The scene is set for another thrilling season of racing in the 2016 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship. With just under two months to go before the first race at Brands Hatch, Kent, on 2/3 April, 21 drivers are already confirmed to join the grid of the UK’s fastest single marque GT racing Championship.
The news that reigning Champion, Dan Cammish, will be returning to defend his crown adds further allure, as the 26-year old from York was sensational on his Championship debut last year, winning 11 out of 16 races for Redline Racing.
However, an influx of new talent has signed up to race the identical, 460 hp ‘Type 991’ 911 GT3 Cup race cars, and will be keen to not only measure themselves against Dan’s impressive benchmark but also strive to keep him at bay!
Arguably the strongest rivals to Dan will come from within his Redline Racing team. The 2016/17 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholar, 20-year old Charlie Eastwood, overcame incredibly tough competition to land his plum drive, so already is pumped up for the year ahead.
There is every indication that there will be further driver announcements still. The impressive entry to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship builds on the success of a number of initiatives that sought to emphasise the unique position of the Carrera Cup within the global Porsche Motorsport family. Not least among these was the opportunity to share the bill with the World Endurance Championship at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, alongside the factory team Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 and 911 RSR. After the 2016 Carrera Cup GB season starts at Brands Hatch alongside the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), it will once more support the WEC at Silverstone for the third and fourth rounds; thereafter it re-joins the BTCC at six race weekends in the UK.
Further momentum comes to the Carrera Cup GB this year following the addition of three exclusive, fully-supported in-season tests, an increase in each driver’s slick tyre allocation and a substantial rise in prize money for the top three finishers in the Pro category, all of which have made the 2016 package the most attractive yet in the history of the Championship.
James MacNaughton, Motorsport Manager, Porsche Cars GB commented: “The close competition between the identical 911 GT3 Cup race cars in the Carrera Cup GB fosters unparalleled driver development, meaning every advantage has to come from behind the wheel. Success therefore is a great indication of talent.
“The appeal of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB is evident in the return of Dan Cammish to defend his title, but it is also great to see so many new drivers join us for 2016. This year’s Carrera Cup GB will be as intense as ever, and our support race to the World Endurance Championship at Silverstone in April is yet further evidence that the Carrera Cup GB is fundamental to the international Porsche Motorsport programme.”