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Major upgrades for the fastest, most successful single marque GT racing Championship in the UK
As this year's Porsche Carrera Cup GB prepares for the season finale at Brands Hatch this weekend (11 -12 October), already plans are accelerating to lay firm foundations for 2015.
The Porsche Carrera Cup GB is the fastest and most successful single marque GT racing Championship in the UK, and after another season-long battle, the Drivers' Championship title will once more be decided at the final rounds.
The Carrera Cup is contested by identical examples of the latest 'Type 991' 911 GT3 Cup, each powered by a charismatic, rear-mounted 460 hp flat-six engine. The racing edition of the iconic 911 coupe has thrilled spectators around the UK in support of the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) since 2003, and this year Josh Webster and Michael Meadows head into the last races separated by just four points.
Josh is the current Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholar, and the beneficiary of a unique initiative begun by Porsche Cars GB in 2008 that provides funding of £160,000 over two years to assist a talented young driver break into GT motorsport with Porsche.
Over the past decade, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB has become an established stepping stone for drivers looking to forge a career in GT sports car and endurance racing. Consequently, victory in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB is highly prized and preserving this reputation for driver development lies at the heart of the programme of upgrades for 2015.
At the same time, the appeal of Carrera Cup to Pro-Am drivers – keen to elevate their passion for racing and benchmark their skills in a 911 GT3 Cup alongside the very best – has also been strengthened.
Key highlights for next season include an entirely new approach with the objective to scout even more talented drivers to go racing with Porsche Motorsport:
- New Rookie Class Programme offering £50,000 for the winner, £20,000 for 2nd, £10,000 for third place; aimed at drivers aged 17-24 with the goal to find new talent for Porsche Motorsport
- Overall prize money doubled every race weekend as part of a harmonization with other Carrera Cups worldwide
- New end-of-season prizes that relate to Porsche international motorsport
Stepping stone to international Porsche Motorsport
Following success in the Carrera Cup GB and the international Porsche Supercup, Richard Westbrook in 2008 became the first British driver for many years to join the Porsche factory team. Today, Nick Tandy flies the flag for Britain in international Porsche motor sport, and it was his success in the Porsche Carrera Cup that was fundamental to him being recruited as a Works driver.
Furthermore, many of the Porsche drivers in the LMP1 team racing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) started their careers in the Carrera Cups. Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas both won Le Mans in 2010 for Audi, but started out with success in Carrera Cup Deutschland. This year, Marc Lieb stepped up to the Porsche LMP1 team in the WEC, and with his extensive background racing the 911 is a great example of the perfect grounding the Porsche Carrera Cup provides. On top, Carrera Cup drivers get an unrivalled opportunity to demonstrate their racecraft and off-track personality to influential Porsche Motorsport representatives; who are eager to spot emerging talent.
Top teams underpin Championship success
Since the Porsche Carrera Cup GB began, a number of professional racing teams have demonstrated remarkable loyalty to the Championship, provided the backbone to its success, and also played a key role in the career development of many drivers.
Principle among these are Redline Racing, Team Parker Racing and Parr Motorsport, who have contested every season since 2003. In2Racing, GT Marques, Welch Motorsport, Motorbase Performance, Juta Racing and Celtic Speed have also supported the Carrera Cup GB generously.
Equally fundamental are the loyal sponsors, and Samsung UHD TV has enjoyed a high profile through involvement in the Carrera Cup GB and its links with Michael Meadows – not least by winning the Championship last season. The appeal of Porsche Motorsport to non-automotive brands is a developing trend, with London bespoke jeweller Boodles – which supports Jordan Witt – a welcome addition to the grid.
The long-term support of Michelin, Mobil, Adidas and Samsung to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB is also much appreciated. Other valued Championship partners include Performance Friction, DRIFT, Sacred Café and Go Motorsport.
Core to the appeal of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB to sponsors is that it lies within the proven TOCA package as a support race to the BTCC, and the action is transmitted live on ITV4. Over the course of the season, these broadcasts reach an annual audience in excess of 20m viewers on Sunday afternoons.
Drivers from around the world drawn to Carrera Cup
Over the years, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB has attracted top UK racing stars like former BTCC Champion Tim Harvey but also helped develop many home-grown, younger drivers. In addition to former Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholars like Michael Meadows and Dan Lloyd, drivers who stepped up from Carrera Cup to the Porsche Supercup and/or international GT racing include Richard Westbrook, Damian Faulkner, Danny Watts, Sam Hancock, Phil Quaife and Ben Barker.
Meanwhile, Carrera Cup race winner Sam Tordoff has since triumphed in the BTCC with the MG touring car team. Current 'discoveries' include Paul Rees, a former single-seater racer who has quickly gelled with the rear-engined 911 GT3 Cup and scored a first win already this year.
