Bateman’s back in the driving seat after nine years away from sport
CHARLES Bateman is set to make his return to motorsport after nine years on the sidelines and 13 years away from Team Parker Racing by entering the Porsche Carrera Cup GB this season.
Joining the Desford-based team in 2005, he raced Caterhams for two years in the UK and Europe before moving into the Carrera Cup.
After three seasons with Team Parker Racing, he enjoyed one more campaign in the series, spent two years in the British GT Championship, finishing third in 2012, and had his last full season in what was then known as the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup.
For the 2022 season, Bateman will join team-mates Will Aspin and reigning champion Ryan Ratcliffe in the Pro-Am class of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB.
This year the series moves to the 992-style GT3 Cup car, which Team Parker Racing has experience with, having raced it in the Porsche Supercup last season.
This latest iteration of machinery is expected to deliver a fall in lap times thanks to a boost in power, now 510hp, and increased downforce levels.
The season gets under way at the team’s local circuit of Donington Park in April, running to October when the new champions will be crowned.
Bateman, 35, said: “I’ve been out of racing for far too long.
“I’d been thinking about what championship to do and, considering I wanted to get back into the Carrera Cup, I would only race with (principal) Stuart (Parker) and Team Parker Racing.
“For me, the main thing is that I’ve not raced a car since 2013 so I will be competing with myself for the first half of the season.
“Hopefully, we’ll have a good year and show we can still be competitive.
“The last Porsche Cup car I raced was the 997, with a proper sequential gearbox, so it was quite a bit more manual than the new one.
“The 992 still feels still very much like a Porsche, just a massive step on in terms of being a proper race car.
“I’d also like to say a big thank you to Pilgrim Foodservice and C.J. Butchers for their support in getting me back on track to do what I love.”
2022 Porsche Carrera Cup GB calendar
April 23/24 – Donington Park: Rounds 1 & 2
May 14/15 – Brands Hatch (Indy):
Rounds 3 & 4
June 11/12 – Oulton Park: Rounds 5 & 6
July 30/31 – Knockhill: Rounds 7 & 8
August 13/14 – Snetterton: Rounds 9 & 10
August 27/28 – Thruxton: Rounds 11 & 12
September 24/25 – Silverstone (National): Rounds 13 & 14
October 8/9 – Brands Hatch (GP): Rounds 15 & 16