Club and AM Championships
It is rounds five and six of the Porsche Club Motorsport Club Championship with Pirelli and Porsche Club Motorsport AM Championship with Pirelli at Brands Hatch today, the large field taking on the challenge of the full Grand Prix layout which always provides great racing.
Porsche Club Motorsport Club Championship has featured some entertaining battles so far this season, but it is one family that have been doing the winner, with Jake McAleer on three wins and father Mark winning the second race at Anglesey earlier this month. That win came as Jake retired from second place with a gearbox issue, a similar problem in qualifying seeing reigning champion and close rival to the McAleer’s Simon Clark miss the races after gearbox failure in qualifying.
Both Clark and Mark McAleer are double champions, as is Pete Morris who claimed his first podium of the year at Anglesey and all three would love to be the first triple winner with their 997s. While it is the 997 that has been doing the winning, the Caymans were quick at Anglesey with Ed Hayes taking two podium finishes and Chris Dyer, another former outright champion, one.
The AM Championship has seen a different winner in each race to date, showing how competitive the Boxster dominated category is. In the season opener we had a win for Richard Forber on his debut in the series, while in race two Shiraz Khan also claimed his maiden category victory. At Anglesey it was a win for reigning champion Darren Labbett in race one, while later in the afternoon team-mate and 2024 Boxster Cup champion Wayne Gregory took his first victory in just his fourth race in the series.
Some quick drivers have had issues and can expect success soon, Oliver Chatham having led races but been hit with mechanical problems, while Andrew Porter was down on power at Silverstone but twice on the podium at Anglesey. Tom Andrew has been another podium visitor, and in every race the AM Championship field have been as exciting as the battle for outright honours.
All cars run to a strictly policed minimum weight and on Pirelli slick tyres, The Club Championship cars have to do qualifying and two races on a single set of tyres, the AM Championship cars two qualifying sessions and four races. A wet weather tyre is available if conditions require it, and it all adds up to close exciting racing and a great season that only finishes in early October.
Boxster Cup
The Porsche Club Motorsport Boxster Cup makes its annual visit to the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit with the closely matched cars and a bulging entry list sure to provide the great racing the series has become known for. Intended as a route into motorsport for newcomers as well as a home for some series regulars who enjoy not only the race action but also the camaraderie and paddock atmosphere the Boxster Cup has become a popular choice for drivers for of all levels.
It was a newcomer who set the pace in the season opening meeting at Silverstone in April, Bertie Bream winning both races in style, then charging through from the back of the grid at Anglesey last time out in each race, claiming third in race two. As Bream climbed the order the lead battles at Anglesey were fierce, Perry Darling and Mike Thompson both taking their first wins of 2025, the experienced racers a great benchmark for the pace of the newcomers.
Scott Evans is one to watch for, having been nagged by reliability issues for a while the car was working well at Anglesey, and he claimed two podium finishes. Barrington Darcy made his series debut last season, took his maiden podium at Silverstone in April and has been in the thick of action in each race, while Faye Noble-Evans has gone well at Brands Hatch in the past and is due a strong 2025 finish.
Max Watt is another newcomer and claimed a front row start at Silverstone before fuel pump issues caused problems, so will be keen to show his pace today, while Ben Grewcock's distinctive green Boxster will be another to watch for. Brenden Haffner, another new face for 2025, and Tony Levy were another pair to go well at Anglesey, a meeting which featured ample overtaking and action all down the field.
Tyres are key in the Boxster Cup with competitors limited to just two sets of treaded Pirelli tyres for the season to control costs. The series is positioned as an entry route into circuit racing and has seen many rookies make their race debuts, and while some have gone on to bigger things many have stayed on for more of the close and affordable racing the series can offer. Drivers count their best 12-scores over the season, and while that offers some safety net over the 14-race season, every point is precious, so things are hard-fought from the very first race.
By Paul Jurd
Come along and support your local driver, Porsche display, grid walk and parade lap for members at the end of the day. For tickets click here