The comprehensive support from Porsche Cars GB and Porsche Motorsport has enabled teams to draw drivers from abroad, attracted by the competitive racing and high profile of UK motorsport. Ahmad Al-Harthy from Oman and Jonas Gelzinis from Lithuania both tasted success in recent years, and Victor Jimenez from Madrid, Spain, has continued the trend as the reigning Pro-Am1 Champion. Pepe Massot, also from Spain, has joined the Championship this season.
In total, 2014 has seen more than 30 drivers participating in the individual Championship rounds and the season highlight of the support race prior to the 24 Hours of Le Mans witnessed 61 cars on the grid!
2015 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship in detail
The calendar for next year will be communicated separately, but it is intended that there will be eight rounds and once again an International Race as a highlight.
As currently, there will be three (factory-supported) categories:
Pro, Pro Am1, Pro Am2 - plus a new Rookie Class
Prize money at all rounds will also be doubled, culminating in a generous end-of-season rewards package.
New End-of-Season Prizes
New Rookie Class overall winner: £50,000, 2nd place £20,000, 3rd place £10,000
Pro overall winner: £15,000 plus fully-expensed drive in Porsche Supercup supported by Porsche Motorsport engineers
ProAm1 overall winner: £7,000 plus loan of Porsche 911 for a year and opportunity to spend 0.5 days at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone with a Porsche Works driver – emphasising the key role of Carrera Cup within Porsche Motorsport
ProAm2 overall winner: £5,000 plus either loan of a Porsche 911 for a year or 'money can't buy' opportunity to participate in a one day 'Masterclass' with a Porsche LMP1 driver at Silverstone
In addition:
all drivers invited to attend the Porsche Human Performance Centre at Silverstone for two hours, as part of their sign-on package
– Team Cayenne: for the duration of the season, main teams who run more than two race cars will receive the loan of a Cayenne with Carrera Cup Championship livery
– Carrera Cup Hospitality at each circuit with ample opportunity to host guests and sponsors
– Early registration reward offering between two and three free sets of Michelin slick tyres as incentive to join Porsche Carrera Cup GB promptly
– New tyre regulations and new testing schedule: free pre-season testing, four days maximum in the season
Further details regarding entry to the 2015 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship are available from [email protected], and the new season will be introduced formally at the Autosport International Show at the Birmingham NEC on 9 January 2015.
As this year's Porsche Carrera Cup GB prepares for the season finale at Brands Hatch this weekend (11 -12 October), already plans are accelerating to lay firm foundations for 2015.
The Porsche Carrera Cup GB is the fastest and most successful single marque GT racing Championship in the UK, and after another season-long battle, the Drivers' Championship title will once more be decided at the final rounds.
The Carrera Cup is contested by identical examples of the latest 'Type 991' 911 GT3 Cup, each powered by a charismatic, rear-mounted 460 hp flat-six engine. The racing edition of the iconic 911 coupe has thrilled spectators around the UK in support of the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) since 2003, and this year Josh Webster and Michael Meadows head into the last races separated by just four points.
Josh is the current Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholar, and the beneficiary of a unique initiative begun by Porsche Cars GB in 2008 that provides funding of £160,000 over two years to assist a talented young driver break into GT motorsport with Porsche.
Over the past decade, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB has become an established stepping stone for drivers looking to forge a career in GT sports car and endurance racing. Consequently, victory in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB is highly prized and preserving this reputation for driver development lies at the heart of the programme of upgrades for 2015.
At the same time, the appeal of Carrera Cup to Pro-Am drivers – keen to elevate their passion for racing and benchmark their skills in a 911 GT3 Cup alongside the very best – has also been strengthened.
Key highlights for next season include an entirely new approach with the objective to scout even more talented drivers to go racing with Porsche Motorsport:
- New Rookie Class Programme offering £50,000 for the winner, £20,000 for 2nd, £10,000 for third place; aimed at drivers aged 17-24 with the goal to find new talent for Porsche Motorsport
- Overall prize money doubled every race weekend as part of a harmonization with other Carrera Cups worldwide
- New end-of-season prizes that relate to Porsche international motorsport
Stepping stone to international Porsche Motorsport
Following success in the Carrera Cup GB and the international Porsche Supercup, Richard Westbrook in 2008 became the first British driver for many years to join the Porsche factory team. Today, Nick Tandy flies the flag for Britain in international Porsche motor sport, and it was his success in the Porsche Carrera Cup that was fundamental to him being recruited as a Works driver.
