Porsche scholar’s big hopes for 2020
Reigning Ginetta GT4 Supercup champion and new Porsche Junior looks ahead to Carrera Cup GB debut
It’s been a very long wait to get back going again for my debut season in Porsche Carrera Cup GB, with Team Parker Racing. When we were all hyped up back in March ready for the season to get underway we certainly didn’t think we’d have to wait until August! After last year winning the Ginetta GT4 Supercup championship and the Porsche GB Junior driver shootout, we had a lot of offers. But the pedigree of Team Parker Racing was very inviting, and even with all the success it’s had it’s as hungry for championships and wins as ever. That motivation in the team always is a booster each time you hop out on track.
You know no stone is left unturned.
Throughout lockdown I’ve been keeping fit and sharp in preparation for when we finally did get the green light. We had two official tests last week and which were really positive, our pace looks competitive. My Pro driver team-mate Josh Webster and I work really well together and we make a lot of progress working on the car. So I’m in the right place with the right team, it’s now a case of ‘down to me’.
Of course it’s hard to say from a test day where you stand for the rest of the season, but it’s reassuring to have that pace. I’ve got two years as a Porsche Junior on its programme so I don’t have to prove everything immediately. Of course, the championship is our main goal but whether or not it’s achievable this year is hard to tell. One thing’s for certain though, I’m going to push my absolute best and if we find ourselves towards the top of the championship with the final two or three races to go then that’s a bonus.
On the media day back in March, when I was on track with Carrera Cup rivals for the first time, we were competitive straight away, within the top three which honestly I didn’t expect, I was expecting more like top five or similar. It shows the progress that we’ve made and it gives me great confidence heading into round one. But a lot can change between then and now.
There’s a range of different drivers who will be fighting at the front in Carrera Cup this year. There are experienced guys like my team-mate Josh Webster, he’s got so much knowledge and a wealth of experience with the car. Redline Racing is also a competitive team so no doubt they’ll be quick, and also JTR with Lorcan Hanafin, a fellow Porsche shootout finalist. The grid is going to be very competitive this year, and I’d much rather it be that way than anything else.
There has been adaptation in going from the Ginetta to the Porsche 911 GT3. The biggest difference is the driving style with the engine placement in the 911 hanging over the rear axle; you are constantly reminded that there’s a big pendulum effect. It’s very different to any other race car that I have driven, but it’s a driving style that extracts the best from the driver and that’s what attracts so many people to the Carrera Cup.
With Team Parker I’m always learning, even on the recent test days. I feel really comfortable in the car now, I can understand the feedback it’s giving me and I can feed that back to the engineers and mechanics. It feels that everything is happening a bit slower and is more calculated now compared with when I started in the car.
There’s necessarily a condensed 2020 race calendar, perhaps there’ll also be more wet races too with the autumn schedule, but this doesn’t faze me. Tight turnarounds will be beneficial for me if anything as instead of waiting two or three weeks before the next round to learn from what you did in the previous round you only have to wait two or three days. As for wet races, in every previous championship I’ve always been competitive in the wet and in the limited wet running we did in the winter we proved quite competitive.
Last year I experienced the real highs and lows on the way to winning the Ginetta GT4 Supercup crown, but I got 11 wins while my rivals Will Burns and Tom Hibbert got four or five. My setbacks were mainly little technical issues, and it shows the importance of consistency.
Now I’ve won a championship I understand what it takes, I’m more mature in myself and my driving. When you are competing for a championship you have conscious thoughts in the back of your mind that points make prizes. It’s especially crucial in Porsche Carrera Cup where you don’t have dropped rounds or anything like that, so those 16 races you have to make them all absolutely count.
“I’m in the right place with the right team, it’s now a case of ‘down to me’”