace up and all good!”
Race Two
The Boxter Cup cars had been on the grid over lunch for a very popular grid walkabout for the spectators, and again it was Bream and Thompson amongst those starting from the back of the grid. Watt again took the early lead with Darcy third and Ben Grewcock, next up, Bream taking six places on lap one to come round 12th, Thompson right behind him.
Some rapid laps from the leader saw Watt quickly open a good-sized gap, Bream and Thompson into the top ten by the end of lap three. Bream made it fourth on lap seven passing Martin Mason and was into third two laps later when Grewcock went wide on the exit of Lodge. Darcy put up some stiff resistance but slipped to third with two laps to go.
By now Watt was long gone and duly took his second win of the day and third in a row, Bream second and Darcy third just holding off Thompson on the run to the line.
“I was trying to pull a gap and get fastest lap,” explained Watt. “I did that and suddenly couldn’t see another car, so I let the car cool down for a couple of laps to have a bit in hand. I’m so happy with the car, can’t thank everyone enough.”
“I was surprised how quickly we caught everyone, I got a rocket start which really helped,” said Bream. “I was picking cars off and got up to about fifth and could see the cars ahead, hot hard work. The car was good, had to keep it balanced.”
“Another hard race, again I knew they were coming through,” said Darcy. “So hot in the car, but a great experience and the first time I have ever taken two podiums at a meeting!”
Porsche Club Motorsport Boxster Cup
Race One:
1 Max Watt (Boxster S) 11 Laps
2 Bertie Bream (Boxster S) +2.368s
3 Barrington Darcy (Boxster S)
4 Mike Thompson (Boxster S)
Fastest Lap: Mike Thompson 1m57.109s (82.75mph)
Race Two:
1 Max Watt 13 Laps
2 Bertie Bream +13.944s
3 Baz Darcy
4 Thompson
Fastest Lap: Max Watt 1m56.673s (83.06mph).
Next Races: Silverstone GP, Northants, 2nd August 2025.
By Paul Jurd