Furthermore, many of the Porsche drivers in the LMP1 team racing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) started their careers in the Carrera Cups. Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas both won Le Mans in 2010 for Audi, but started out with success in Carrera Cup Deutschland. This year, Marc Lieb stepped up to the Porsche LMP1 team in the WEC, and with his extensive background racing the 911 is a great example of the perfect grounding the Porsche Carrera Cup provides. On top, Carrera Cup drivers get an unrivalled opportunity to demonstrate their racecraft and off-track personality to influential Porsche Motorsport representatives; who are eager to spot emerging talent.
Top teams underpin Championship success
Since the Porsche Carrera Cup GB began, a number of professional racing teams have demonstrated remarkable loyalty to the Championship, provided the backbone to its success, and also played a key role in the career development of many drivers.
Principle among these are Redline Racing, Team Parker Racing and Parr Motorsport, who have contested every season since 2003. In2Racing, GT Marques, Welch Motorsport, Motorbase Performance, Juta Racing and Celtic Speed have also supported the Carrera Cup GB generously.
Equally fundamental are the loyal sponsors, and Samsung UHD TV has enjoyed a high profile through involvement in the Carrera Cup GB and its links with Michael Meadows – not least by winning the Championship last season. The appeal of Porsche Motorsport to non-automotive brands is a developing trend, with London bespoke jeweller Boodles – which supports Jordan Witt – a welcome addition to the grid.
The long-term support of Michelin, Mobil, Adidas and Samsung to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB is also much appreciated. Other valued Championship partners include Performance Friction, DRIFT, Sacred Café and Go Motorsport.
Core to the appeal of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB to sponsors is that it lies within the proven TOCA package as a support race to the BTCC, and the action is transmitted live on ITV4. Over the course of the season, these broadcasts reach an annual audience in excess of 20m viewers on Sunday afternoons.
Drivers from around the world drawn to Carrera Cup
Over the years, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB has attracted top UK racing stars like former BTCC Champion Tim Harvey but also helped develop many home-grown, younger drivers. In addition to former Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholars like Michael Meadows and Dan Lloyd, drivers who stepped up from Carrera Cup to the Porsche Supercup and/or international GT racing include Richard Westbrook, Damian Faulkner, Danny Watts, Sam Hancock, Phil Quaife and Ben Barker.
Meanwhile, Carrera Cup race winner Sam Tordoff has since triumphed in the BTCC with the MG touring car team. Current 'discoveries' include Paul Rees, a former single-seater racer who has quickly gelled with the rear-engined 911 GT3 Cup and scored a first win already this year.
The comprehensive support from Porsche Cars GB and Porsche Motorsport has enabled teams to draw drivers from abroad, attracted by the competitive racing and high profile of UK motorsport. Ahmad Al-Harthy from Oman and Jonas Gelzinis from Lithuania both tasted success in recent years, and Victor Jimenez from Madrid, Spain, has continued the trend as the reigning Pro-Am1 Champion. Pepe Massot, also from Spain, has joined the Championship this season.
In total, 2014 has seen more than 30 drivers participating in the individual Championship rounds and the season highlight of the support race prior to the 24 Hours of Le Mans witnessed 61 cars on the grid!
2015 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship in detail
The calendar for next year will be communicated separately, but it is intended that there will be eight rounds and once again an International Race as a highlight.
As currently, there will be three (factory-supported) categories:
Pro, Pro Am1, Pro Am2 - plus a new Rookie Class
Prize money at all rounds will also be doubled, culminating in a generous end-of-season rewards package.
New End-of-Season Prizes
New Rookie Class overall winner: £50,000, 2nd place £20,000, 3rd place £10,000
Pro overall winner: £15,000 plus fully-expensed drive in Porsche Supercup supported by Porsche Motorsport engineers
ProAm1 overall winner: £7,000 plus loan of Porsche 911 for a year and opportunity to spend 0.5 days at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone with a Porsche Works driver – emphasising the key role of Carrera Cup within Porsche Motorsport
ProAm2 overall winner: £5,000 plus either loan of a Porsche 911 for a year or 'money can't buy' opportunity to participate in a one day 'Masterclass' with a Porsche LMP1 driver at Silverstone
In addition:
all drivers invited to attend the Porsche Human Performance Centre at Silverstone for two hours, as part of their sign-on package
– Team Cayenne: for the duration of the season, main teams who run more than two race cars will receive the loan of a Cayenne with Carrera Cup Championship livery
– Carrera Cup Hospitality at each circuit with ample opportunity to host guests and sponsors
– Early registration reward offering between two and three free sets of Michelin slick tyres as incentive to join Porsche Carrera Cup GB promptly
– New tyre regulations and new testing schedule: free pre-season testing, four days maximum in the season
Further details regarding entry to the 2015 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship are available from [email protected], and the new season will be introduced formally at the Autosport International Show at the Birmingham NEC on 9 January 2015.
