Welcome News update: 02/2009 19 February 2009 In this issue: JHR joins Carrera Cup GB Welcome to the second edition of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB news update for 2009. The new Meet the team lunch is a hit season is coming up fast and we are very pleased with the way that the Carrera Cup GB field is com- ing together. The arrival of JHR in the paddock is excellent news and comes as leading teams and Bridgman aiming for the title drivers from 2008 are confirming their plans. Carrera Cup test for Caterham champion The next major date is Monday 16 March for the pre-season test and media day at Silverstone. I look forward to seeing you there. Marion Barnaby Porsche Cars GB For more information contact: Paul Lawrence Porsche Carrera Cup GB media co-ordinator T: 01952 510382 E: [email protected] Newsletter design: Helen Ford The JHR Carrera Cup squad will operate in car. It'll be a big learning curve for me, but JHR joins Carrera Cup parallel to the team's Renault Clio squad I had that switching from Clios to SEAT. Bridgman aiming for and Pierce will step up from racing Clios This is my third season with JHR and I'm GB to make his Carrera Cup debut. The for- confident the team will do a great job, as the title mer Legends World Champion has plenty they have for the past two years. The JHR, one of the most respected teams in of rear-wheel drive experience and Hunter team has Porsche experience from the Tim Bridgman will return to the Porsche Carrera the BTCC support race paddock, will enter expects him to adapt well to the 911GT3 past and we're all very hungry to succeed. Cup GB for the coming season and is targeting the overall title after proving his pace in a debut the Porsche Carrera Cup GB this season Cup car. We're not underestimating how difficult it season in last year in the 911GT3 Cup cars. with a two-car team for Robert Lawson will be but we're aiming to move up the Bridgman's announcement adds further quality to and Derek Pierce. Lawson (31) will make the switch to rear- grid as quickly as we possibly can." what is shaping up to be an excellent season for wheel drive for the first time in his short the Carrera Cup GB. JHR, created in the memory of the late career, having raced Renault Clios in 2006 Lawson started racing in the Renault Clio Jamie Hunter and headed by his brother and 2007 and then SEATs in 2008. Cup in 2006 and finished third overall in Bridgman will clearly be one of the leading con- tenders after confirming that he has signed for a Steven, has an enviable record within the the 2007 championship before switching second season with Team Parker Racing. Last BTCC race package, having won seven "I’m exceptionally pleased with my deal to the SEAT Cupra Championship for 2008 year, Bridgman switched to the Carrera Cup championship titles in eight years. Now, with JHR to race the Porsche this year," and finishing runner-up. from single-seaters and was immediately very the Derbyshire team is mounting a major said Lawson. "It's a fantastic championship quick, taking more race wins than any other challenge on the Carrera Cup GB. and although I know it'll be a very tough Pierce (42) is from West Kilbride in Ayr- driver, with seven victories across the 20-race challenge it's an incredibly exciting devel- shire and started racing in 2000. After season. The team can trace its roots to the 2001 opment for my racing career." Backing will four very successful seasons in Legends, The 23 year-old racer from Essex knows that he season when Jamie raced in the Porsche come from Bardon Aggregates and Bar- which included winning the Scottish title must now add greater consistency to his speed Supercup and JHR was formed in 2002, don Concrete. and finishing fourth in the British title, he in order to really challenge for the title. "I'm really with a long-term ambition of returning to graduated to the Clio Cup in 2007. "I can't looking forward to the new season and we cer- the Grand Prix support race series. "Our "I thoroughly enjoyed driving the Porsche wait to get out testing," said Pierce of his tainly aim to not have as much inconsistency as aim has always been to get the team to when I tested at Brands Hatch, it's a great forthcoming season. last year," said Bridgman. "This is a serious the level where Jamie was racing," said crack at winning the title." Steven Hunter. Having finished fourth in the 2008 championship, Bridgman will continue his relationship with Team Already working within the JHR squad are Parker Racing. "I'm very happy to stay with TPR; I people with Supercup experience, but didn’t need to look anywhere else. I just can't Hunter does not under-estimate the chal- wait to get started." Backers for the campaign lenge they face. "The Carrera Cup GB is a will include the CF Group and Carcarc Environ- very professional series and our aim is to mental Services. be as professional as the other teams. Team boss Stuart Parker is delighted to confirm We're going in with our feet on the ground Bridgman as the latest signing for his four-car and will take one step at a time. We want squad. "Tim's a true competitor and a very tal- to show our abilities in the Carrera Cup, ented driver," said Parker. "We'll learn from the with Supercup as our longer term aim for 2008 season and do the job 110% for him. We the future." Robert Lawson, Steven Hunter and Derek Pierce all want to go out and show what we can do." while, but plans to be fully fit in time for the News in brief test and media day at Silverstone and then Meet the team lunch the start of the racing season. Tim Harvey's 2008 Carrera Cup title victory is a hit was celebrated again in February Red Line Racing has really hit the media big at the BARC's annual big night out awards time after being featured in a recent issue of The first 'meet the team' lunch for teams ceremony. Tim collected his trophy Chat Magazine. Quite how this came about and drivers in the Carrera Cup GB was a from Marion Barnaby as the organising club remains a bit of a mystery, but the article real hit recently when over 50 people visited for the Carrera Cup marked all of quotes Alex as telling the story of the team the Porsche Driving Experience Centre at its 2008 champions. truck driving from their base 'ooop’ north to Simon Leonard: Silverstone. Snetterton with a bird's nest in the engine. “I always thought I’d "I always thought I'd make a magazine with make a magazine The lunch was arranged to give newcomers birds, but I didn't know they would be the with birds…” to the championship the chance to meet the feathered kind," said team boss Simon team behind the championship as well as Leonard. get to know other teams and drivers ahead of the start of the season. In a relaxed atmosphere over lunch, the Carrera Cup test for Caterham champion team behind the Carrera Cup had the chance to get to know the new faces that The winner of the 2009 Caterham Super- Simon Lambert, Caterham’s Motorsport will soon be a regular feature of the 2009 light R400 Championship will win a test in Manager explained the logic behind the season and, judging by the response from those present, the idea worked very well. a Porsche 911GT3 Cup car as a result of new relationship. "In addition to those that a unique tie-up between Caterham Mo- race Caterhams for pleasure, the five Marion Barnaby and Tim Harvey It also gave many people from the Carrera torsport and Porsche Carrera Cup GB championship steps of our 'racing ladder' Cup their first chance to see the superb While most of us have been enjoying a little team champions, Team Parker Racing. are ideally suited to aspiring career driv- Driving Experience Centre. bit of free time before the start of the new ers looking to progress into sports car racing season, Carrera Cup Scholarship driv- The pace-setting Carrera Cup team will racing. It will benefit us and our drivers to ers Lewis Hopkins and Tim Bradshaw have run the test at Silverstone, home of the have a clear vision of the best way for- been out getting very fit on a programme put Porsche Driving Experience Centre. ward, and the Carrera Cup GB is undenia- together by the Human Performance team "We’ve taken drivers such as Barry Horne bly the most logical step." from the Porsche Driving Experience Centre. straight from Caterham racing to champi- It was particularly tiring to read the schedule onship victory in the Carrera Cup GB," One of the two winners of this year’s for their weekend of mountain bike riding in said team boss Stuart Parker. "The race- £50,000 Carrera Cup GB Scholarship the mountains and forests of South Wales. craft and car control skills that develop Programme is former Caterham Roads- Carrera Cup newcomer John Quartermaine exceptionally quickly behind the wheel of port-A front-runner Lewis Hopkins.