Flying start for Smalley as Burton suffers
Picking a winner for the 350th Porsche Carrera Cup GB contest was always going to be tricky. There was no shortage of contenders on a grid packed with talented drivers. And, after a dramatic race, it was new Porsche Junior Adam Smalley who landed the first blow of the 20th anniversary season.
While Smalley’s Redline Racing squad was on the grid for the very first Carrera Cup GB race – along with Team Parker Racing – it had looked for much of the contest as though a driver from a team making its series debut would triumph.
Gus Burton, full of confidence after winning last year’s British GT4 crown, had laid down a marker by taking pole for Century Motorsport. And then the first lap was the perfect demonstration of how hard-fought this year’s title is set to be.
Burton maintained the lead from 2021 frontrunner Kiern Jewiss at the start but the Team Parker man was soon on the attack. He attempted a move at Coppice and did edge ahead, before Burton cut across, sending Jewiss into the gravel and plummeting down the order. “The rookies want to push hard and they want to win, but sometimes you have to give it [the place] up,” said a frustrated Jewiss.
While Burton continued, Smalley began reeling him in as Burton was battling a slow puncture. And that pressure told, Burton locking up and going straight on at the chicane, gifting Smalley the win. “I never imagined I would be winning on my debut race – it’s a dream come true,” he enthused.
Burton also slipped behind Theo Edgerton (JTR) and Matt Graham (Redline) as he struggled to stay on track. “I had a warning light on, so the tyre pressure was going down,” he said. “The positive is we’re definitely capable of winning.”
Another positive was that Burton got a point for fastest lap – having set an identical time to Smalley – and he was drawn on pole for the partially reversedgrid second contest. But that positive did not last long as fellow front-row starter Graham made a blistering launch and stormed to the win. Burton, meanwhile, dropped behind Edgerton before striking the chicane’s tyre stack, ending his race.
Behind, the main focus was on Jewiss’s progress. His opening lap was stunning as he surged from 14th to sixth and he eventually took third, behind Edgerton. “It’s what I needed,” admitted Jewiss, who felt second was possible. “I did kill the tyres a bit but I’d rather do that and miss out on second than be seventh.”
After such an eventful opening round, it suggests all the ingredients are in place for an enthralling anniversary campaign.