Wet weather played a part in delivering a thrilling qualifying session at Brands Hatch, claiming the first pole position of the season was 18-year-old Porsche GB 2018 / 2019 Junior Dan Harper (JTR). Harper will start Round One alongside Pro-Am category runner Jamie Orton (JTR) at the head of a mixed up grid resulting from the slippery conditions. Am category Rookie John Ferguson (IN2 Racing) starts on the second row of the grid in third position.
Times tumbled during the 30-minute qualifying session as drivers tested the levels of available grip with both dry and grooved wet weather tyres. Harper was a constant presence at the top of the timesheet, during the latter stages of the session the Porsche Junior traded fastest overall lap times with Pro category rivals George Gamble (Amigos Team Parker) and Seb Perez (Amigos Team Parker) – at one stage just 0.064s covered all three runners.
Rookie Jack McCarthy (Redline Racing) made an impressive debut in the Pro-Am category, however it was Orton who would finish the session ahead to start tomorrow’s race from the front row. Newcomer McCarthy starts second in category, P8 overall, ahead of Pro-Am category returnee Karl Leonard (Team Parker Racing). Several drivers headed the equally close Am category during the session, Rookie Ferguson ultimately coming out on top ahead of Justin Sherwood (Team Parker Racing) and 2018 category champion Peter Mangion (Team Parker Racing).
Following the 2019 Carrera Cup GB race format, Harper has already earned two championship points with his pole position, as the top qualifiers in their respective categories – Orton and Ferguson – also receive two points each. The grid for tomorrow’s second race will be decided immediately following race one. The overall winner will draw a number between four and six at random, deciding whether the first four, five or six competitors will have their grid positions reversed. The remaining drivers will form the grid for race two according to their finishing positions in race one, any driver who records a DNF in race one will start race two behind the last finisher in their category.
Round One will take place tomorrow, Sunday 7 April, at 10:35 with live coverage available online at www.porsche.com/uk/motorsportandevents/porschecarreracupgreatbritain/stream/ – while Round Two will take place at 16:10 with live coverage on ITV4. Both races feature a standing start and are scheduled to last for a duration of 34 laps. With several drivers out of position on the grid, the first race of 2019 is certain to generate close racing and exciting overtaking.
Source. Porsche
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