Duckhams Yuasa Racing secures second Porsche Carrera Cup GB title at season finale

Duckhams Yuasa Racing with Team Parker capped a memorable and successful season in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB as Harry Foster secured the Rookie Championship title with a superb final race recovery.
 
Heading to Brands Hatch to race on its famous Grand Prix circuit at the weekend (October 6-8), Adam Smalley had already wrapped up the Drivers’ title at Silverstone last time out, while Harry needed to outscore his rivals to emerge on top of the Rookies.
 
Things didn’t start off on the best foot however, as in a closely matched qualifying session Adam finished fifth and Harry 11th overall and ninth in class, despite being just half a second from pole position.
 
In the opening race on Sunday, Adam started well but was quickly boxed in and unable to make up places, though Harry was on a rapid march, crossing the line sixth after the first lap. Unfortunately, on lap two he was one of several cars caught out on coolant which had been spilled on the track at Surtees, sliding wide and making contact with another car, ending his race on the spot.
 
The Safety Car was then called on lap six and no further racing took place, Adam crossing the line fourth but Harry finding Robert De Haan closing in the Rookie standings heading into the final race of the season.
 
Starting on pole after the reverse grid draw, Adam looked comfortable throughout before his front splitter detached at high speed on the run to Hawthorn’s, shocking the new champion and leaving him without key downforce for much of the contest. Coming under pressure from De Haan in the closing stages but having seen his rival had a track limits time penalty, Adam let him through to avoid risk and followed him home for his third victory of the season.
 
Harry, starting 13th and at the rear of the Pro class field found the going tough early on, trying to make progress but finding his moves weren’t paying off. He managed to work his way forwards in the second half of the race, and with a 12th place finish overall and tenth in Pro, he scored four Rookie points to bring home the title for himself and the team.
 
It ends a successful season for Duckhams Yuasa Racing with Team Parker, taking the Drivers’ title with Adam, the Rookie Championship with Harry, and finishing second in the Entrants’ standings after the bad luck in race one. Everyone involved would like to thank all the programme’s partners for their support throughout the campaign, making these successes possible.

Adam Smalley, #21, Pro

G1 – 5, R1 – 4
G2 – 1, R2 – 1
 
Pro Championship: 1 (141 points)

“To round off this season with a win was mega. I don't know what people saw on the TV at home, but we started off the race, built up a gap, had the fastest lap, everything was great and then going down the back straight the next thing I knew I was facing the sky, and everything was locked up. It turns out the splitter fell off and rolled underneath the tyres with 10 laps to go. I did the end of the race without a front splitter so thought it was going to turn into an absolute disaster. I knew Robert had a five second penalty, so if I let him through then I could still win the race. It wasn't worth risking an accident.

“It wasn't the cleanest qualifying and then we used old tyres in race one so, to come away with a win in the last race is a testimony to how good of a season we've had. To round it off with a win is more than I could ever have asked for.”  

Harry Foster, #16, Pro
 
G1 – 9, R1 – DNF
G2 – 13, R2 – 10
 
Pro Championship: 8 (38 points)
Rookie Championship: 1 (113 points)

 “I had a really, really good start in race one, managing to get from 11th up to fifth. I was sitting quite comfortably and unfortunately, there was some coolant fluid that was on the track, which I locked up on. The car ahead had also locked up, so I ended up going up into them as well, damaged my car, and had to retire.

“I had to start at the back of the Pros and P13 for race two, but knew I needed to get tenth to win if [Robert] De Haan won, if I wanted to win the Rookie Championship. I had really good pace and crossed the line about P12, but luckily, de Haan had a five second penalty for track limits. It's been a very good day where we've managed to secure the Rookie Championship. It definitely makes me want to do it next season. I think I can hit the ground running as I really know what I need to be doing and I can start getting a few more wins and podiums. This has been a great year for learning.”