Snetterton success for Duckhams Yuasa Racing in Porsche Carrera Cup GB

Duckhams Yuasa Racing enjoyed a superb victory in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB as Max Coates took a lights-to-flag win at Snetterton (23-25 May), vaulting to the top of the Pro-Am championship standings.
 
After promising running in Friday’s free practice, overnight rain had made the 2.97-mile circuit greasy, meaning the fastest times set during the 30-minute qualifying session held on Saturday morning, would be set at the end of the session.
 
Unfortunately, Max was held up to two cars on his fastest lap and, unable to improve on his previous best, would line up for race one fourth in Pro-Am and 11th overall. He made a good start as the lights went out for the 400th Porsche Carrera Cup GB race and made steady progress in the opening stages.
 
By lap three he was up to ninth and five laps later that would become seventh after two rivals collided. He would gain a further place before the flag fell to finish sixth overall and third in Pro-Am, for his second podium in class this season.
 
With number six being drawn for the reverse grid start order for race two, Max would line up in pole position for the second 14-lap race of the weekend. Getting a clear start off the line, he would never be beaten, building a margin and crossing the line to secure his first ever Porsche Carrera Cup GB race win.
 
Duckhams Yuasa Racing by Graves Motorsport will return to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB over the weekend of 6-8 June, heading to the UK’s fastest circuit – Thruxton in Hampshire.

“Qualifying didn’t exactly go to plan as I got held up by a couple of other drivers at the last corner on my best lap. I think we had pace to be in the top five or six, so I was a bit disappointed to be down there.
 
“My start to race one wasn't the best. I had quite a lot of wheelspin, and I lost a couple of positions on the run to turn one. Then there was quite a lot of carnage around, so I picked up a few places through the race. I made a good move around the outside of Brundle, which was really good fun, and we finished third in the Pro-Am class, so I was happy to notch up another podium. I managed to go from 11th to sixth and that landed us with reverse grid pole.
 
“It felt so good to have won the second race. I had a good start, probably one of the best I've ever done, and we led from there. We are still learning, and it’s our first year, but our trajectory is massively up in these first two weekends. Hopefully that continues. You might think it's easy when you're just out front and you've got no traffic, but to keep focused and your mind on the job is not an easy task. Mentally, it was quite a challenging race, so I'm absolutely over the moon with the result. A huge thank you to Duckhams Yuasa Racing.”

View photos from the race here