Duckhams Yuasa Racing with Redline set to continue winning ways at Brands Hatch
After claiming victory in the opening race of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB season at Donington Park last time out, Duckhams Yuasa Racing with Redline is ready to take to the track again for rounds three and four at Brands Hatch on May 14/15.
Porsche GB Junior Driver Adam Smalley heads to Brands Hatch as joint championship leader after a first-place finish in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB’s historic 350th race, which opened the 2022 campaign. Team-mate Oliver White experienced a tougher weekend with a retirement in race one but turned it around in race two to claim a ninth-place finish in the Pro class. With sights now set on Brands Hatch, the team have been reviewing data and working hard to maximise learning from the opening rounds of the championship.
Having been a race winner in Formula Ford at Brands Hatch in the past, Oliver hopes his familiarity with the Kent circuit will give him the competitive edge to place his car higher up on the grid, in what is sure to be a very close qualifying session at the technically challenging circuit. After wins there in Ginetta GT4 Supercup in 2020 and 2021, and in Ginetta Juniors in 2018, Adam is optimistic his podium streak can continue as he takes on the circuit for the first time in Porsche machinery.
Duckhams Yuasa Racing with Redline has enjoyed previous success at Brands Hatch, most recently with Dan Cammish claiming a podium finish and fastest lap at the circuit in 2021. The team will be looking to carry this on as the action gets underway on Saturday May 14th with qualifying at 14:35, race one at 10:00 on Sunday, followed by race two at 15:25. Coverage of race two will be shown live on ITV4 with timings available to follow over the course of the weekend.
Oliver White #2
We are really looking forward to Brands, as it is a track I’ve driven at a lot in the past – probably the track I'm actually most familiar with in the UK. I have a good record there and I'm looking forward to driving the Porsche around it. I’m expecting it to be really tight because it's such short lap, so I think qualifying is going to be really crucial going into the weekend but hopefully, I'll have a better session than I did at Donington.
“I've been focusing a lot on Brands. The team have sent me some onboard footage from the test day, so I've been studying, watching my team-mate's laps, comparing them to mine, and just finding all the small areas I can improve on. It’s all tiny margins on every corner and about maximising that new tyre run in qualifying. That's what I aim to do this time that I didn't do at Donington. Hopefully I’ll start higher up the grid and have an easier time in the races.
“We’re not expecting to just leap right to the front in one go, but the plan is through the whole year to gradually improve and move up the grid. My target for Brands is to try and get inside the top ten and then try and score my first points as my confidence builds in the car.
Adam Smalley #21
I can't wait to get going for the next two rounds of the championship. Donington went well and I’m confident in what the team can do. Winning the first round of the championship was a dream come true, and the pace was strong all weekend, so I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do at Brands.
“I'm still learning each time I get in the car. Qualifying is a different format to what I'm used to so there's a different strategy in that sense and a different strategy in the races. With Porsche racing, it's about looking after the tyres and thinking about the long game, half an hour doesn’t sound long but the tyre degradation over the race is quite a lot. It's all about managing the car, making minimal mistakes, and piecing it all together to get the wins.
“I’ve done quite well at Brands, I won in Ginetta Juniors and in GT Supercup in 2020 and 2021. I have gone well around there, but this year it’s very close, so we’re going to be looking for thousandths and hundredths of a second.
“There are a lot of people that could become rivals this year. Team Parker with Kiern Jewiss and Seb Morris were quick at round one. Redline Racing as well, as a team we’re quick and my team-mate Matty Graham is leading the championship. Honestly, there's probably eight or nine drivers that are all capable of winning, so it's just about piecing everything together.
